The Top 100 Shirts of 2018: 100-91
The best football shirts of 2018
Welcome to Top 100 Shirts.
With the help of the other writers at FOOTY.COM, I’m attempting to pull together a list of the best shirts released this year.
This would be a tough task on any given season, but the fact we’ve enjoyed a World Cup right in the middle of 2018 has only raised the stakes. It’s been a year like no other, with many brands bringing their A-game and many shirts arguably writing themselves into football shirt folklore.
So sit back, enjoy the read and head over to Twitter once you’ve finished to argue with me.
Other blogs in this series
100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-2 | 1
100 - Portugal Away
Nike have used symbols from Portugal’s maritime history as inspiration for the design of this away shirt.
How Nike have done this is by using lots of subtle, green crosses on the front of the shirt (the crosses themselves being the symbol used on Portuguese sails during the ‘Age of DIscovery’). Together with the crisp, white background and vibrant, red of the Nike swoosh, Portugal have one of the freshest shirts of the year.
- Pedro
Nike have flexed their creative muscles this year, and Portugal’s away shirt is a perfect example.
The intricate pattern formed of tiny crosses fading across the front is subtle and best viewed up close. It’s my kind of pattern and pure class from a country that’s had its fair share of amazing away kits over the years.
- Phil
Compare prices on the Portugal Away Shirt
99 - Red Star Belgrade Home
The subtle details of this shirt are what really make it special, with the gold trimmings on the thick red stripes and the red and blue stripes on the sleeves (a nod to the Serbian flag) being my personal highlights. The block of white in the middle housing the Gazprom logo, and the block of red on the back prevent the shirt from feeling cluttered or chaotic and really rounds this strip out as a classy and solid piece.
- Chris
For their return to Europe’s top competition, Red Star are lining up in this beautiful shirt by Macron. Sharp, red and white stripes are complimented with gold details and even though the stripes are cut for the sponsor’s logo, it still looks sleek to me. The addition of the Serbian flag on the edge of the sleeves is a lovely touch.
All in all, a very smart-looking shirt.
- Pedro
Compare prices on the Red Star Belgrade Home Shirt
98 - Cape Town City FC Home
Who knew South Africa was such a hotbed for great football shirts? The 1st of 3 shirts from the country on this list, Cape Town City have captured the essence of what makes Boca Junior kits so special, with their own Umbro-flavoured twist.
I love that they’ve made no bones about the fact they are inspired by their famous idols from Argentina, and in a bizarre twist of fate i’d argue that this kit is better than the actual Boca home kit this season. I can’t think of a higher compliment I can give.
- Phil
The overall colour scheme of this shirt is frighteningly reminiscent of an Everton away kit circa 2013, however less use of the offensive yellow has rendered this strip much, much nicer. Incidentally, SportPesa adorn both club’s kits this year.
The standard Umbro template for this season holds true, with the famous diamonds circling either sleeve-tip in a subtle and graceful manner, whilst the chosen tones match the crest well - a perfect choice regarding the exact shade of blue enables this effort to take its place as one of the years very best.
- Chris
97 - PSG Away
PSG’s Jordan kits may have stolen the headlines but this away shirt perhaps quite fittingly has managed to sneak into this list despite the lack of hype.
If you’re going to do a simple kit, you need to get the colours, crest and sponsors spot on. This hits all three of those marks, and I’m especially a big fan of the tone of gold used.
- Phil
At the first glance, PSG away kit appears to be another Nike cookie cutter kit. As we look closer, we see that’s not quite the case. The light stone colour is used as a nod to some of Paris’s most iconic sites like the Arc de Triomphe. Also, can’t go past those gold highlights…
- Dane
Compare prices on the PSG Away Shirt
96 - Real Betis Home
This kit should be higher in the list. A lot higher.
Nearly everything is perfect: the shade of green, the width of the stripes, the collar. Only loses points due to the white panel on the back, but glad there are stripes back there. Wonderful and loyal to the club’s kit tradition.
- Alec
The thin green and white stripes are a core element of Real Betis’ home shirts, and Kappa kept them to good effect with this year’s effort. I love the usage of the green/white stripes on the collar and sleeves, and I think it really suits the shirt. Not a huge fan of the extra Kappa logo on each shoulder, but at least it doesn’t run down further.
- Apollo
Compare prices on the Real Betis Home Shirt
95 - Ajax Away
A very slick and posh looking shirt.
The usage of beige as the secondary colour really works well in contrast with the black, and thin strip of white just below the neckline. I especially like the way the badge and stars are coloured in the same beige, keeping the shirt consistent. The Adidas stripes look lovely down the side too.
- Apollo
Despite being a well used adidas template this works. Subtle colours and the three stripes down the side of the torso work well. Not an all time classic like the 95 European Cup winning away, but a pleasant and classy effort.
- Alec
Compare prices on the Ajax Away Shirt
94 - Iceland Home
Errea are a brand you only really see at grassroots level nowadays but they did a fine job ensuring the small island nation fit right in at their first ever World Cup.
The block of royal blue on the main body of the shirt is juxtaposed with a more contemporary design on the sleeves, featuring the other colours (white and red) of the Icelandic flag and in my opinion making a really beautiful shirt.
Still not sure about the crest though, I’m sure I’ve seen those initials somewhere before.
- Chris
Always going to be difficult to follow what will now be an all-time great from Euro 2016, but this is a nice shirt. Predominantly blue with white and red fading trim on the sleeves, the badge and the country’s flag (on the back towards the collar) give it a great finish.
- Alec
Compare prices on the Iceland Home Shirt
93 - Spain Away
I’m a big fan of this away shirt. The light grey with the subliminal blue pattern looks tantalising, and the salmon colour trimming works well, especially considering the change of badge colour to match it. It works well on the collar too, but I’m not a huge fan of the way the collar cuts across itself and would rather it met nicely at the bottom.
- Apollo
I absolutely loved this year’s World Cup, and this particular shirt will always bring back vivid memories of the tournament thanks to its usage in the enthralling 3-3 encounter between Spain and their neighbours Portugal.
As a kit, this one drew a lot of criticism for the way it clashed with the white of the shorts when paired together, but in isolation this is a lovely shirt and a wonderful example of adidas tapping into their design roots.
- Phil
Compare prices on the Spain Away Shirt
92 - Saint-Étienne Home
Not the traditional green this year but a really lovely shirt. A darker hue of the famous colour is topped off by an even deeper shade on collar and cuffs. The cut and style ooze retro-chic and produces a masterpiece. The reworked Le Coq Sportif logo adds just a dash of colour, hinting at the tricolour collar and cuffs of previous classics.
- Alec
Sometimes, less is more and this would appear to be a perfect description for St. Etienne’s home shirt for this season. Le Coq Sportif have produced a beautifully elegant kit, which is reminiscent of England’s 2009 home shirt. The shirt is predominantly green with a darker green used for the collar and side panels.
One gripe I usually have about French shirts is that they are normally plastered with sponsors, but I have no issues with this kit. The sponsors compliment the shirt without dominating it.
A fabulous effort from Le Coq Sportif and St. Etienne.
- Pedro
Compare prices on the Saint-Étienne Home Shirt
91 - USA Home
What I love about this shirt is that (to me, at least) it evokes memories of those fantastic kits USA used in the 1994 World Cup. Now I’m not saying that these Nike kits are in the same league but what they both do is use the American flag to great effect.
The disappearing red and blue gradient stripes across the front are vibrant and give the shirt a modern look. Yet among these stripes is a nod to some of USA’s past kits with the blue, diagonal sections creating a sash.
A beautifully, creative shirt.
- Pedro
The US national sides always have beautiful shirts and this years offerings were no exceptions, it’s just a shame that the men’s team weren’t able to make it to the biggest stage of all so that the entire world could witness them in all their glory.
America’s star spangled banner inspires this home strip, with the main colour being white and the avant-garde hoop-like fading stripes being blue and red. The position of the fading also creates a sash design, with a blue diagonal stripe being evident on the front.
- Chris
Compare prices on the USA Home Shirt
The Top 100 shirts of 2018
| Rank | Shirt | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | China Away | Read more |
| 2 | Nigeria Home | Read more |
| 3 | Germany Away | Read more |
| 4 | Japan Home | Read more |
| 5 | Corinthians Third | Read more |
| 6 | Mexico Away | Read more |
| 7 | Parma Third | Read more |
| 8 | Leeds Away | Read more |
| 9 | Boca Juniors Away | Read more |
| 10 | Parma Away | Read more |
| 11 | Newcastle Away | Read more |
| 12 | New Zealand Away | Read more |
| 13 | Inter Third | Read more |
| 14 | Croatia Away | Read more |
| 15 | Real Betis Third | Read more |
| 16 | Parma Home | Read more |
| 17 | V-Varen Nagasaki Away | Read more |
| 18 | Brondby Away | Read more |
| 19 | Clapton CFC Away | Read more |
| 20 | Marseille Away | Read more |
| 21 | Argentina Away | Read more |
| 22 | Colombia Home | Read more |
| 23 | Galatasaray Third | Read more |
| 24 | Jamaica Away | Read more |
| 25 | Gremio Home | Read more |
| 26 | Real Betis Away | Read more |
| 27 | Tottenham Third | Read more |
| 28 | Germany Home | Read more |
| 29 | Lazio Home | Read more |
| 30 | Everton Third | Read more |
| 31 | Tigres Home | Read more |
| 32 | Houston Dynamo Away | Read more |
| 33 | Portland Timbers Home | Read more |
| 34 | Shimizu S-Pulse Home | Read more |
| 35 | Bayern Munich Home | Read more |
| 36 | AIK Special | Read more |
| 37 | Aston Villa Home | Read more |
| 38 | Chapecoense Home | Read more |
| 39 | Al-Ahli Third | Read more |
| 40 | UNAM Pumas Home | Read more |
| 41 | Chelsea Home | Read more |
| 42 | Peru Home | Read more |
| 43 | Chapecoense Away | Read more |
| 44 | Cameroon Home | Read more |
| 45 | RB Leipzig Third | Read more |
| 46 | Barcelona Third | Read more |
| 47 | Man City Away | Read more |
| 48 | Jubilo Iwata Home | Read more |
| 49 | Porto Third | Read more |
| 50 | Atletico Madrid Third | Read more |
| 51 | Rangers Away | Read more |
| 52 | PSG Third | Read more |
| 53 | Torino Third | Read more |
| 54 | LAFC Home | Read more |
| 55 | Hellas Verona Third | Read more |
| 56 | Tibet Home | Read more |
| 57 | Iceland Away | Read more |
| 58 | Belarus Home | Read more |
| 59 | FC Copenhagen | Read more |
| 60 | Fiorentina Home | Read more |
| 61 | Napoli Away | Read more |
| 62 | Vitesse Away | Read more |
| 63 | Cruzeiro Home | Read more |
| 64 | UNAM Pumas Away | Read more |
| 65 | CD Leganes Third | Read more |
| 66 | Hertha Berlin Away | Read more |
| 67 | Sampdoria Home | Read more |
| 68 | Orlando Pirates Home | Read more |
| 69 | Senegal Away | Read more |
| 70 | France Away | Read more |
| 71 | Torino Home | Read more |
| 72 | Bayern Munich Away | Read more |
| 73 | South Korea | Read more |
| 74 | Canada Home | Read more |
| 75 | Netherlands Away | Read more |
| 76 | CD Leganes Away | Read more |
| 77 | Stuttgart Third | Read more |
| 78 | Juventus Away | Read more |
| 79 | Werder Bremen Home | Read more |
| 80 | Nice Home | Read more |
| 81 | Colombia Away | Read more |
| 82 | Kaizer Chiefs Home | Read more |
| 83 | Napoli Third | Read more |
| 84 | West Ham Away | Read more |
| 85 | Fulham Home | Read more |
| 86 | Juventus Third | Read more |
| 87 | USA Away | Read more |
| 88 | Dinamo Bucharest Home | Read more |
| 89 | Corinthians Away | Read more |
| 90 | Atlanta United Away | Read more |
| 91 | USA Home | Read more |
| 92 | Saint-Étienne Home | Read more |
| 93 | Spain Away | Read more |
| 94 | Iceland Home | Read more |
| 95 | Ajax Away | Read more |
| 96 | Real Betis Home | Read more |
| 97 | PSG Away | Read more |
| 98 | Cape Town City FC Home | Read more |
| 99 | Red Star Belgrade Home | Read more |
| 100 | Portugal Away | Read more |
So, that’s numbers 100-91 on our list.
What do you think? Are we completely off the mark with anything here? How could we possibly think there are 95 shirts better than the Betis home kit?
As usual, let me know what you think over on Twitter!
And don’t forget you can compare prices on all these shirts and more by keeping it right here at FOOTY.COM
