England 1996 Away
Iconic in the kit: Paul Gascoigne, Gareth Southgate, Alan Shearer
Photo courtesy of The Guardian
A sundrenched England, “Three Lions” pumping from every car stereo, a European tournament on home soil. It was the start of the “it’s coming home” era for English football supporters that has delivered so many “what-if” moments over the course of the 25 years since. The epitome was the Euro 96 Semi-Final against Germany. Ditching the traditional red away kit for the tournament, England took to the field in their first-ever grey jersey (though Umbro will tell you it’s indigo blue). The idea behind the choice was that the manufacturers thought it would go well with a pair of jeans. Turns out it looked quite good with a bucket hat and pair of sunglasses too. Sadly, it lives on in most English fans’ minds as another cloudy day in the country’s football history, going out of the competition via penalties. What if Southgate had scored that penalty? Well, he’s now the man in charge of the national team, swapping indigo blue for a navy waistcoat, and has since won a penalty shootout at a major tournament. What if football’s coming home in 2021?
Match It With
Portugal 2004 Home
Iconic in the kit: Luis Figo, Deco, Cristiano Ronaldo
Photo courtesey of UEFA
Numbers hold significant importance in football. Many fans may not be able to imagine a Portugal shirt with the number 7 on the back which doesn’t have the name Ronaldo written above it. But in 2004 that shirt belonged to the legendary Real Madrid (and former Barcelona) star Luis Figo. Ronaldo was turning out for his first international tournament after an impressive first season at Manchester United. Wearing the number 17, nineteen-year-old Cristiano dazzled for a Portugal side that would go on to reach the Final, only to lose 1-0 to underdogs Greece.
Nike’s branding of the kits at this tournament was perfect. The squad numbers featured on the front of their jerseys were accentuated by circles around them. The same graphic was used on their standout boot of the year; the Total 90 III. It’s almost impossible to think of football in the early ’00s and not reminisce over the incredible work Nike’s marketing team delivered. If you ever nutmegged someone in the playground and shouted “ole” it’s because of this campaign.
Denmark 1992 – Goalkeeper
Iconic in the kit: Peter Schmeichel
Photo by Press Association
Holidays may seem like distant memories these days, with many trips abroad being regularly cancelled. We can all empathise with the Denmark team of ‘92 who had to cancel their summer plans of sitting by the pool to participate in the European Championships at just a few days’ notice. In an amazing twist of fate Denmark, who replaced the omitted Yugoslavia, defied all odds to make it to the final and defeat Germany, crowning them as kings of Europe. With the “Great Dane” Peter Schmeichel between the sticks, the talismanic ‘keeper barked orders and set the tone from the back. When remembering his career it’s impossible not to visualise Schmeichel in his Hummel kit; the disco beehive, the neon kaleidoscope, the lighthouse with gloves. Come to think of it, the tessellated pattern actually looks a little similar to the StockX logo (possible collaboration, maybe?). It’s undeniable that the ’90s was a fantastic decade for goalkeeper kits and this ranks up there as the very best, not just for the overall design, but for etching out one of the most memorable moments in European football history. They may have been underdogs, but they were pretty hard to miss
Match it With
Netherlands 1988 Home
Iconic in the kit: Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullet, Frank Rijkaard
Photo courtesy of UEFA
Mathematics, no. Football kit design, oh yes. There’s something very special about the geometric pattern used on the Dutch kit of ‘88. Something that draws your attention like a Magic Eye puzzle. Many forget that adidas used the same pattern on the red USSR jersey and West Germany’s away kit, but let’s be honest, it just looks amazing in orange. A kit that was truly ahead of its time, introducing beautiful, gradient colours printed on the shirt. The techniques applied here would go on to inspire cult kits such as Manchester United’s 90-92 away and Arsenal’s “Bruised Banana” of 91-93. The tragedy of the Netherlands’ kit is that it was only worn for 5 matches. But its fleeting lifespan, twinned with the Oranje’s incredible road to victory ensures this kit lives in the memory of many. Total Football was vindicated with a trophy as the stylish Dutch team brushed aside challengers to reach the pinnacle of European football, a moment in time encapsulated in that van Basten volley. Is it the greatest goal of all time? I just watched it on a loop for 20 minutes.
Czech Republic 1996 Away
Photo courtesy of UEFA
Iconic in the kit: Pavel Nedved, Karel Poborsky, Vladimir Smicer
Confidence can often be the difference between losing and winning. “We just had the feeling ‘don’t do something really, really bad’”, recounts Czech Republic midfielder Vladimir Smicer about his nation’s hopes at Euro ‘96. It may not be the flashiest kit in our list, but a solid core with exuberant detailing is a pretty apt way to describe the team that finished runner-up in the tournament, shocking many in the process. This kit is pure nostalgia, it’s hard not to see Pavel Nedved sneaking in front of his marker and tucking one away against Italy. It conjures images of Poborsky bundling through a hoard of Portuguese defenders, hair bounding as he stampedes towards the box, only to deftly scoop it over the head of onrushing Vitor Baia. More underdog stories at this year’s tournament, please!
Bonus: West Germany 1990 Home
Iconic in the kit: Jurgen Klinsmann, Andreas Brehme, Lothar Matthaus
Photo courtesy of Sport1.de
To write an article about kits and not include West Germany’s jersey from World Cup Italia ‘90 would be sacrilege. OK, it’s not from the Euros, but adidas’ asymmetrical chevron has been used across their line of brands ever since and holds huge importance in the furthering of kit design. I think we all remember the Cork City jersey of the same year. Considered “loud” at the time, Ina Franzmann’s design was met with some public scepticism when it was released. But over the years adoration has grown as supporters look back fondly on West Germany lifting the World Cup, with mental images of their heroes in the now-iconic kit. That’s not where the silverware ends, as in 2018 the jersey was inducted into the Classic Football Shirts: Hall of Fame. In the same year, adidas also paid homage when they launched Germany’s home kit featuring a monochromatic reimagining of the pattern. So you can see why we couldn’t leave it off the list.
