If you hadn’t already noticed football kit design is currently undergoing something of a renaissance. Gone (from the ‘big’ clubs at least) are the gaudy, shiny, nylon looking strips of old and in their place English football in particular has ushered in a new era of elegant, understated strips. This year’s line up seems to be a precession of homages to a simpler, more dignified time.
With that said, in the Premier League (and probably the Champions League) Arsenal’s new home strip is the pick of the bunch. Harking back to the glory days of the 1970s it is the Arsenal kit that you know everyone of their fans has been dreaming of for years. ‘No trendy swooshes or bits of random blue trim. Red shirt, white sleeves. Super-cool’ is how an Arsenal friend of mine has described it, and who am I to argue?
Equally Manchester City have again opted for a very straightforward, sky blue jersey with a white trim, their kit for the 2009-2010 was so universally popular there was no way Umbro could really deviate too far from that template this season, they would have had a riot on their hands. Similarly Chelsea and Manchester United have opted for no nonsense strips, free of gimmicks and unnecessary accoutrements, and in turn they look all the better for it.
Not wanting to be out done by their English cousins the European big boys have also weighed in with their new shirts for the coming season, Juventus’ new predominantly black home strip is enough to make the Old Lady look like she means business again, although their away kit does still leave a little to be desired. As I have always had a bit of a soft spot for AS Lazio I have to say that their white and black hooped away strip is wonderful and the new two striped AC Milan home jersey is also a highlight in a very stylish league.
In Spain, Barcelona are going through another one of those red shorts phases, I presume they will grow out of it in twelve months or so as they always do but I always feel like it hurts their mystique. Barca in red shorts just never looks quite right. Real Madrid are all white as usual, nothing much ever changes in Madrid (bar their coaches) so they will look as menacing as always. I fully expect Real Madrid and Adidas to release a Jose Mourinho overcoat soon so their fans can brood stylishly like The Special One. I would probably buy one to be honest.
Special mentions must also go to Bayern Munich and Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga, both clubs have excellent shirts I am trying to convince myself I shouldn’t buy; and last but not least that brings us to another German side – St.Pauli.
Their centenary kits are a sight to behold. I fear that my mere words cannot and will not do justice to the magnificence of their kits. Everyone one Earth should own at least one of them. I am ordering mine right now, so why aren’t you?
Don’t forget you can pickup all of these kits and more at the official World Soccer Reader Shop!
