Football fans vote for greatest international shirts of all time – take the quiz
The blue and white striped Argentina jersey worn by Diego Maradona during the infamous “hand of God” 1986 World Cup tournament has been voted the greatest international football shirt of all time – but can you recognise it in this football kit quiz?
With just days to go until the World Cup kicks off in Qatar, a poll of 2,000 football fans has revealed the most iconic tournament strips of all time – with the 1966 red Umbro kit, worn by a winning England team, taking second place.
Brazil’s Athleta International shirt, worn by Pelé in 1970 as he led his country to victory, came in third place – while England’s once scorned 1982 Admiral home jersey is also now fondly remembered.
The research was commissioned by sports betting platform CopyBet, which has also developed this quiz to test your knowledge of your favourite football kits from around the world.
A spokesman from CopyBet said: “Football fans remember kits with great sentiment and affection, and we wanted to celebrate that ahead of the World Cup by uncovering the best international kits of all time.
“Despite a difficult relationship between England fans and the victorious 1986 Argentina team, the legendary performances of Diego Maradona mean this particular kit is still held in the highest regard as an icon of the game – as is England’s 1966 away shirt, which saw them clinch the trophy all those years ago.
“These shirts carry so much history – and what a way to reflect their lineage ahead of the next tournament, which is just around the corner.”
England’s blue third strip from 1990, produced by Umbro, and Cameroon’s Puma sleeveless strip from 2002 – which was eventually banned by FIFA – also proved popular.
Other noteworthy tops include Nigeria’s 2018 Nike home shirt – much sought after its release – Wales’ retro-inspired 2006 Kappa red top, and Jamaica’s 2021 Umbro away shirt.
While the Argentina 1986 shirt was selected as the single greatest in international history, research found Brazil has had the most iconic kits throughout the years – followed by England and Argentina.
And Cameroon and Colombia also tend to “get it right” when it comes to their football attire.
The study also identified what makes a strip “iconic” – with colour combinations (18%), historical significance (16%), and keeping with tradition (16%) the top considerations.
Four in ten adults polled consider replica tops to be fashion items – with 1990s shirts deemed the most stylish, followed by those released in the 1980s.
(Image: Claire Greenway/The FA/Getty Images)
Despite this, nearly half of footy fans (48%) believe current shirts are as good now as ever before – suggesting tops from the 2020s might be coveted in the future.
More than a third (35%) who own a World Cup shirt from the past said they would like to own even more – with 43% having a specific top they’re especially keen to get their hands on.
And they’re so set on owning such a strip they’d be willing to spend an average of £140 on it – with 10% content to spend £400 or more, illustrating the demand for vintage shirts from down the years as a fashion item.
But whether fans of the two home nations taking part in this year’s World Cup – Wales and England – will want to spend this much on their side’s latest efforts remains to be seen.
On a scale of one to 10 – with 10 being great – the Nike 2022 England home shirt scored an average of 5.91, while the Adidas Wales strip scored 6.03 among those polled.
And with 48% of the opinion that the shirt a team wears can impact performances on the pitch – for better or worse – both Wales and England might have a fairly mediocre tournament in store.
Carried out through OnePoll, the study revealed that, of the 36% of non-England fans who intend on buying a replica shirt for this year, one in five (21%) are looking to buy a replica of Brazil kit, while 18% are considering a USA or a Germany top, respectively.
Fans of the Three Lions also voted on their favourite ever England top – with the 1966 World Cup red strip securing first place, ahead of the Italia 1990 away kit.
The spokesman for CopyBet added: “Football shirts have become an important part of the sport, especially when it comes to the World Cup.
“With an increase to 48 countries in the 2026 World Cup, there will be even more shirts to enjoy, with this survey highlighting the fun and excitement fans get from owning and wearing the best international shirts on offer.”
TOP 10 GREATEST INTERNATIONAL SHIRTS OF ALL TIME:
- Argentina, home, 1986, Le Coq Sportif
- England, away, 1966, Umbro
- Brazil, home, 1970, Athleta International
- Belgium, home, 1984, Adidas
- England, home, 1982, Admiral
- England, home, 1990, Umbro
- England, third, 1990, Umbro
- Wales, home, 2006, Kappa
- Nigeria, home, 2018, Nike
- Cameroon, home, 2002, Puma
TOP FIVE COUNTRIES WITH THE MOST ICONIC FOOTBALL SHIRTS:
- Brazil
- England
- Argentina
- Cameroon
- Columbia
TOP 10 GREATEST ENGLAND SHIRTS OF ALL TIME:
- England, away, 1966
- England, away, 1990-92
- England, home, 2022
- England, away, 2020-22
- England, away, 2022
- England, away, 2007-09
- England, home, 1980-83
- England, third, 1990-92
- England, away, 1995-97
- England, home, 1997-99
