Summer football is special due to warm weather, cup finals, and international tournaments.
Whether you’re celebrating a famous victory or not, you can still show your colors in summer.
We’ve rounded up the best summer football shirts, from cult classics to bestsellers to lesser-known kits from around the world.
England 1990 Third Kit
England fans remember Italia ‘90 as a great tournament. Gazza led England to their first World Cup semi-finals since 1966. New Order’s World in Motion, released before the tournament, featured John Barnes’ iconic rap. If you want to learn more about UK football and news surrounding the premier league, check out LordPing.co.uk.
Bernard Sumner wore England’s light blue third shirt in the video. Even though England rarely wore the jersey, its tonal diamond pattern and musical heritage made it a cult classic.
Ajax 2021-22 Third Kit
Ajax and adidas honored Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds for the 2021/22 season.
A Cardiff City DJ played the song after a friendly in 2008, linking it to Ajax.
Ajax released a black kit with Jamaica-inspired red, yellow, and green detailing to honor fans’ love for the song. Three tiny birds on the neck completed the design. Despite UEFA forcing Ajax to remove the three bird motif, the shirt sold out immediately.
Nigeria 2018 Home Kit
One kit was the talk of the 2018 World Cup. Nigeria’s tournament shirt had a light green-and-white zig zag pattern on the chest and black-and-white sleeves. With 3 million pre-orders and a long line outside Nike’s London store, the shirt became hard to find.
Nike reissued the shirt for months and years, knowing they had a winner. The shirt was nominated for the Beazley Design of the Year and was also printed on boots and trainers.
Venezia 2021-22 Away Kit
Venezia, the “world’s coolest club,” launched their 2021/22 away kit before the last season to rave reviews. Venice’s tile mosaics inspired the design’s triangle pattern.
The shirt’s gradient-effect stood out. The triangle motif alternated between Venezia’s orange, black, and green colors on the shirt’s cream base. Bellissimo.
Arsenal 1991-92 Away Shirt
Arsenal’s early 1990s away kit, the “Bruised Banana,” is legendary. From 1991 to 1993, the club wore a black-and-yellow chevron kit with red detailing and the adidas Originals Trefoil.
Even though Ian Wright and the players hated the kit at first, it became a fan favorite. Arsenal and adidas updated the away shirt for 2019/20 before rereleasing the original design in all its glory at the end of 2019.
1988 Dutch Home Shirt
International kits got interesting in the late 1980s. Experimental patterns replaced solid colors. The 1988 Dutch kit was one of the best.
The iconic orange returned in an all-over tonal pattern, with lighter sections across the shirt forming arrows. The V-neck collar and adidas Trefoil logo made it one of the best.
Marseille 1991-92 Home Shirt
Marseille ruled French football in the early 1990s. Four consecutive Ligue 1 wins and a Champions League final appearance started the decade. The club wore one of Europe’s greatest kits for its fourth league title.
The shirt was known for its giant adidas three stripes across one shoulder and OM’s signature white and sky blue. Marseille won with Marcel Desailly, Didier Deschamps, Jean-Pierre Papin, and Chris Waddle.
England Euro 2022 Home Shirt
Euro 2022 is the summer’s biggest football event, so support it. England’s home kit is among the tournament’s best.
Euro 2022’s host nation’s all-white kits have subtle improvements. The jersey has a knit pattern that mimics cut diamonds and iridescent pearl-inspired detailing.
AC Milan 1988-89 Home Shirt
The 1988/89 AC Milan kit is a connoisseur’s classic. The great AC Milan team of Ancelotti, Maldini, Baresi, Van Basten, and Gullit wore the red and black stripes that gave the club its nickname.
The smart collar complements the black and red stripes, making it iconic. The all-white Mediolanum sponsor logo enhances the kit.
Denmark 1986.
Denmark has worn some great international kits, including the 1992 Euros-winning shirt, but none compare to the 1986 design. The kit, designed by Denmark’s Hummel, was worn in the country’s first World Cup.
The shirt had one red half and one red and white pinstripe half. The sleeves were reversed and finished with Hummel’s chevrons and a navy-trimmed V neck collar.
FC Tokyo 2022 Away Shirt
FC Tokyo’s kits have a cult following. New Balance and FC Tokyo maintained the team’s red and blue colors for the 2022 season, even with a unique away kit.
The shirt has thin horizontal red-blue stripes on a white base. “You’ll Never Walk Alone” finishes the shirt.
France 1998.
The 1998 kit was always popular because France won their first World Cup on home soil in it. The shirt’s design and Zidane’s performance contributed to its popularity. The jersey’s red and white horizontal stripes reinterpret France’s tricolor.
The multicultural French team’s 1998 triumph united the nation beyond football. This kit symbolizes that team and World Cup.
FC St. Pauli 2021-22 Home Shirt
St. Pauli launched Di!Y to manufacture its own shirts in 2021. Di!Y’s “ultra fair sportswear” captures St. Pauli’s punk spirit, making it a global cult club.
The club wore their signature brown with fine white and red pinstripes in 2021-22. One button and the punk-inspired Di!Y logo finish the shirt.
Jamaica 2021-22 Away Shirt
Umbro’s home shirt was Jamaica’s traditional yellow, but the away shirt was a bold reinterpretation. The jersey had a split green-yellow crewneck collar and a black, green, and gold all-over pattern.
The “Reggae Boyz” nickname on the neck and subtle green trim on the sleeves make the shirt stand out.
Barcelona 1999-2000 Home Shirt
In the late ’90s, Barcelona revisited its Blaugrana stripes for a special-edition kit. The centenary kit replaced stripes with a blue-and-red design.
The kit had dark blue collar and sleeves and gold detailing reading 1899 and 1999 either side of the central badge. This kit launched during Barcelona’s pre-sponsor heyday and Rivaldo’s Ballon d’Or win. It’s a classic.
West Germany 1988 Home Shirt
From the late 1980s to the 1990 World Cup and reunification, the best West Germany kit was also the last. The kit’s Bauhaus-style flag made it stand out.
The kit is still popular after 30 years, but Germany’s 1991 away shirt, which had a green background and the same flag graphic, should be avoided. For the 2018 World Cup, a black-and-white version of the graphic returned.
Juventus 2015-16 Away Shirt
Drake’s appearance in Juventus’ pink away shirt made the design mainstream. Drake may have worn the shirt for its design or because he likes the Old Lady.
Pink was rarely used in football kits until 2015, when Juventus’ away kit became a modern classic. Even the huge “JEEP” logo in the middle made the shirt appealing.
Belgium Euro 2022 Away Shirt
Belgium’s bright yellow away shirt is another Euro 2022 hit. The subtle detailing and summery color make the shirt stand out from the all-black home shirt.
The yellow shirt has a repeated tonal pattern and black adidas branding on the chest and sleeves. The Belgium crest, in black outline, is the highlight.
Parma 1999–2000 Home Shirt
Long hair, Champion logo, yellow and blue stripes. Parma’s 1999-2000 home shirt had everything. The dark single-button collar and massive lower-case Parmalat sponsor complemented the Champion C on the sleeves.
The shirt also marked Parma’s decline. Parma fell from the Italian leagues after four years of insolvency. The club will always have great kits.
Fluminense 2022 Home Shirt
Fluminense has one of the most unique color combinations in football, making every kit stand out. The retro-inspired kits feature green and dark red (officially “Garnet”) with thinner white stripes.
The 2022 home shirt featured the club crest in the same colors, an Umbro logo, a white collar, and shoulder stripes. A little silver celebrates the club’s 120th anniversary.
