Brazil: Five Jerseys in History
The Brazilian national team are one of the most recognised footballing nations in history. Known for their flair, impressive skill sets and astounding success, many football fans have fond footballing memories of Brazil. Players such as Kaka, Rivaldo, Zico, Neymar and Pele have all represented La Seleçao in the past.
Five time World Cup winners, it’s safe to say Brazil is regarded as one of the greatest international football teams to grace the pitch. This article will look back at five of the best Brazil jerseys in history.
1970 Home
Brazil would claim their third World Cup title at the 1970 tournament. This would be the final World Cup for footballing legend Pele, who already helped his nation win the Juels Rimet in 1958 and 1962.
The tournament was hosted in Mexico, with La Seleçao easing through the group stage winning all three of their fixtures. Victories in the following rounds against Peru and Chile followed as Italy awaited Pele and his side in the final.
Brazil would thump Italy 4-1 in the final, claiming the World Cup trophy for a historic fourth time.
The Brazil 1970 jersey itself paved they way for the nations future strips. Manufactured by Athleta, the shirt was primarily yellow, with heavy green accents on the sleeves and collar. The iconic Brasil “CBF” federation logo was also on the shirt, giving the jersey extra depth. Finally, this was the last Brasil jersey to include no stars on the strip, with the nation adding three to future kits, repainting each of their World Cup titles at the time.
1994 Away
The 1994 World Cup was hosted in the United States of America with Brazil once again defeating Italy in the finals to claim their fourth star.
A 24-year long trophyless wait had come to an end for Brazil, beating the Italians on penalty kicks. Despite the victory, Brazil were regarded as very pragmatic compared to their previous World Cup wins.
The 1994 World Cup final is most remembered by Italy’s star player Roberto Baggio’s penalty miss that gifted La Seleçao the trophy. It is a moment the Italian still regrets to this day.
Brazil’s jerseys for the 1994 World Cup were to oppisite of their pragmatic playstyle. Manufacturered by Umbro, both Brazil’s home and away shirts are fan favourites, but we have opted for the away kit to make the list. Predominantly blue with a classy white collar, the Brasil 94′ away shirt was a beauty.
A CBF graphic ran thorough out the jersey, adding an extra layer of depth to the shirt. This strip is associated with striker Bebeto’s “rock the baby” celebration in Brazil’s 3-2 victory over the Netherlands.
1998 Home
The 1998 World Cup was another memorable tournament for Brasil. The South American giants were hopeful of retaining their 1994 World Cup title and adding a historic fifth star to their jersey.
Brazil eased through their group at the tournament, before knocking out the likes of Chile, Denmark and the Netherlands en route the the final. Tournament hosts France were the opponents for Brazil. With star man Ronaldo in fine form all tournament, Brazil were confident going into the final.
The night before the final, Ronaldo fell ill and questions arose on wheather or not the striker would play in the final. Ultimately, despite not being 100%, Ronaldo played. Ronaldo’s inclusion wasn’t enough for Brazil through, as they lost 3-0 to France in Paris.
The jersey from the 98′ World Cup was manufacturers by Nike and was the start of a long standing partnership between Brazil and the American sports brand.
Primarily yellow, green applications ran throughout the collar and sleeves. This jersey is a fan favourite amongst shirt collectors. In 2024, Nike announced they would re-issue the iconic jersey, showing its popularity.
2002 Home
Despite the heartbreak in 1998, Brazil would finally get their fifth star four years later at the 2002 World Cup. Hosted by Korea & Japan, La Seleçao were determined to bounce back in style.
Ronaldo was again the star of the team, scoring eight goals throughout the tournament, making him the golden boot winner. Brazil were flawless in their group winning three out of three. Victories against Belgium, England and Turkey set up a final against Germany.
Ronaldo scored a brace as Brazil beat Germany 2-0, claiming their historic fifth star. The iconic yellow and green colourway remained for this shirt but Nike opted to use a unique template. Nations such as Portugal, Mexico, USA and South Korea all used the same template as Brazil, but it was La Seleçao who pulled it off best. The green panels helped give the Brazil shirt a modern spin as they went on to win the World Cup.
2019 Away
Brazil’s 2019 Away jersey is incredibly unique. The white and blue kit was designed to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Copa America tournament.
This was significant as Brazil had not worn white in over nearly 70 years. Brazil’s original colours were white and blue, but after their famous 1950 World Cup final loss to Uruguay, the colour way was banished and the iconic yellow and blue of today was introduced.
Nevertheless, Brazil wore the jersey during the Copa America tournament in a fixture against Bolivia. La Seleçao went on to lift the title as they beat Peru 3-1 in the final.
The jersey itself was manufactured by Nike. Primarily white, the shirt also included a retro blue collar, paying homage to Brazil’s original jerseys. A blue trim was also included on the shirt to finish off a special strip.
It has been rumoured that Brazil and Nike will part ways at the end of their current contract. A new manufacturer for Brazil could see a fresh beginning for the five time world champions.
