Denmark and Hummel inspired the world in 1986 when they wore a shirt that would transcend time and fashion: now, the Danes are to don the design one more time
(Image credit: Hummel)
Denmark's 1986 Hummel World Cup shirt is the greatest of all time – and now it's set for a grand return to the pitch.
Last year, FFT ranked the Hummel effort from '86 as the best kit ever, ahead of favourites from West Germany, Newcastle, Arsenal and Dortmund. The half-and-half top with one side of stripes has become iconic in the near-40 years since – and still looks today as magnificent as it always has. This is the top that you associate with both Hummel and Denmark – so good that it spawned lookalikes for Aston Villa and Southampton, along with an away shirt to match for the Danes.
So imagine our excitement to find out that very shirt is to be remade and worn this month for Denmark's latest endeavours on the continent.
The Hummel Denmark shirt from 1986 is returning against Northern Ireland this month
The Hummel Denmark 1986 remake shirt modelled by the current crop (Image credit: Hummel)
”The jersey from the ‘86 World Cup is very special and has been voted one of the best, numerous times,” DBU's Director of Football, Peter Møller says now. ”Therefore, we are also incredibly happy that we can send our national team onto the pitch against Northern Ireland wearing the 86-jersey, reviving the Danish fans’ memories and marking our kit sponsor’s 100th anniversary.”
That's right: Hummel's looking good for 100, right? But that's not all – Hummel are celebrating by bringing back even more 80s nostalgia by making the short shorts available to buy.
”The short shorts from ’86 were in many ways the symbol of one of the most popular national teams of all time, and therefore we think it would be wrong to relaunch the jersey without bringing the shorts back to life. It’s something we’ve received many requests for over the years, and now was the right time to do it,” Hummel CEO Allan Vad Nielsen says now.
Unfortunately, the current Danish stars will don the classic kit with normal-length shorts – but who knows… if enough of us buy the shorter version, perhaps we can instigate a sea change in the sport again.
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Denmark host Northern Ireland on Friday June 16.
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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.
