The best retro football kits are timeless. Some classic football shirts are just remain with you, whether you're a fan of the vintage Adidas stripes across the shoulder or more minimal efforts that predate huge sponsors across your chest.
Best retro football kits and classic football shirts, 2024
AC Milan: classic shirts and retro kits
AC Milan 1994 away shirt
(Image credit: Future)
The first Champions League-winning AC Milan side of the modern era were dressed to impress in a plain white shirt with no sponsor. This is the definitive change strip for the Rossonerri and proof that simple is best.
Even Pele loves this one. The red and black stripes have become iconic and it was in the early 1960s with a journey to the European Cup final that Milan put their mark on football fashion.
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
AC Milan 1996 home shirt
(Image credit: Future)
The Opal sponsor has become one of the most instantly recognisable ever. For some, this is the ultimate Milanese icon and one synonymous with Football Italia.
Another classic sponsor. The Motta sponsor came in just as Van Basten and Gullit were heading out – but this shirt still came during a treble-winning season. Naturally.
A late 80s edition of a classic, this top became the icon of a burgeoning empire in northern Italy. The collar, the tank icon in the sponsor and the Italian flag crest are all neat little details, don't you think?
The 1994/95 away shirt from Ajax has become a classic – partly for its intricate design but also for the fact that it was the last shirt that the Amsterdammers conquered Europe wearing. This top is not officially licensed but there are occasionally shirts that crop up on Ebay – and that's the best place to find it.
Sky blue and white stripes are synonymous with Argentina. This is one of the nicest shirts in international and in the mid-1980s, Diego Maradona lifted this modest nation higher than ever. The jersey he donned is still iconic.
Admit it: you can only this subtly-striped beauty of a kit shimmering in the Mexican sun as Maradona destroyed England with nastiness and brilliance. It's become a national symbol back in Argentina.
These might be the most famous white sleeves in the whole of football. Retro Arsenal shirts are some of the distinctive in the game and as the club won the Double in the 1970s, they established themselves as having a winning look to match.
Arsenal originally wore a navy away shirt – but when that clashed too much with the referee's traditional black, the Gunners switched up to yellow. In 1971, they capped this beautiful shade off on a Sunday day at Wembley, winning the FA Cup.
Since becoming kit manufacturer for the Gunners again in the 2010s, Adidas have revelled in the 1990s. This particular remake is an update of the away top that Wrighty and co. stormed opposition forces in – and as close as they've ever come to wearing a sash.
The loud, proud away shirt that Adidas gave Arsenal fans in the early 1990s has been ranked as one of the best and one of the worst of all time. In time, it's become a must-have for Gunners – and though the last remake of this beauty is completely sold out, you can still find "Bruised banana" tops all over Ebay.
To commemorate a century of Arsenal, Umbro's home shirt for 1985/86 was suitably classic with a lovely embellished canon. This, for many, is the ultimate Arsenal home shirt.
Arsenal experimented with a mint top during Unai Emery's sole full season in charge – that aside, this is the only green shirt that the Gunners have ever worn. How can one club have so many stunning shirts?
Lightning bolts have come to be synonymous with Arsenal. In the 1990s, Nike brought the image to many a Gunners top – and this might be the best one. If you're lucky, you can find it online, still.
The Gunners went for gold in 2001, as Arsene Wenger completed his second Double. These tops can still be found on Ebay with Sega as the sponsor or more rarely, O2.
The first Arsenal away shirt with the current badge, this thing looked like it had dropped from space when it arrived – Henry and co. played like they were out of this world wearing it.
The brightest, most brilliant yellow top that Arsenal ever wore, inspired by the 1971 Double-winners. That's Thierry Henry mimicking Charlie George's FA Cup-winning celebration, by the way.
For fans of a certain age, this is the pinnacle of Aston Villa retro shirts – and that sponsor is just perfect for the club, right? The little lion insignia printed all over the top is a classy touch, as are the gold flourishes.
One of the greatest-ever Premier League sponsors. Red, green and black stripes just shouldn't work – but this shirt is one of the all-time great away jerseys in English football.
Like the green, black and red? You'll love the home. The thick pinstripes were a staple of the 1990s and the Muller sponsor is one of the finest that Villa have ever had.
An all-over pattern that recalls a time of Euro 88 and Italia 90, this top is unmistakeable Villa. The collar is very nice indeed and the blue sleeves are wonderful.
Hummel dished out a few of these kits – most notably one to Southampton and one to the Denmark national side. But the Aston Villa version is one of the nicest in the archives and something completely different to most of the Midlanders' tops.
Villa wore white when they won the European Cup – a crying shame because the 1982 home shirt is one of the most beautiful you will ever come across. The central badge is iconic, too.
Yellow has always been a prominent away colour for Barcelona and the away kit that Johan Cruyff wore for the club is still one of the most iconic. The Blaugrana sash looks absolutely beautiful.
When you think of Barcelona, you think of the superstars and there have been few bigger than Diego Maradona. The shirt that Deadly Diego donned for the Catalan outfit is one of the most simplistic in their history – but why mess with genius?
The first time that Barça conquered Europe, they did so in orange. The shirt from 1992's triumph over Sampdoria is masterful, with red on one sleeve and blue on the other.
Later referenced by Nike with a beautiful prematch shirt, this Kappa kit was worn against PSG as Barcelona won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1997 under the management of Bobby Robson. The colour is glorious and the pattern is intricate.
The Kappa shirt that R9 dazzled in at Camp Nou. This shirt brings all those 90s memories flooding back, as Barça won three trophies in Ronaldo's sole season in Catalonia.
One of the most unique special edition shirts ever produced, Barça's centenary shirt is a work of art. It's never been licensed for remake but Ebay is awash with the real thing – get bidding to own a piece of history.
Back in the 1970s and 80s, German sides kept their strips simple. The Bayern Munich efforts of the time are nothing but plain red – and they look classic.
The late 90s Bayern top that combined navy blue with a red horizontal hoop has never been remade or reworked – because why change something perfect? But this shirt is still one of the most iconic football shirts of an era and it crops up on Ebay frequently.
Legend has it that Boca got their shirt colours from incoming ships that were draped in Swedish flags. This top from 1995 – which had both Parmalat as the sponsor and the iconic Quilmes – is the quintessential Xeneizes jersey, though they're hard to find. Ebay is your best bet…
In 1997, Borussia Dortmund stunned Juventus to become champions of Europe. They did it in style, too – literally, wearing a shirt that would become hipsters' favourites for decades to come. These tops are hard to find these days but you're best off looking on Ebay.
Easily the most famous yellow football shirt the world has ever known. 1970 was the first time that many watched the World Cup in colour, as one of the greatest-ever sides strolled to victory – wearing the most iconic of bright shades in the process.
The Brazil change strip from 1970 is just as beautiful, just as simple. It's not often that the Selecao get to wear blue at a World Cup but this is one of the nicest away shirts you will ever see.
Before the Brazilians wore yellow, they donned white. It was only after a horrific 1950 World Cup that the new colours came in – but this remake shirt is a fabulous nod to the past.
One of the most instantly recognisable football shirts of the 1990s, the top of the 1994 world champions featured the badge plastered all over – and though there hasn't been a remake, you can still see it crop up on Ebay.
The last time the Selecao ruled the world. This was easily the nicest of Nike's 2002 World Cup template and these shirts appear every now and then on Ebay.
Celtic were the first British side to win the European Cup in 1967, cementing this colour scheme into the very fabric of footballing folklore. It's still a fantastic look today.
A classic from 1996, this retro top has the word "Celtic" written across it in a suitably, well, Celtic font. It's one that's remembered fondly from fans of the time.
The quintessential classic Chelsea kit, to some. The early 70s crew wore a plain blue shirt with an elegant crest – and it was topped off with an FA Cup win to boot.
One of the most talked-about retro shirts ever that Nike themselves have referenced in a recent shirt, this grey/orange effort of the mid-90s has become iconic. It's still around in remakes, too…
Another FA Cup win, another classic Chelsea shirt with white and yellow detailing. This one has the lion badge emblazoned across the body – as all good 90s kits should.
Every classic England shirt stems back to this one. The Three Lions may not have worn it in the final but it's still the archetypal white England shirt.
The only red shirt that's ever won the World Cup. It might just be the most famous red shirt in the whole of football – remakes are always going to be made of this one.
The Admiral top from 1982 was incredibly distinct and though it wasn't a vintage World Cup for the Three Lions, it was certainly a vintage home jersey.
Memories of a sobbing Gazza, the dulcet tones of tenors and David Platt's thunderbolt are all stitched into this beautiful remake… well, metaphorically.
A shirt that never got an outing at a tournament but still one that's become a cult favourite – perhaps aided by its appearance in the World In Motion video. You've got to hold and give…
Blue has always been a prominent colour for England – and this shirt is one that captured imagination in the early 1990s. It still comes up for sale on Ebay.
A shirt that plenty of kids would have got mud all over, as they tried to create Gazza's dentist chair celebration. A classic colour combination for the national side.
England had never gone for a red as deep and lush as this and they never have since. For those who remember the Coupe De Monde as their first international tournament, this is the away shirt.
A relatively recent remake that evokes the Sapporo sun and Becks' genius free-kick against Greece, this one for millennials. The detailing of the subtle stripes is glorious, too.
This shirt was originally reversible and has become synonymous with Wayne Rooney bursting onto the scene at Euro 2004. There are still some of these that appear from time to time on Ebay.
There's nothing quite as elegant. Umbro pulled out the St. George's Cross to the shoulder and created something that stood out a mile at the 2006 World Cup. It's a collector's item, now.
Rumoured to have almost been chosen as the home shirt, this prematch top from 2018 was inspired by the old Admiral home shirt of 1982. It still lands on Ebay.
Fiorentina shirt folklore didn't begin with Batigol. Oh no – this 1960s Viola jersey is an absolute beauty. This is the ultimate hipsters' hipster shirt.
One of the most beloved football shirts of all time, the Fiorentina home shirt from the late 1990s is pinned to every wishlist of every football fan on Earth. Check Ebay but beware: they're like gold dust.
One of Adidas' all-time great designs. The triumphant 1990 World Cup shirt has since been remade and remains one of Germany's most recognisable shirts ever. Occasionally, it comes up on Ebay.
Adidas' geometric patterns of the late 80s and early 90s were used for a handful of teams, with the Dutch getting an iconic home shirt – but arguably just as fantastic was the teal away top that the Germans wore. This one sometimes surfaces online.
The Inter Milan shirt that sparked the legend. The Catanaccio-playing, swaggerers of the 1960s were immaculately dressed and these retro shirts are testament to that.
This is the Inter Milan equivalent of Brazil's 1994 home shirt. The giant badge patterned across the front made this one a favourite – and they tasted UEFA Cup glory with it, too.
One of three grey/black hooped tops that Inter Milan have brought out, this one is synonymous with the genius of Ronaldo. The original and still the best – yes, we're talking about player and jersey.
They just had to win the Champions League in this, didn't it? Juve's last triumph in Europe came not in the zebra stripes but a bold, regal blue with giant stars on the shoulders. It's beautiful – and if you're lucky, you can find it on Ebay.
A collaboration with brand Palace saw Juventus wear a very special shirt against Genoa for one Serie A clash. It's utterly unique – and a modern classic.
Legendary Welsh footballer John Charles was a pioneer. He's still an icon at Elland Road and immortalised with this retro shirt which was worn as a change strip in the 1950s.
The shirt that Leeds United came oh so close in. This is a remake of the beautifully minimalistic 1970s home top that the Whites got to the European Cup final wearing. One of the most beautiful retro Leeds tops ever.
Leeds were the last side to win the top flight before the Premier League – and they did so in this fantastic jersey with giant Admiral sponsor. The detailing is re-rendered in this excellent remake shirt.
It's hard to put a finger on quite why the Leeds gradient top of 2002/03 is quite so nice – but it's become a modern classic. Arsenal, Inter and Valencia got similar kits on this template.
When Adidas did big stripes, Liverpool and Marseille were kitted out with some of the most iconic football shirts ever. It looks amazing, even 30 years on.
White and green is a staple Anfield away. The early 90s provided some timeless models, some available online even with lettering and numbering on the back.
Black and red was a popular change colour scheme for Manchester City back in the day – and the 1969 effort is a classic. One of the best all-time retro City kits.
An anniversary shirt from the mid-90s, you're a massive Citizen if this is your fave. There have been remakes since but nothing beats the Score Draw version.
The rings around the shoulders and the darker blue make the early noughties City kits particularly distinctive – and this is one of their best efforts.
This was the change strip that United had to don when they faced the red of Benfica. From then on, royal blue would forever be Manchester United's colour.
Released towards the end of 2022 as a relief to a poor season, this shirt is inspired by some of the most iconic Adidas Red Devils kits of the early 90s – and it looks beautiful. There's a subtle texture and the collar is superb.
The shirt that everyone waited to be remade. It finally got its time in 2021 but really, there's no beating the original, which still comes on sale on Ebay.
The shirt that Giggsy mugged Arsenal in. One of the more subtle United away tops but a favourite for anyone who was brought up with the Treble winners.
Royal blue and silver was the change strip in 2003, as United won yet another title – and arguably, it's the best they've managed to recreate the 1968 look since that legendary first European Cup.
When the brilliant Oranje were beamed into living rooms in 1974, they set imaginations running wild with artistic football and shirts that no one had ever seen before. An entire nation own this colour – it's an icon.
Newcastle United's round magpie badge may have been forgotten by football but it will never be by fans. It's a design classic and so is the shirt it adorned.
In the 90s, the Toon could do no wrong with their shirts. This is just another example of a brilliant yet simple jersey that conjures wonderful memories of the Magpies at their most entertaining.
This is how you do hoops. It looks a little like a rugby shirt and yet it still distils all the pomp and playfulness of what Newcastle in the 90s looked like.
Nigeria took to the 1994 World Cup with Adidas and this away shirt, inspired by Nigerian patterns, would resonate around the world. It raised the bar for the entire nation's jerseys from then on.
Still fresh almost 30 years on. The Super Eagles have come a long way but this number is just as stylish now as it was then – even since it's been updated.
Perhaps the most exciting World Cup shirt ever released. This was when fashion and football collided. The sport hasn't been the same and for any classic shirt lover, your collection isn't complete without one of these.
An elegant, stylish and unmistakably 90s shirt from a club who have gone onto become a mystic force. They were really that good and they looked excellent.
Paris Saint-Germain: Classic shirts and retro kits
PSG 1981 home shirt
(Image credit: Future)
The shirt has always defined PSG from the rest. The Parisiens were given their red carpet stripe from president Hechter in the 1970s and have worn it regularly ever since – this particular top came at a time when sponsors were massive on French jerseys and it's since become a cult item among shirt collectors.
We're a sucker for one of those vertical stripes over the badge – and this particular top was remade for the Mbappe generation. A classy number indeed.
White PSG away tops have always been some of the classiest in football and this is no different. Especially when it's worn by David Ginola… because he's worth it.
The single stripe evolved in the 1990s and this is a shirt that takes you back to a specific time and place. Plenty have copied this look, few have ever done it as well.
One of the rarest examples of Adidas putting their stripes around the sleeves as opposed to down the shoulders, this Rangers shirt is a thing of beauty.
The last time Rangers got to a European final prior to Seville, this was the get-up – it was classic Umbro and is still available on Ebay from time to time.
The time just before the Galacticos was a look, wasn't it? Kelme shirts donned by the likes of Davor Suker, Clarence Seedorf and the gang are dripping in nostalgia these days and still available if you get lucky.
Some have no sponsor, some Siemens and some RealMadrid.com – but they're all the archetypal classic Real Madrid shirt for anyone who grew up with this Hollywood side.
As embellished as a Los Blancos shirt has ever got – the BenQ sponsor wasn't around for long but these shirts recall the time that Ruud van Nistelrooy and Arjen Robben were wreaking havoc in the Bernabeu.
No one did football shirts quite like Italian sides in the 1980s and the deep red and gold of Roma is classic. Honestly, it's beautiful – it's not just the timeless Carlo Ancelotti giving it vibes.
An intricately patterned shirt from Diadora, the wolf detailing on the shoulders of this one is particularly striking – and it still appears on Ebay sometimes.
A cup kit that Totti and co. wore in the Champions League, this is one of the nicest half-and-half kits ever. It's sometimes available with UCL patches and numbering.
Still the gold standard. This where all classic Scotland shirts have since evolved, from the moment that the Scots beat world champions England, wearing this absolute beauty.
You can't beat an away shirt that's the same as the home just in a different colour – and this one takes all the class of the home to invert it in yellow.
Scotland have a proud history of hooped shirts: not just Celtic but Queens Park famously wear them. The national team dabbled in 1990 with this piece of genius, too.
Spanish football exploded in the 1950s with Real Madrid: by 1960, Alfredo Di Stefano himself was a Spaniard. This classy jersey is a fitting tribute to the era.
The Adidas stripes are through the heart of the top and behind the crest on this one. This has since become an iconic shirt for the Spaniards and it's still kicking about on Ebay every now and then.
The shirt that Spain stood on top of the world wearing. A modern classic that the likes of Iniesta and Xavi became kings in, this is one of the all-time great navy international tops.
Tottenham dominated English football in the early 1960s from this point, all classic Tottenham shirts were going to be reminiscent of this swaggering, classy team. This remake recalls the genius of those titans.
One of Hummel's finest shirts ever – so much so that Diego Maradona himself wanted in. This remake copies the same details over the chest and replicates the classic Holsten sponsor. It's a masterpiece.
Is there anything sweeter than thumping your closest rivals in the FA Cup semi-final en route to victory? Perhaps not. This remake kit remembers such a time.
A quintessential 90s effort from Umbro, this shirt is still fondly remembered by Spurs fans – and has been brought back in all its glory with this Score Draw reimagining.
Inspired by the shirts that Wales wore at their first-ever World Cup, this remake goes for a rounded collar instead and stylish red dragon for something that feels uniquely Welsh. This is a style icon.
The V-collar is synonymous with the nation and the long stripes of yellow and green down the sides place this firmly in the 70s. It's a cultural masterpiece.
Are you Arsenal in disguise? This was Adidas's first turn at kitting out the Welsh and with these white sleeves, they did a great job of mixing up the formula.
The horizontal stripes look fantastic on this one. The 1984 jersey has since been remade and you can find both the original and fine imitations on Ebay.
OK – so the Welsh didn't actually win in this thing, losing to England and Portugal at the Euros. But goodness did Gareth Bale and co. look stunning in this grey/green get-up.
England may have won the World Cup in 1966 playing in red – but their goal-getting heroes and captain all wore claret and blue. This remake shirt from that year celebrates the Wembley marvels and the day that the Hammers stood on top of the world: it's the creme de la creme of retro West Ham shirts.
The flash away shirt from the early 90s got a reinvention for West Ham's European jaunts – but this remake brings back all the nostalgia, complete with Dagenham Motors sponsor.
Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.
