Adidas are often regarded as the kings of football jerseys. There timeless designs have been worn by the biggest teams and the best players. This article will look at 10 of the greatest and mos iconic football shirts Adidas have ever created.
New Zealand Home 1982
New Zealand got themselves kitted out in style for their first ever FIFA World Cup finals. Known as the “All-Whites”, the New Zealand side made up of mostly part-timers lost all three of their games in Spain.
This jersey was a one-off, worn against the Soviet Union in a 3-0 loss. Adidas added black pinstripes to the jersey that was originally all white , making it stand out further. New Zealand’s national emblem, the silver fern leaf also gave the jersey a unique look.
We would not see the All-Whites at a World Cup again until the 2010 tournament, which they managed to go through unbeaten, despite getting knocked out at the group stage.
Manchester United Away 1990-1992
During the early 1990’s “Madchester” culture, music and fashion still dominated the world. Adidas wanted to pay homage to this by creating a Manchester United away kit that could be worn as a fashion piece.
Despite the unique, funky design, the jersey did not go down well with Red Devils fans who did not appreciate the use of light blue in the kit, the colour of their rivals Manchester City.
Nowadays, it is classic for many United fans, with the classic “Sharp” logo and the old club badge bringing back great memories. Adidas paid tribute to the classic kit by releasing a reworked version for United to use during the 2021/22 season.
Boca Juniors Home 1981
When it comes to football jerseys, Adidas and Boca Juniors go hand in hand. This iconic jersey from 1981 is a timeless Adidas classic.
The blue and yellow colour-way of the club always stands out along with the unique badge.
Worn by the legendary Diego Maradona, Boca won the Argentinian league title while repping this simple yet stylish jersey.
Bayern Munich Home 1995-97
It is very rare to see Bayern Munich go wrong with a football jersey. Their home strip worn between 1995-97 is arguably one of their best ever.
Adidas kept this jersey simple by using the red and blue striped combination with a slick white colour to finish. Opting to not use their logo and just write “adidas” was a great touch by the company, giving the jersey a unique look.
The classic Opel sponsorship gives the kit a lovely finishing touch. Bayern did have success during the seasons this strip was worn, winning the UEFA Cup and the Bundesliga.
Liverpool Home 1988/1989
Slick and stylish are the best words to describe this Liverpool number. Adidas did brilliantly here, adding in the white colour in just the right places.
The iconic three stripes of Adidas blends in well with the red and white neck line of the jersey. A classic Liverpool sponsorship in “Candy” is always fondly remembered by fans.
This jersey was worn during the 1988/89 season, when Liverpool won the FA Cup, but this was overshadowed by the Hillsborough stadium disaster which tragically took the lives of 97 Reds.
Germany Away 1990
This jersey brings back bad memories for England fans. Germany only used this kit once during their 1990 World Cup winning campaign, but Adidas once again did a brilliant job here.
The colour green used for Germany away kits comes from the official Deutscher Fussball-Bund (DFB), the German Football Association, crest. The DFB crest is green and white.
Adidas kept up their recent trend of unique designs on jerseys, with the Germany away kit having jagged triangles throughout. A mixture of dark and light green as the colour template really makes this one stand out for the right reasons.
Arsenal Away 1991-93
Another Adidas classic, this time it’s Arsenal’s famous “banana bruise” jersey from the early 90’s. The black and yellow zig zags mixed with the red outlines give this kit life.
The Gunners won a League Cup and FA Cup double when repping this iconic jersey. Adidas paid homage to this strip by creating Arsenal’s 2019/20 away kit based off of the unique yellow design.
France Home 1982
Worn by the likes of Michel Platini and Alain Giresse, Adidas did an amazing job with this jersey.
The incorporation of white and red pinstripes across a blue template gave this French kit a unique look. This, along with the white collar really gives this jersey a great energy and simple yet sensational style.
France finished fourth in the 1982 FIFA World Cup. They lost in the semi-finals to Germany on penalties after a 3-3 draw in what is now remembered as one of the most famous World Cup matches in history.
Germany Home 1990
It’s the second time that West Germany has made the list. They won their third FIFA World Cup in style with this beautiful jersey. Worn by the likes of Rudi Völler and Lothar Matthäus, Adidas added a unique black, red and gold jagged design across the white jersey.
It is often regarded as one of the most iconic Adidas and World Cup jerseys of all time. The Germans beat Argentina 1-0 in the final, with Andreas Brehme scoring the only goal from the penalty spot.
Netherlands Home 1988
Netherlands 1988 home shirt is regarded by many football shirt collectors are the greatest of all time.
Worn by the likes of Marco van Basten, Frank Rijkaard and Ruud Gullit during their Euro 1988 triumph, everything about this kit just works brilliantly.
The classic Adidas logo goes perfectly with the famous Netherlands lion crest. A gorgeous v-neck and a lovely shade of orange tops this kit off.
Not to mention the beautiful football played by Rinus Michels’ side while wearing it.
