The first football clubs started around 1848 and have been around ever since. Football is arguably the most well-known and popular sport around the world.
If you watch football, you know how iconic some of the shirts are. You may even have your own collection. If you do or if you’re considering starting one, this article is for you.
We are going to talk about some of the greatest football shirts and some of the more recent kits. Read on to learn more!
Manchester United – English Premier League
Manchester United receives around $290 million in revenue for its yearly jerseys. Their top three sponsors are Aon, AIG, and Vodafone, and they all heavily influence the shirts.
The home kits have the Adidas logo on the right chest and the shirt a bright red color. They also have three white stripes over the shoulders. The away jerseys are blue in color and have a zig-zag pattern across them.
The club has sold more than three million shirts in a single season. These jerseys are very expensive and famous. They are continuously appreciated by the fans and sought after, making them one of the best football shirts.
Werder Bremen: 120th-Anniversary shirt (2019)
One of Werder Bremen’s best shirts was the 120th-anniversary jersey in 2019. The shirt was only worn for one game against Augsburg.
This Umbro jersey has several different shades of green; it looks similar to patchwork. Throughout the colors, you can faintly see the founding year, 1899 within it. It’s unique from any other anniversary jerseys, as many clubs will go for a more subtle look.
Trinidad and Tobago 2006
In 2006, a team that was labeled the underdog beat the odds. They made it to the World Cup and pushed their competition, England, to their limits.
The Trinidad and Tobago team wore an all-red Adidas kit and inspired many during the game. Even though they didn’t win, their jerseys are still popular collector’s items.
Japan 2018
One of the new shirts that stand out against the others is Japan’s kit from 2018. Adidas said they were inspired by traditional samurai armor when designing these jerseys.
They have two Japanese flags on them and also have subtle stripes running down them.
Liverpool – English Premier League
The first Liverpool jersey sponsor was in 1979 by Hitachi. They were the first ones to use football shirt sponsorships.
The 2021 Liverpool home kits have a traditional color scheme, with the home jerseys being orange and crimson. The away ones look similar to the classic jerseys with ebony and teal. The shirt has the Nike swoosh on the right upper chest.
FC Barcelona – Spanish La Liga
FC Barcelona is one of the most popular teams and also has one of the most recognizable crests and logos. The 2021 jerseys have a red and blue design, and they also are sponsored by Nike.
The Barcelona club took a stand with their away jersey kits. The light purple shirts were created to bring awareness to the lack of gender equality in football.
A fact about FC Barcelona is they refused to put any sponsorships on their jerseys until 2006. When they finally decided to change that, they signed a deal with UNICEF for $1.5 million.
Rakuten and Nike have been a part of their sponsorships ever since. The club sold almost two million football shirts between 2019 and 2020.
Blackburn Rovers: The Coors Shirt (1992)
If you like a challenge, you’ll love searching for the Blackburn Rovers Coors shirts. In 1992, for only one game, the players would wear jerseys with “COORS” printed across the front. The shirts were the iconic blue and white colors that spilt the uniform.
The purpose was to promote McEwan’s Lager. These football shirts never went on sale, making them hard to find. Everyone who is a fan of the English league would like this jersey.
Denmark 1986
People still have differing opinions when it comes to Denmark’s “50-50” jerseys in 1986. Half of the shirt was white, and the other half was red and white striped. The sleeves had the opposite design.
This year was the first time they made it to the World Cup finals. The shirt is unique and eye-catching without being too overwhelming.
Chelsea Football Kits
In 1970, Chelsea won the FA Cup while wearing a classic navy and yellow shirt.
Fifty years later, the Chelsea team wore a similar jersey to celebrate and remember the win all those years ago. The kit still looks great today.
England 1990
Another great set of jersey kits is England’s from 1990. Their home shirts were white with navy collars. There was also a subtle white design on the body of the shirt.
The away kits were blue with a speckled design. Both had a classic look that is still remembered today. If you’re looking to sell one of these jerseys, you can do so here at https://casualfootballshirts.co.uk/blogs/shirts/sell-shirts.
Man United 1990 Away
There was another team in 1990 that had a famous blue jersey kit. Manchester United had a similar speckled-looking shirt as England did. The away kit is still worn by fans today.
Next time you’re at a football game or watching the match on TV, look out for this jersey. It’s pretty distinct and won’t be hard to spot.
Liverpool 1984
There’s another team that is paying homage this year with their color jerseys. In 1984 Liverpool won the European Cup.
They were wearing red shirts by Ombre, with thin white lines running vertically. There were no sponsors on the jerseys, just the club’s crest.
In recent years, Liverpool has brought back jerseys that look similar. In 2020, they wore red shirts with diagonal white lines.
Real Madrid – Spanish La Liga
It probably doesn’t surprise you that one of the most popular football shirts is Real Madrid’s. They have the highest-paying sponsorships for jerseys. The first sponsorship they signed was with Parmalat in 1985.
Now they work with brands like Adidas, Mahou, and Emirates Airlines. It may come as a shock that Emirates Airlines pays close to $84.1 million every year for jersey sponsorship.
In 2021 the home kits were white with blue strips on the shoulders. The away kits were simple as well, with yellow stripes on a deep blue jersey. They both have “Emirates Fly Better” on the chest in big letters.
However, the 2022 shirts are a bit different. The home kits are white with purple trimming on the collar with stripes on the shoulders. The away football shirts are a cool purple.
There’s no collar, and there is a long block design that is a slightly darker purple. The one thing that is similar to past jerseys is the Emirates logo.
Paris Saint-Germain – French Ligue 1
Another team that received millions in jersey sponsorships from an airline is Paris Saint-Germain. PSG recently obtained sponsorship from Qatar Airways. The navy shirts have one red and white stripe down the middle of the uniform.
The away jersey will have pink and black accents on the white shirt. This club sells hundreds of thousands of shirts every year, and it doesn’t seem to matter how much they cost. When Lionel Messi signed with the club, jersey kit sales increased rapidly.
Manchester United: Munich Air Disaster 50th Anniversary Kit (2008)
The greatest shirt of all time may be the Manchester United jersey from 2008. The team used their kits to remember the Munich air disaster that happened 50 years prior.
They wore plain red jerseys that only had their numbers on them. There was no crest, logos, or sponsorships.
It was a beautiful tribute to those who had lost their lives. In the same game, Manchester City also wore sponsorless jerseys to honor them, too.
Collecting Football Shirts
There are hundreds of jersey kits out there to collect, and it has become a hobby for many people. Many people find joy in finding and purchasing rare and iconic football shirts.
It’s true; you can become addicted to purchasing a new one. If you’ve been searching for a specific jersey for a long time, you’ll probably get a rush of excitement when you find it. You can start to crave that dopamine rush that you experience when you finally have that rare jersey.
While collecting football kits is not harmful, it can become a problem if you let it. Football shirts can be very expensive, so be sure you manage your finances and budget correctly.
Football Shirts and Iconic Kits
Football has been bringing people together for years. Collecting football shirts is a great way to remember your favorite teams and their different seasons, wins, and championships.
It can be challenging to get your hands on certain jerseys these days, especially vintage ones. The hunt is part of the fun, though.
We hope you keep expanding your collections. If you’ve found this article interesting, keep browsing our site for more.
