Nike: 10 Best Jerseys
Nike have been one of the most iconic kit manufacturers in football history. The American brand really helped modernise shirt and boot styles in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. This article will look at the 10 best Nike jerseys of all time.
Barcelona Away 2003-04
Barcelona kick-off this list with their tan away shirt from the 2003/2004 season.
The tan template is accompanied by thin blue and red horizontal lines and a black trim. A simple nike tick along with the iconic Barcelona badge finish off the look.
This jersey is best remembered from when Brazilian legend Ronaldinho scored one of the greatest ever UEFA Champions League goals against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. A samba-like twist and turn dazed the Blues defence before Barça’s number 10 toe-poked the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal.
New York Metro Stars Home 2001/02
This jersey has made it onto the list due to its rarity. New York Metro Stars was the original name of MLS side New York Red Bulls.
The name MetroStars was chosen in reference to Metromedia, the media company founded by the club’s owner John Kluge. Their 2001/02 home kit was simple yet great on the eye.
Red and black stripes along with a black V-neck and a white trim gave the jersey life. Uniquely, the shirt did not have a sponsor, instead they opted to have “Metrostars” written across the stomach of the jersey. The classic Nike tick and an epic club crest completed the kit.
In 2006, energy drink company Red Bull bought the club, ending the metrostars link.
Netherlands Home 1998
The Netherlands are usually associated with their iconic Adidas kits, but Nike did a brilliant job creating a stunning kit for the countries 1998 World Cup campaign.
An orange jersey with a slick black collar and a subtle white trim makes this shirt stand out. This kit is remembered mostly associated with Dennis Bergkamp’s famous last minute goal against Argentina in the 1998 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals.
Barcelona Home 1999
The Catalan giants make their second appearance on this list with their special jersey from 1999, which celebrated 100 years since the club’s foundation.
Worn by the likes of Rivaldo, Luís Figo and Xavi, this jersey pays homage to the club’s 100 year history. Adding the two dates of 1899 and 1999 with the clubs badge in between was a nice touch.
Nike also decided to centre their logo for this jersey, rather than putting it to the left or right hand side of the shirt.
Blaugrana had good luck in their 100th year, winning the La Liga title under the management of Louis van Gaal.
PSG Away 2006/07
In recent years, PSG have become known as the most fashionable club in world football. Collaborating with multiple brands including Jordan has made them stand out from the rest of football.
Despite their recent success, it is their unique away jersey from the 2006/07 season that makes our list.
A brown away kit which took strong inspiration from Louis Vuitton, the kit includes all-over monograms of the letters PSG, the Eiffel Tower and the symbolic Fleur-de-Lis.
Although the kit looked amazing, it didn’t help PSG on the pitch, with the Paris based club finishing 15th in Ligue 1.
Brazil Home 1998-2000
Nike kept up their impressive 1998 World Cup range with Brazil’s home jersey. Although A Seleção lost to France 3-0 in the final, their iconic yellow shirt remains a fan favourite from the tournament.
A simple yellow template with green detail around the neckline and sleeves gives this jersey a timeless look. The green Nike tick rather than a white or black one also gives this jersey a more distinctive feel.
Even in today’s football jersey market, this kit is often sought after.
Borussia Dortmund Home European Kit 1996/97
Another football jersey collector favourite is this Borussia Dortmund European home kit from the 1996/97 season.
The black and illuminous yellow mix incredibly well together. The European jersey also has some black stripes on the body of the shirt which adds that extra bit of detail. The black collar and “Die Continental” sponsor are the cherry on top of a brilliant jersey.
BVB found great success in this kit, winning the 1997 UEFA Champions League after beating Italian giants Juventus 3-1 in the final.
Arsenal Home 2005/06
This special Arsenal shirt comes in at number three on our list. The Gunners switched to a redcurrant home shirt for the 2005/06 season to celebrate the clubs final season at the Highbury Stadium.
The shirt features ‘HIGHBURY 1913-2006’ embroidered around the club crest, and also to the rear of the shirt. Arsenal finished fourth in the Premier League in 2005/06 as well as finishing runners-up to Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League final in Paris.
Nigeria Home 2018
Ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Nigeria released a modern classic that would break the internet due to its popularity.
This incredibly designed kit was a must have during the summer of 2018. The shirt was spotted everywhere from football stadiums to music festivals.
The green, white and black colour combination worked a treat as the Nigerian FA reported that the shirt sold out in multiple stores across the globe.
1860 Munich Home 1995/96
Taking the top spot in our list is the 1860 Munich home shirt from the 1995/96 season. Nike had only recently started manufacturing top flight clubs shirts a few seasons prior and were still looking to impress with their designs.
This timeless jersey is still popular today due to its outstanding look. The white and sky blue colour combination worked a treat for this jersey with the stripes at the bottom of the shirt adding an extra edge. The all black V-neck and classic Nike logo complete this iconic look.
A highly sought after shirt even to this day, with it often being sold for around £150-£200 depending on its condition.
