Along with some of the best shirts designs around, the 20/21 season has also seen a resurgence in the track jacket as a key piece amongst clubs’ extended clothing collections. With wild designs carried straight off the on-pitch shirts and often taken a step further in their execution, this is a new realm for the crossover of streetwear and football.
While we await the true comeback of the full tracksuit that we’ve been championing, the track jacket has returned in force as a staple in the club wear wardrobe, fuelled by the most powerful of retro resurgences. Whether it’s packaged as an Anthem Jacket, a Training Jacket, or a dedicated lifestyle piece, the designs have become a focal point of off-pitch options, perfectly capturing the thirst for throwback fire along with the increased influence of the fashion world and its cross over with jersey culture. So here, in no particular order, are our favourite 15 of the 20/21 season.
Inter Milan – Combining the wavy aesthetics of the 20/21 home shirt with the striking graphics of the prematch shirt. This is everything that's right about the return of the track jacket. Absolute winner.
Roma – Nike and Roma bring their glorious seven-year association to a close at the end of this season, meaning that this is one of the last track jackets to come out of the partnership. And like the shirts, it's a hell of a way to bow out, combining the core colours of the club in beautiful block presentation.
Manchester City third – City's alternate track jacket sees the paisley pattern that dominates the the third shirt carried across and used across the shoulders and down the sleeves. Executed in lilac, this is the perfect piece to cross the borders of football, art and music.
Liverpool – Presented as part of the wider collection from the new partnership between Liverpool and Nike, this item pushes the boundaries of what is a track jacket with a half zip. Glorious block colours that tie in with the striking away shirt are joined by an oversized Swoosh across the shoulders. Start as you mean to go on.
Paris Saint-Germain – Let's face it, as prime players in the street style game, PSG were always likely to have an offering in this list. And the track jacket that ties in with the recent third shirt release takes the biscuit for us.
Olympique Lyon – Lifting the design of the home shirt almost exactly, the Lyon track jacket sees the simple execution of blue and red Three Stripes travelling down the left and right sleeve respectively. Simple yet striking in its effectiveness.
Tottenham Hotspur – Lifting the colour scheme from this season's away shirt, Spurs' track jacket sees the simple introduction of shoulder tape with the word 'Spurs' repeating half way down the sleeves.
Barcelona – The Barca track jacket takes influence from the club's third shirt, using the pink, turquoise and black in a block colour execution. All about the colours with this one.
Juventus – The Serie A champs get a twofer with their options for this season, with designs that take the monochrome colourings of the club and split them two ways for a sleek, all-black option and a predominantly white look that's embellished with gold trim. Too tough to pick a favourite.
Borussia Dortmund – The BVB track jacket lifts the understated graffiti stylings of the away shirt and promotes them to the focal point by positioning them across the shoulders and down the sleeves, splashing them in the club's yellow and black colours. Loud and proud, you've gotta love it.
Arsenal – Fully embracing the throwback feel of yesteryear, this Gunners track jacket is lifted from the Icons collection, leaning on the club's iconic away look and bringing back the retro club crest. Timeless.
Ateltico Madrid – The red and white stripes of Atletico Madrid are instantly recognisable, especially with the slightly distorted execution from this season's home shirt. And so the introduction of them through the central hoop of the club's track jacket is a masterstroke. No mistaking this one, and yet not totally in your face.
AC Milan – At first glance the AC Milan track jacket could be dismissed as a bit plain, but like the third shirt upon which it is based, it hides more detail than you'd initially think. That comes in the form of the iconic Houndstooth pattern that here travels down the shoulders and sleeves.
Manchester City – A similar execution to the club's other track jacket, this one adopts the club's primary sky blue colours though the sleeve graphic, which is influenced by the structures and patterns of Castlefield and the Bridgewater canal, just like on the away shirt. And like the away shirt, it's finished off by copper details on the front.
Barcelona – Barca's second entry on the list takes inspiration from the club's primary colours. Big, bold, and unmistakably Catalan. This one's timeless in its design.
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