Nigeria’s shirt is getting all the attention during this World Cup, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a beautifully designed number combining green, white and black and incorporating a zig-zag effect. Neat. A quick look at the latest 2018 World Cup odds will show you that they’re not among the favourites to win the tournament, but they’ve already got the unofficial best kit title sewn up. But how does it rank against the most stylish World Cup kits of all time? Here’s our shortlist of ten…
Denmark, 1986
The Danes were a sensation at the 1986 World Cup – until they were surprisingly dumped out by Spain, 5-1. Still, their glorious kit lives long in the memory, an absolute classic from Hummel.
England, 1986
Classic stuff here. England’s 1986 shirt was clean, simple and striking – plain white with a deep v-neck. Nothing complicated, just smart.
Peru, 1978
Peru’s style is pretty much out there on its own. We’ve picked the 1978 shirt here but we could have selected any era, really – the wide red diagonal stripe is iconic and still features today.
West Germany, 1990
Looking back now, West Germany’s jersey in the 1990 World Cup was cutting edge, with the triple colours of gold, red and black styled diagonally across the chest. As modelled perfectly here by a splendidly-coiffured Jurgen Klinsmann.
The Netherlands, 1974
Achingly cool, the kit worn by the Netherlands in 1974 looked even better in long-sleeved version. It was simple but bold, in bright orange. Designed by adidas, star player Johan Cruyff famously had his shirt specially made to have just two stripes down the arm instead of the sportswear firm’s three. Why? Because Cruyff was sponsored by Puma, rivals of adidas.
Brazil, 1970
The Brazilian team of 1970 has gone down in history as one of the greatest of all time, and its kit is a classic. A simple round neck with green trim, it also sported green trim around the arms. With iconic names such as Pele and Jairzinho gracing the back, it’s a memorable one.
Croatia, 1998
Croatia had a special team in 1998 – reaching the semi-finals before being beaten by eventual winners France – and their shirt was stylish too; a red checkerboard design across a brilliant white.USA, 2014
At the 2014 World Cup, the USA’s away shirt turned heads, and rightly so. A striking modern design, it featured the colours of red, white and blue in blocks, with the trademark Nike swoosh top left. Smart.
Argentina, 1986
The 1986 World Cup belonged to Diego Maradona, who owned the tournament with a combination of controversy and genius. The shirt was stunning. Wide vertical white and pale blue stripes, and that iconic Le Coq Sportif logo, give it a retro vibe that we love.
Italy, 1990
Italy’s shirts are always cool, the Azzuri blue simple but clean. This was the version they wore at Italia ‘90. It gave off a sheen, shiny look that gleamed in the Italian sun. We love the collar and the delicate red, white and green edging around it and shirt sleeves.
