A Brief History

Written by Michael Olson (Return to Kits Homepage for the 2018 World Cup)

I think it’s a pretty fair statement to say that a lot has changed since the 1800s. Communication was different back then. You couldn’t call someone up thousands of miles away, you had to send physical mail. Then, you’d have to wait days to hear back! Transportation was different. Cars weren’t around, but at least there were horses! What about soccer kits? Well yes, those were different too. Since the 1800s, kits have kept evolving year after year.

Victorian Age Kits (1837-1901)

You wouldn’t be able to recognize an early footballer playing in the Victorian age. They had completely different kits (or should I say lack of kits). All players, both teams included, wore generic white shirts, long pants, and hats [2]. The hats were supposed to help distinguish one team from the other. It only worked out so well. Obviously, this whole kit was fairly problematic, but it was the best they could do. Remember, this was the 1800s, Nike wasn’t around handing out free clothing. People didn’t have closets full of extra clothes for sports so they used what they could. By the 1870s, teams were required to wear different colors, and long pants were going out of style [3].

In 1894, The New Brompton squad suited up with a quintessential kit of the era. [5]

Numbers and Collars (1901-1950)

As soccer’s spectatorship grew, fans demanded an easy way to identify players on the massive pitch. In 1928, most teams addressed this issue by putting numbers on the backs of jerseys. The players were numbered from 1 to 11, and each number stood for a position. This made watching the game easy. Here is a list of each position’s number [1].

  1. Goalkeeper
  2. Right back
  3. Left back
  4. Stopper
  5. Last man/Sweeper
  6. Middle fielder
  7. Right winger
  8. Striking midfielder
  9. Striker
  10. Striking midfielder
  11. Left winger

As a fan, this made following the action effortless. After the addition of numbers, not much else happened to kits until the 1950s. In these twenty years, collars went in and out of style.

Modern Era (1950-Present)

In the 1950s, kits shifted towards a “continental style.” [1] This style is effectively the modern kit as we know it today. By the 1970s, kits were commercialized. Big brands like Nike, Adidas, and Puma started to take over their production. Sponsorships started to take up valuable real-estate all over shirts. On the bright side, this pushed forward kit technology. Kits are lighter and more breathable today than ever before. They’re made from cotton, nylon, and polyester blends [1]. Modern kits are functional and aesthetic.

Numbers lost their meaning, but at this point, kits told so much more than a player’s position. In Maradona’s words, he played, “giving everything for the shirt.” [2] Modern kits show what a team stands for. They’re not just clothes to wear when playing the game. They’re a part of a teams identity. (For years, Barcelona partnered with UNICEF, showing their logo on their kit and donating millions every year. It was who they were.)

Roberto Bettegga, sporting a modern uniform, plays against Verona in 1975. [6]

History of World Cup Uniforms

Follow this link to explore World Cup jerseys over the last 100 years. Can you see how they’ve became dominated by brands in the 1970s? Or how they went from simple, solid colors in the 1930s to stylized works in recent years?

Germany’s kits for the 2018 World Cup. [7]

Return to Kits Homepage for the 2018 World Cup

 

Bibliography

[1] “History of the Soccer Uniform.” Golden Shoes Soccer Movie. March 04, 2013. Accessed March 29, 2018. http://www.goldenshoesmovie.com/history-of-the-soccer-uniform/.

[2] “The Evolution of the Soccer Uniform.” The Athletic Shop. September 15, 2016. Accessed March 29, 2018. http://theathleticshop.com/evolution-soccer-uniform/.

[3] Simkin, John. “Football Kits.” Spartacus Educational. Accessed March 29, 2018. http://spartacus-educational.com/Fkits.htm.

4] Fenn, Chris “World Cup Kits through the Ages – Interactive Guide.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2014/may/30/-sp-world-cup-kits.

[5] New Brompton F.C. 1894, upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Gills1894.jpg.

[6] Roberto Bettega of Juventus. 5 Oct. 1975, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kit_(association_football)#/media/File:Juventus_FC_-_1975_-_Roberto_Bettega.jpg.

[7] D’Asaro, Filippo. The Germany Shirt for the 2018 World Cup. www.nssmag.com/en/sports/12793/germania-maglia-mondiale-2018.

 

How to cite this article:

“A Brief History,” Written by Michael Olson (2018). World Cup 2018 Guide, Soccer Politics Blog, Duke University, https://sites.duke.edu/wcwp/tournament-guides/mens-world-cup-2018-guide/gear/kits/a-brief-history/ (accessed on (date)).

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