Best 1990s Football Shirts Ranked: Top 10

The 1990s were the loudest decade in football shirt design, with all-over prints, oversized collars and sponsor logos that filled the chest. This is our ranking of the best 1990s football shirts: ten designs judged on the idea behind them, on what they are remembered for, and on how they look as a remake today. We stock replica remakes of all ten, and you can browse the full 1990s retro shirt range alongside this list.

How did we rank the best 1990s football shirts?

First, design: a clear idea that could only belong to that team. Second, the story: the tournament, season or match the shirt is tied to. Third, how it wears as a remake. We leaned towards shirts that took a risk, so a bold print with a good story beats a plain winner. We are an independent retailer of replica supporter shirts, not affiliated with any club, league or manufacturer. For the 2000s version of this list, see our best 2000s football shirts ranking.

Which are the ten best 1990s football shirts?

Shop 1990s Retro Football Shirts Jerseys

Retro Manchester United 1991/92 Away Jersey$ 45,99Retro S.S. Lazio 1999/00 Away Centenary Jersey$ 39,99Retro Chelsea 1990 Black Jersey$ 45,99

1. West Germany 1990 home – adidas

White, with a band of black, red and gold cutting across the chest in a sharp chevron. Ina Franzmann drew it for Euro 1988, and it was kept for Italia 90, where West Germany beat Argentina 1-0 in the final in Rome on 8 July 1990 through a late Andreas Brehme penalty. Our West Germany 1990 kit story covers how close it came to being dropped, and the Germany 1990 home retro jersey is our remake.

2. Arsenal 1991-93 away – adidas

Yellow, covered in dark zigzags, with JVC across the chest. People called it the “bruised banana” as an insult, and the name stuck. It belongs to the early Ian Wright years and to a 2-1 FA Cup defeat at Wrexham in January 1992. Read the bruised banana kit story, or go to the Arsenal 1991/93 away retro jersey and Arsenal retro shirts.

3. Mexico 1998 home – ABA Sport

Green, with a huge image of the Aztec Sun Stone printed across the body. The Mexican brand ABA Sport made the shirt, and the design is credited to Ignacio Villarreal. At France 98 Mexico reached the last 16, losing 2-1 to Germany. More in our Mexico 1998 kit article, and the remake is the Mexico 1998 home retro jersey.

4. Croatia 1998 home – Lotto

Red and white squares sweep diagonally from the shoulder across a white shirt. The checkerboard itself came from artist Miroslav Šutej. Croatia wore the shirt at their first World Cup, finishing third, with Davor Šuker winning the Golden Boot on six goals. Read our Croatia 1998 kit story or choose the Croatia 1998 home retro jersey.

5. Manchester United 1998/99 home – Umbro

Red, with a white polo collar, black trim and Sharp on the chest. This is the shirt of the treble season: the Premier League, the FA Cup and then the Champions League, won 2-1 against Bayern Munich at Camp Nou on 26 May 1999, when Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær both scored in injury time. Our remake is the Manchester United 1998/99 home retro jersey, with more on Beckham’s 1998/99 shirt and Manchester United retro shirts.

6. France 1998 home – adidas

Royal blue with a white V-neck, one red chest band and three thin white stripes below it. France wore it at the Stade de France on 12 July 1998, beating Brazil 3-0 with two Zinedine Zidane headers and a late Emmanuel Petit goal. See our France 1998 kit guide and the France 1998 World Cup home retro jersey.

7. Nigeria 1994 away – adidas

White, with a green and black geometric pattern running over the whole shirt and green trim on the collar and cuffs. Nigeria topped Group D on their World Cup debut, then lost 2-1 to Italy after extra time, with Roberto Baggio scoring twice after Emmanuel Amunike had given them the lead. Our Nigeria 1994 kit article covers both, and the Nigeria 1994 away retro jersey is the one we stock.

8. England 1996/97 away – Umbro

Indigo blue that looks grey in most photos, with paler vertical panels and red trim on the collar. England lost the coin toss for the Euro 96 semi-final against Germany at Wembley, so they wore this shirt instead of white. Alan Shearer scored after three minutes, Stefan Kuntz equalised, and Germany won 6-5 on penalties after Gareth Southgate’s kick was saved and Andreas Möller scored. Pick up the England 1996/97 away retro jersey or see more England retro shirts.

9. Denmark 1992 home – Hummel

A red body with white shoulders, striped sleeves and the Hummel wordmark on the shoulder. Denmark only qualified for Euro 92 ten days before it began, after UEFA removed Yugoslavia, and went on to beat Germany 2-0 in the final in Gothenburg on 26 June 1992. John Jensen and Kim Vilfort scored the goals for the country’s first European title. The Denmark 1992 home retro jersey is our remake.

10. AC Milan 1993/94 home – Lotto

Red and black stripes under a dark collar, with Motta in large white lettering. Milan won Serie A that season and then the Champions League, beating Barcelona 4-0 in Athens on 18 May 1994. Daniele Massaro scored twice, with Dejan Savićević and Marcel Desailly adding the others. The AC Milan 1993/94 home retro jersey sits with our AC Milan retro shirts.

The best 1990s football shirts compared

Which 1990s shirts just missed the top ten?

The USA 1994 denim kit splits opinion too sharply to rank. Japan’s 1998 flame kit came close, as did Cantona’s 1994 Manchester United shirt and the Brazil shirts on our Brazil retro hub.

How should 1990s retro shirts fit?

Shirts of the period were often worn baggy, and fit varies between remakes, so check the size chart on each product page and go up a size for a looser look. Our guides explain how a retro remake differs from a vintage shirt and how to tell what year a football shirt is.

Where can I find more 1990s retro shirts?

The full 1990s retro category goes beyond these ten, and the wider retro jersey collection covers other decades. See also our retro football kits list.

Related: Germany Jerseys · France Jerseys · Croatia Jerseys