It’s that time of year, and with football back and mere days to before most European leagues are back in action, it’s time to pick out the best home shirts from across the continent.
With so much football this summer, it hasn’t really felt like there’s been much time to draw breath. Along with the action at Euro 24, Copa America and the Olympics, the kit drops have been coming thick and fast. As with every year, there’s the job of picking out the best of the bunch, and it starts with the home shirts. Unlike most years though, there’s a really varied selection of brands making up the Top 10 this time round, with the likes of Macron, Hummel and Mizuno making their presence felt. The shirt design trend this season has definitely seen a burgeoning shift from big and bold to a more subtle approach, with clean aesthetics being far more present across all leagues. So, with the impossible task in mind, here’s the Top 10 European home shirts from the 24/25 season. Remember, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure…
10. Latina Calcio
One of only a few shirts on this list to buck the less-is-more trend from this season. Imagine this was an Inter Milan shirt, and the world would’ve gone mad for it. As it is, it’s Serie C side, Latina Calcio, but its the first professional team for up-and-coming brand, Ezeta, so will be interesting to see where they can go from here. Definitely better without the sponsor. Some may think it's overly busy, but I'm all for it.
9. FC Augsburg
Beneficiaries of Mizuno's approach this season are Bundesliga side FC Augsburg, who are undoubtedly in the mix for best kit set of the season. The Japanese brand definitely took a more minimalist approach with the designs, and the home shirt's clean white base is joined by diagonal pinstripes and beautiful sublimated graphics. Think this is good, it only gets better with away and third for the German club.
8. Werder Bremen
Green is a funny old colour for a kit – it's not even allowed in Serie A due to visibility on TV. But Bundesliga side Werder Bremen are one of a hand full of teams in the world that make it work. For their 24/25 home shirt, hummel have done a bang up job of producing a fresh feel to the design, introducing a nice tonal green checkered look with some sublimated graphics within.
7. Athens Kallithea
If you want to see what the trend is for shirt design, you need look no further than the likes of fashion-forward side Athens Kallithea, who have really positioned themselves in that lane in recent years. For their return to the Greek top flight this season, they get a refined aesthetic from Kappa, with subtle blue pinstripes playing across a deeper navy base. Expect others to follow in this suit in due time.
6. Chelsea
The inspiration for Chelsea's home shirt supposedly comes from “the burning passion to unite the entire club behind a shared ambition to succeed on and off the pitch,” with the graphic representing the hottest part of a fire. Whilst I don't totally see that myself, there's plenty to appreciate here, with that marble effect (more that than fire for me) playing out nicely and combining with subtle orange accents. Looks even better on pitch.
5. FC Basel
Fire on a kit is always going to catch attention, and Macron have gone balls out with FC Basel's home and away kits in that respect. The home shirt is obviously presented in the club's traditional blue and red, and that lends itself better to the flame idea. Loud, brash, and unapologetic about it.
4. Napoli
Now into the fourth season of what was originally reported as a one season deal, and EA7 are really hitting their stride with their Napoli kits, and so they should when you have the design influence of a fashion house like Armani to lean on. Despite producing 1,032 kits over the last three years, the brand have actually been pretty consistent in the quality of their output, particularly last year. Here, the design is stripped right back in line with this season's burgeoning trend, and that blue base features a subtle sublimated version of the club crest on repeat. Clean and tidy.
3. AS Roma
Whilst I would concede that the second season of adidas x Roma is not on the same level as the first, it is still a lesson in elegance and simplicity in a shirt design. Two colours: base and accent, with sponsor falling in line with the overall aesthetics. Augsburg may have the best Roman-inspired design this season with their third shirt, but this shirt ensures that AS Roma are still amongst the best dressed in the game.
2. Barcelona
Bringing back the split Blaugrana design from the 1999 centenary shirt for what is the club's 125th anniversary, Nike have pretty much hit the nail on the head for Barcelona. My one gripe? That Swoosh not being centralised. Do that and this is number one all day long. As it is though, it's a worthy second place. Clean, and with a nod to history.
1. Crystal Palace
This will undoubtedly be controversial, but Crystal Palace's home shirt is my number one. As with the Latina Calcio shirt, if you presented this as a Barcelona shirt, and subbed out the Eagle graphics for some suitably Catalan-inspired alternative, similar to what concept designer Soccept did a few years back, then this would surely be everyone's favourite shirt. It's a bold take on the club's traditional look from Macron, and I applaud the invention and bravery. Some will love, some will hate, but this is numero uno.
Honourable mentions to Sunderland, Liverpool, Arsenal, Girona and Red Star FC, all of whom were close contenders and would round out the top 15.
Shop 24/25 season replica at prodirectsport.com/soccer
