Soccer Club Kits, Vol. 1

On a completely different note, some really bizarre things happen here in the States. For instance, if you decide to go for a stroll wearing a Dinamo Chicago or Hajduk Split jersey on a day when there isn't even a match happening, people give you these incredibly strange looks—like you're some kind of alien. But, strangely enough, if you've got a Manchester United, Real Madrid, or AC Milan kit on, suddenly everything is perfectly fine and nobody bats an eye.

I’m curious, though—how do you guys feel about the kits for the teams you support? Generally speaking, which jerseys do you actually enjoy, whether it's because of the design, the color palette, or just the overall vibe?

For me, I thought the Dinamo Chicago ones from last season were pretty decent; they had a similar aesthetic to the Chelsea kits.

As for others,I guess I'd say the Liverpool FC away kit from last season was actually quite nice.

The Celtic look is just a total classic.👍

I also really dig the jersey from Columbus Crew, that MLS side, though honestly, I think it's more because of the crest.

Do you guys have any personal favorites?

..I don't get it... why does nobody seem to care about how our local teams actually look? It’s a total disaster. Our entire league is just stuck in either plain white or that weird shade of blue used by the local factory workers. It's pathetic. And don't even get me started on the fonts for the names and numbers; they're absolutely hideous. It wouldn't even cost a fortune to design a decent jersey here...
For instance... the Hajduk Split kit looks fine when it's all white, but those blue shorts are an eyesore. And that blue and red kit hasn't seen a redesign in fifty years.👎 Plus, I don't understand why everyone else tweaks their colors every season—look at Valencia, Liverpool FC, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, or Manchester United; they're constantly updating their look.
...all the Puma kits are top-tier though..
..Celtic is a classic.🙏

I’ve gotta say, I love the Real Madrid and Manchester United kits—Real definitely has to stick with the classic white...

...but if we're talking non-soccer stuff... those USA basketball jerseys are killer (the ones I saw at the game for Dražen🙏 🙏 )

I honestly don't get why everyone gets so worked up about a little color tweak, I mean, look at teams like Valencia, Liverpool FC, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, or even Manchester United, they switch things up all the time.

The big-time clubs are always messing with their away kit colors and designs, but at the end of the day, the core club colors stay exactly the same, so just imagine if Liverpool FC suddenly decided they weren't playing in red anymore and switched to bright yellow, there would be an absolute revolt on the streets.

When you look at what we have going on here in America, besides Hajduk Split and Dinamo Chicago, most other teams don't really have a signature look that stands out anyway, and honestly, trying to change that classic blue and white combo for Hajduk Split is just unthinkable, it would feel like changing the entire identity of the club, though I guess a tiny bit of fresh energy wouldn't hurt anyone.

Hajduk Split kits HAVE to be white and blue.😠 It drives me absolutely crazy every single time I see them running out in that plain white-on-white combo.👎
Sure, minor tweaks are inevitable, especially when sponsors change. For instance, that red and blue Diadorin jersey from a few seasons back was easily one of the best looking kits Hajduk ever had.
And I’m with you regarding our "small" clubs—it’s honestly embarrassing. When teams like San Diego or Sl. Belupo take the field in those pathetic jerseys on some subpar pitch in front of a handful of fans, it just looks amateurish, like they're playing in a low-tier league. Screw MLS; it shouldn't be this hard. Buying decent kits is way cheaper than building a world-class stadium, scouting top talent, or growing a massive fanbase. If they did that, everything would look a lot more professional immediately.

I’m with you on that. Even if they play like Real Madrid or Manchester United, the whole Champions League feels pretty pathetic lately. It’s like nobody actually gives a damn about the kits anymore. And when I mentioned color changes, I was talking about switching up the design and shades of the away jerseys. At least Hajduk Split has three distinct colors—white, blue, and red—to work with for different looks.
...but seriously, why is everyone stuck on blue and white? Why does nobody bother making striped jerseys anymore?

I’ve always had a soft spot for these, even if they aren't really in rotation anymore:

San Jose Earthquakes:

Well... let me just say... soccer jerseys aren't exactly hitting the peak of fashion these days...
For instance... the USA National Team kit is honestly just tragic. I mean, seriously, who is actually picking out these colors and patterns??? I don't know about you all, but looking at our jersey for more than sixty seconds gives me a massive headache...
And don't even get me started on that synthetic fabric they use. Gross! 👎
There is absolutely no way you won't start smelling like sweat after just two minutes of wearing it. It's terrible.
Also, why on earth aren't there women's versions... like... the exact same colors and everything, but slim-fit, cropped at the waist (to show off some skin), and made from actual natural fabrics? If they did that... then maybe I'd actually wear a jersey, but like this... no way.
By the way... the absolute best jersey has to be the one from the Brazil National Team... though it is a bit tricky if your skin tone is a little dull or pale because those bright colors just won't suit you. Ha ha....
😁

You know what actually cracks me up? It’s how the massive clubs—think Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Arsenal FC, or Bayern Munich—drop a brand new kit every single year, and fans are just so "loyal" to them. Honestly, they're either clueless or just obscenely rich, buying every single new design that comes out. I’ve still got my Real Madrid jersey from back when Davor Šuker was around, and frankly, I can't imagine wasting money on a new one.

For me, nothing beats our national team kits from the '98 World Cup...

Those blue ones... if I remember correctly, we were rocking those when we took down Germany and the Netherlands...

Honestly, those jerseys were just gorgeous...

As far as other clubs go, I've always had a soft spot for the Spain National Team, FC Barcelona, and Manchester United...

Steven Ruiz said:Like... the USA national team jersey is just straight-up tragic. I mean, seriously, who is even in charge of picking out these colors and patterns??? I don't know about you guys, but honestly, looking at our kit for more than sixty seconds gives me a massive headache.
And don't even get me started on that synthetic fabric they used. Gross! 👎

The USA jersey is probably the only thing people actually recognize us by when we're traveling abroad, and hey, I wouldn't say it's ugly—it's actually kind of pretty, especially that blue one. Though, as for the quality, that's a whole other debate entirely, because I tried wearing one once and I am never doing that again, plus I remember seeing Ivica Olić practically struggling for ten minutes just to figure out which way his arms and head were supposed to go in that thing. 😁

Steven Ruiz said:And why on earth aren't there women's versions... you know... the same colors and everything, but tight-fitting, maybe a little cut out at the hips so you can actually show off your curves, and made from actual natural fabrics? Man... if they made them like that, I might actually consider wearing one, but like this? No way.
By the way... the absolute best jerseys have to be the ones from the Brazil national team... the only downside is if your skin tone is a bit dull or pale, because those bright colors definitely won't do you any favors. Ha ha....
😁

Well, over here, they actually have specialized departments dedicated to female fans that carry all those little details you're talking about, but if you ask me, I’d probably just ban my wife from wearing jerseys to the stadium altogether, and honestly, we should probably pass a law requiring all the ladies in the stands to dress just like the Brazil women.

Steven Ruiz said:Man... if they made them like that, I might actually consider wearing one, but like this? No way.
😁

You and a jersey—that's a hard visual to swallow.

vividwalker7 said:The American national team jersey might be the only thing we're truly known for abroad. And honestly, it’s not just okay, it’s actually gorgeous, especially that blue one... though the quality of the fabric is definitely a topic worth debating! I tried wearing mine once, but I think I'll stick to my regular clothes from now on, especially since it took Ivica Olić about ten minutes just to figure out which way was up while he was wearing it 😁

Oh, come on now, we're really only iconic because of those red, white, and blue stripes... but I honestly don't get why they feel the need to cram a thousand different colors and crazy patterns into those stripes every single time! Wouldn't it be so much cleaner if we just stuck to the classic stripes, or maybe just a small striped detail on a solid color shirt instead of all this chaos?

If things were handled properly, all the female fans in the stands would show up looking just like the Brazilian women do.

Well, I certainly wouldn't mind that! I actually had the chance to celebrate a big win here alongside some Brazilians, and their fans were either rocking tiny bikinis in their national colors—just the tops paired with denim—or wearing those specific jerseys I mentioned earlier...
But seriously, why doesn't the American team have a dedicated jersey line for the female fans??? Why, oh why??????
If they ever hired me as their lead designer, I promise you everything would look absolutely stunning and everyone would be totally satisfied... 😁

😁

Is that the one with the glow? 😁
Man, I'm kicking myself for not grabbing it back then. I've had a few FC Barcelona kits over the last few seasons, but I totally missed out on this one. 😢

Right now, I'm hunting down this... '70 FC Barcelona jersey.

Seriously, you wouldn't believe how hard it is to track down a kit that's nearly 40 years old. 😁

Old school jerseys are just hands down the best. Everything they put out now feels like total garbage compared to the classics... (I wonder though, were the old ones actually made of cotton?)
As far as local teams go, I’ve always loved that second jersey from back in the day—you know, that blue and red striped one from the old Lakers era.

Finding vintage jerseys is damn near impossible these days. I’ve got a 1987 Liverpool kit and a Netherlands jersey from the Mexico World Cup sitting at home. Plus, I have Gerrard’s match-worn shirt from that Portsmouth game a couple of years back, along with about 9 or 10 old jerseys from an American team. If anyone happens to have a jersey from Utah, hit me up—I’ve got some junk stashed away in a bin behind a dive bar in Philly for a rainy day.

Can't find the one I'm looking for 😢

Hands down the most stunning kit on the pitch in all of MLS...

hajduk_rezervni

The previous away kit was easily the ugliest one out there.

The European kit from LAFC looks great too.

I mean, this guy was actually pretty solid too,
back in that '99 season