Arriving with a double drop, Orlando Pirates and adidas have unveiled the club’s home and away shirts for the 21/22 season – and it’s a combination of the old and the new, with one jersey showcasing the club’s classic look, and the other introducing a fresh new design to highlight the Buccaneers’ youthful energy.

Hard to go too far wrong when you’ve got a skull and crossbones as your club crest. Build around that and it should be job done. Well, much as they did last season, Orlando Pirates have hit the nail on the head again, this time providing something classic for the traditionalists with the home shirt, although with a tasty twist, along with a new design for the away shirt, which breaks with tradition once again.

For the home shirt, it’s a case of introducing a subtle embossed skull and crossbones on the front of the jersey. And when you talk about sponsors, it's a very fine line between them either accentuating a design or sticking out like a sore thumb and dragging the whole design down. Thankfully, this one sits firmly in the former camp, with the Vodacom logo adapting from last season and reverting to its standard look with a little hint of red that ties in with the cuff detailing. It's a move that instantly elevates the whole design.

As for the away shirt, it lands in a mint colour with white cuffs and a V-neck. The embossed skull and crossbones are then offset on the side of the jersey. 

Orlando Pirates is a unique team with a unique history in South African football," said Thandi Merafe, Media Officer, Orlando Pirates Football Club. "We wanted to keep the design of this season’s kit simple, but bold enough to reflect the expectation of the Club for the coming season, and that is to win. We want to give our players and supporters a sense of pride when they put on this season’s jersey.” 

The new Orlando Pirates kits will be worn for the first time on the pitch during the Carling Black label Cup on 1 August 2021.

pirates 6-min.jpg

Pick up the Orlando Pirates 21/22 shirts at prodirectsoccer.com