Illustrations courtesy of ESPN
Senior EditorAustin LindberghSenior Editor
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is just around the corner and while teams are naming their teams and Qatar is making final preparations, the idea is to be with the equipment managers of all 32 participating teams. They are packing and shipping a range of colorful jerseys and training tops – meticulously painted years in advance by companies such as Adidas, Nike, Puma and others to shine on the biggest stage in sports – which helps make every edition of the tournament so memorable.
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Because the world won't be able to take its eyes off this quadrennial tournament for the next six weeks, it's time to dissect each team's jersey so neutrals can build their viewing schedules around the most aesthetically pleasing games – and we can all shield the little window of productivity when the ugly ducklings of this tournament go head-to-head. We analysed each of the home and away jerseys at this World Cup and ranked them in parentheses that reflected the form of the game itself – from the group stage, through the knockout rounds, all the way to the final.
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A组
Qatar | Nike
Homam Ahmed of Qatar
Home: The hosts took a fairly ordinary, conservative approach to their home jersey, but at least it was executed cleanly. According to Nike, the jersey celebrates the host country's flag, with its distinctive serrations visible on the cuffs.
Qatar away jersey / Qatar Football Association
Leave: This shirt is more adventurous and better for it. The desert color scheme is understated but stands out from the crowd, while overlapping circular patterns give sharpness to blurred designs inspired by the country's coastline.
Ecuador | marathon
Jeremy Samiento of Ecuador
Home: Ecuador may be the last team in South America to qualify for Qatar 2022, but that has all the elements of group stage spoilers. The dark yellow undertones and red and blue accents are subtle and sharp, and the zigzag pattern hidden in view is the attention to detail that rewards anyone wearing this jersey.
Ecuadorian away jersey Ecuadorian Football Federation
Away: La Tri has adopted a bolder look on its away jersey, a graphic pattern that effectively alludes to the country's vibrant culture. Opting for a more subtle navy background will prevent this jersey from overwhelming the eye and infuse a touch of elegance into the aesthetic.
Senegal | cougar
Home: PUMA has restored Qatar's vintage logo and lettering for 2022, a decision that feels big with this Senegalese jersey. The chevron design on the chest exudes a vintage vibe, which is further enhanced by Puma's old-school branding, and the colors of the country's flag really catch on on a white base.
Kalidou Koulibaly of Senegal
Leave: Another option PUMA made for this contest was to introduce this template, which is... Well, it's an option. None of the teams offered by Puma at this World Cup were able to successfully complete this center-aligned template that looks more like a running bib than a football shirt, leaving Senegal with little hope of coming out of this group.
The Netherlands | Nike
Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands)
Home: Their nickname is Oranje and it's rare for you to be disappointed with the Dutch home jersey, however, here we are. The kit's colours look more yellow than the traditional rich orange hues we've become accustomed to, with graphic patterns that look like a T-shirt picked up from the 13-year-old bedroom floor.
Frenkie de Jong of the Netherlands
Departure: When the Netherlands opt for the blue and orange away shirt, it always pops up, in this case as well. However, Nike also had a polarizing stench in this race, with clumsy-shaped panels under the collar and under the armpits, and drew attention, with large areas of black detracting from the natural complements of blue and orange to each other.
Team Champions:
Ecuador Runner-up: Qatar
Phase-out: Netherlands, Senegal
Group B
England | Nike
Harry Kane (England)
Home: At first glance, a fairly simple white shirt has a lot to untie. The shoulder pattern is reminiscent of the design of jerseys from the early 1980s, while navy and sky blue evoke fond memories of legend Paul Gascoigne and the 1990 World Cup, with a gradient from navy blue to sky balancing nostalgia with a determined sense of modernity.
Phil Foden (England)
LEAVING: More flashbacks to Gascoigne and Italy '90 with the Three Lions' away jersey, a collared red shirt that was a dead bell for the uniform worn to the semi-finals. Once again, England contrasts this history with the peaks and whirlwinds of a stunningly bold but unquestioned contemporary neon sky.
Iran | Majid
Majid Hosseini of Iran
Home: Iran also has kits that bring back the 90s feel. The graphic across the chest is reminiscent of the spherical design language that was all the rage 30 years ago, but calling this top a vintage feel is a bit far-fetched. Instead, it just feels outdated.
Mahdi Taremi of Iran
Departure: Iran won't get any nicer away against England and Wales. In fact, the red base further fuels the '90s vibe, reminiscent of days when the more colors you could squeeze into your shirt, the better.
The United States | Nike
Weston McKennie, USA
Home: Can you imagine the American Soccer Federation Soccer House in Chicago packed with former Millwall fans chanting "Nobody likes us, we don't care"? The jersey has been subject to a general panning since it was leaked a few months ago. The template is disappointing, but a pair of sleeves Swooshes inspired by American football shirts — not Nike's branding on the chest, as it traditionally does in the sport — is a slap in the face to the supporter culture, which often hotly debates whether the game is "soccer" or "soccer."
American Christian Pulisic
Leave: There is nothing subtle about tie-dye, so the decision to use such an interesting graphic in a monochrome gradient of navy blue falls short of the mark. The USMNT's corresponding tie-dye training kit (white with bright blue and red tie-dye elements) looks even more interesting and makes fun of a frustrating "hypothesis".
Welsh | Adidas
Gareth Bale of Wales
Home: The zigzag tonal stripes are made up of countless tiny diagonal stripes and diagonal lines that elevate a fairly simple shirt. The faintest green touch on the crewneck really makes this shirt sing.
Ethan Ampado of Wales
Leave: The red-green wedge pattern on the collar feels like a good continuation of the home shirt design language, but arguably a little too bold compared to the rest of this plain white t-shirt. Some textures, or elements that include green or red jersey graphics, will go a long way in bringing it to life.
Team Champion: England
Runner-up: Wales
Eliminated: USA, Iran
Group C
Argentina | Adidas
Lionel Messi of Argentina
Home: When you have an iconic look like Argentina — Albiceleste has been characterized by white and sky-blue vertical stripes that look like the Argentine flag hanging from a balcony — the difference between a good jersey and a bad jersey is in the details, and this year's edition has a prominent Easter egg. In the back, an Argentine flag poured out of the collar and ran down the back of the shirt like another stripe.
Argentina away shirt Adidas
Leave: Oh. Oh, dear. If you're a half-full person, you'll be excited about the variety of shades of blue and purple, all of which complement each other. Sadly, such brilliant and bold colors are obscured by this blue flame graphic that feels like a modern reboot of the fancy over-boom of the 1990s.
Saudi Arabia | Nike
Saudi Arabia Home Shirt/Saudi Arabian Football Federation
Home: Patterns are fun, fun, different. What exactly, we can't tell you. But for a set of seemingly random brushstrokes, it fits well together.
Hatan Bakhbri of Saudi Arabia
Departure: The away jersey is where the Saudis strengthen. The Green Hawks' away shirt may look a lot like Newcastle United's third spare shirt of the season, but it stands out in the details. There's a faint feather graphic pattern all over the shirt, which ties closely to the team's name, but also looks like the high-end wallpaper you'd see on home improvement shows – and that's a good thing.
Adidas, Mexico|
Alexis Vega of Mexico
Home: Mexico has never lacked a strong design, but even by their lofty standards, their 2022 kit is impressive. The detailed pattern that emanates from the collar all the way to the front of the shirt – a nod to Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec god whose name translates to "Feathered Serpent" – draws your attention and refuses to let go.
Alexis Vega of Mexico
Departure: Can you win the World Cup in the group stage? If not, why not? This away shirt is gorgeous, the off-white goes very well with the crimson of all accents. Mexico again turned to Quetzalcoatl for graphic inspiration, and the engraving celebrates other depictions of the deity.
Poland | Nike
Robert Lewandowski, Poland
Home: It's almost effective. A graphic written on the silver shoulder is intended to evoke the image of feathers on the wings of an eagle, paying homage to the coat of arms of Poland. It's understated, maybe too low-key, but it does an admirable job of balancing creativity and clean design.
Polish away jersey / Polish Football Association
Leave: Now, this - that's an understatement. It was so, so clean. Can Liverpool wear it? Are you sure. Manchester United? Why not? No, there aren't too many design elements that draw inspiration from Poland's history and heritage, but it's one you can wear in a comfortable jersey without feeling self-conscious about gouging colors or dazzling graphics.
Team Champion: Mexico
Runner-up: Saudi Arabia
Eliminated: Poland, Argentina
Group D
France | Nike
Killian Mbappe of France
Home: This look can only be achieved by a team that plays in the World Cup as a defending champion and favourite. It's elegant, palatial, with gorgeous gold badges and whirlwinds that stand out in the most formal way, set against the deep navy shirt. Single buttons and an almost Mandarin-like collar add a touch of personality to the elegant kit.
Antoine Griezmann of France
Departure: France is disappointed. Royal blue adds some vibrancy to the shirt, but that energy almost feels wasted on the staid graphic pattern at the edges. The Arc de Triomphe and the headquarters of the French Football Federation Claire Fontaine have subtle grayscale images. Beautiful and meaningful choices inspired by the design, but they don't match the verve summoned by the royal game.
Australia | Nike
Aaron Mooy of Australia
Home: Utilising Australia's sporting colours, green and gold, Socceroos always stands out in the jersey division. However, with such a powerful color palette, less is more. This sponge paint graphic is a bit too much.
Australia away jersey/Australian football
Leave: Choosing neon sea bubble green as the accent color is bold, and it should work, but it's used in a awkward neck panel to accentuate Nike's template for this game, making this away jersey look more like a training top. It's training apparel that brands like Nike can push their templates and patterns more forcefully than something to wear at the World Cup and remember for decades to come.
Denmark | Hammer
Christian Eriksson of Denmark
Home: It's a protest. All the branding, accents and even the crest of the shirt are red, making these details almost invisible.
"At Hummel, we believe sport should bring people together, and when it doesn't, we're eager to speak up and make a statement," kit supplier Hummel said in a statement. "That's why the new Danish jersey for the upcoming World Cup is designed as a protest against Qatar and its human rights record." ... We don't want to be visible in a game that has claimed thousands of lives.
Christian Eriksson of Denmark
Leave: Why All Black? According to Hummel: "To commemorate the migrant workers who died during the construction of the Qatar World Cup stadium, as well as the families left behind.
Kappa, Tunisia|
Naim Slitti of Tunisia
Home: The print on the front of this shirt is inspired by ancient Carthaginian armor. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, but wearing a shirt modeled after the ancestors who fought the Romans in 200 BC will certainly do something for Tunisian motives.
Hamza Matluti of Tunisia
Departure: The top of the away game is the reverse side of the home jersey, it feels a little... Indifferent. It's nice to see Kappa's kit, though.
Team Champions:
Denmark Runners-up: France
Eliminated: Tunisia, Australia
Group E
Adidas | Spain
Marco Asensio of Spain
Home: La Roja's home jersey is usually predictable, and this year is no exception. The navy trim is a bit too conservative, and the fact that it stands out on the collar, three stripes, sides of the shirt, shorts, and socks makes this kit heavy.
Ferran Torres of Spain
Departure: However, this is one of the best in the tournament. The colours of the Spanish flag on the three stripes stand out against the sky blue, and the bright royal shorts and accents complement the base colour. Abstract patterns printed on shirts and even socks are interesting, but not overwhelming.
Costa Rica | New Balance
Kendall Wolston of Costa Rica
Home: The Costa Rican Football Federation unveiled a new logo a year ago, and while it's not news, it's worth mentioning that it's executed well and is a huge improvement over what it used to be. The home shirt is simple and clean, but the thick cuffs detract from this aesthetic.
Costa Rica away shirt/New Balance
Leave: Not enough is happening here, what is happening is that thick cuff. White kits can be tricky. They need a strong and thoughtful accent to really catch on, and this jersey lacks that. For its own sake, it is too simple.
Germany | Adidas
German Home Shirt/Adidas
Home: The German team wore a similar-looking shirt (albeit with a red base instead of white) when they reached the Euro 2008 final, and they will be hoping for similar luck in Qatar. The thick black stripe in the middle of the shirt complements the metallic gold badge and the Adidas logo, the German flag is incorporated into the collar, and the stripes on the side of the shirt are a smart addition.
German away shirt/Adidas
Departure: The German team created a theme in their jersey suits by bringing metal gold trim work to the away jersey, something that few teams have managed to do at this World Cup. Stamped with abstract black-and-red motifs, the shirt feels somewhat similar to the others on this list – even in this group – but it looks good and is a solid foundation for those beloved gold accents.
Japan | Adidas
Japanese home shirt / Adidas
Home: Japan draws inspiration from the thorn stitching technique on the country's traditional kimono, and the different brightness of these white figures further underscores what we expect from this team.
Japan away jersey/Adidas
Leave: This jersey has a lot of potential. Continuing the graphic pattern found on home kits, realized in a blue-red color scheme reminiscent of those images that come to life with blue-red 3D glasses, it is a huge victory. Extending the print beyond the shoulders can make this jersey one of the shirts of the tournament.
Team Champion: Japan
Runner-up: Spain
Eliminated: Germany, Costa Rica
Group F
Adidas, Belgium |
Joris Verwijst/Orange Pictures/BSR Agency/Getty Images of Belgium
Home: Welcome to Flavor Town! The flames on the sleeve fit well for a team known as the Red Devils, but there is a lot of atmosphere for Guy Fieri. A lot.
Michael Bulder/NESImages/DeFodi Images via Getty Images of Belgium
Departure: The Belgian Football Federation's partnership with Tomorrowland, an iconic music festival held every summer in Boom outside Antwerp, inspired this away shirt, whose beautifully fresh graphic design was born from the festival's famous fireworks. However, the mode is limited to accents, which makes you want a little more.
Canada | Nike
Alfonso Davis of Canada
Home: According to Nike, Canada won't get new jerseys for the World Cup because they're "in a different jersey development cycle." In fact, these uniforms use the same uniform templates that any local team can order. It was a big misstep for the swoosh brand, a disappointment for a country that has not qualified for the event since 1986, and for fans who can't celebrate the moment with a new jersey.
Lucas Cavallini of Canada
Away: "Honestly, I don't like [wearing the same jersey for the World Cup]," Canadian defender Sam Adcubbe told The Athletic in September. "I just think every team should buy a new shirt for the World Cup because it's a symbolic event. I don't hate it, but I'd love to get a new kit just because it's worth cherishing.
Morocco | cougar
Hakim Ziyech of Morocco
Home: The last time Morocco won a World Cup was in 1998, and this year's home jersey happens to be modeled after the third shirt worn by the Atlas Lions in France. Between design inspiration and Puma's vintage branding, this top gives you all the nostalgia of the feel.
Hakim Ziyech of Morocco
Leave: Morocco has one of the better examples of Puma's bib bib templates, but that doesn't say much. The shadow thick stripes under the shirt are too much on an already busy design, although the intricate details of the circle that will surround the player's number are a nice touch.
Croatia | Nike
Luka Modric of Croatia
Home: You know what you'll get from Croatia — a red and white checkerboard pattern — and this year's edition sees treatment stop and start sporadically in the area where the player numbers are. It injects a little freshness into the design, and while classic and widely loved, it can sometimes get tired.
Mateo Kovacic of Croatia
Leave: More chessboard. Navy blue and neon aqua are the team's new color schemes, and it works, especially considering that the wavy and blurred lines of the pattern are intended to represent the country's gorgeous Adriatic coastline.
Team Champions:
Croatia Runners-up: Belgium
Eliminated: Morocco, Canada
Group G
Brazil | Nike
Neymar, Brazil
Home: Selecao's shirt is a celebration, but this year's edition of yellow, blue and green feels brighter than ever. (As tournament favorites, perhaps they're gearing up for a celebration bigger than ever.) The ghost jaguar motifs all over this shirt are particularly interesting and not overdone.
Vinicius the Younger, Brazil
Leave: When that Jaguar print wasn't pulled down in an invisible way, as we saw on the sleeve of the away jersey, it was a bit much. Brazil is praised for finding design inspiration in a beautiful and wonderful place like the Amazon rainforest, but caution is the better part of courage.
Serbian | cougar
Sassa Lukić and Aleksandar Mitrović of Serbia
Home: Simple and elegant. The rich and deep red tones are perfectly offset by just the right amount of gold accents. The subtle Serbian cross, borrowed from the country's coat of arms, keeps the jersey interesting without appearing too busy.
Aleksandar Mitrović of Serbia
Departure: Benefits: Those subtle Serbian crosses continue, creating a theme on the team's home and away jerseys; Metallic gold accents continue to look elegant. Cons: That Puma running bib template.
Swiss | cougar
Granite Xhaka of Switzerland
Home: One thing Puma did right in this tournament – some of its teams, anyway – was the retro design that corresponds to its new branding. Thicker horizontal stripes from chest to shoulders look like at home on shirts 40 years ago, and the V-neckline adds to the pleasing aesthetic.
Denis Zakaria of Switzerland
Departure: The progressively thickening horizontal stripes carry over from the home jersey is a nice touch, but incorporating this design element, plus the Swiss flag and the FA logo, all in and around Puma's running bib template, is too much for one area of the shirt.
Cameroon | one all-sport movement
Cameroon home jersey / Cameroon Football Federation
Home: The graphics processing on both kits exudes a predominantly Autobot vibe. It's been four years since the last Transformers movie, so this reference feels a bit dated, but with the new film coming out next year, maybe Cameroon is just ahead of the curve. The overall creative concept, if the photos do any justice, the quality of this jersey looks a big step below what Le Coq Sportif has to offer the indomitable Lions.
Cameroon away jersey / Cameroon Football Federation
Departure: Inheriting Autobot graphics does achieve the mark of theme consistency, but it also lacks imagination. It's not a particularly strong design, and simply applying it to a white base instead of the green of the house feels formulaic.
Team Champion: Brazil
Runner-up: Serbia
Eliminated: Switzerland, Cameroon
Group H
Portugal | Nike
Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal
Home: It's a bold design choice. The green and red of the Portuguese flag together can be overwhelming, and each of them stands out so prominently here that they threaten to do so. However, Nike said the goal of the top was to make it look like the players were actually wearing a flag. If this is the case, then the job is done.
Bruno Fernandes of Portugal
Departure: Portugal usually show some of the best away jerseys, but this year's tournament was a bit disappointing. Creating a horizontal bar on the chest that mimics the flag is a creative concept, but it's not as striking as we're used to seeing from Portugal.
Ghana | cougar
Home: It's all pretty simple. Maybe it's too simple. But the pure white top is undoubtedly clean, and the Ghanaian flag is used as a cuff to contrast all the white.
Jordan Ayo of Ghana
Leave: Puma's running bib template is one of the least offensive, but that doesn't say much. Looking at the shirt with a glass-half-full mentality, the flag was again included in the sleeve, but it was not as successful as on the white shirt.
Uruguay | cougar
Luis Suarez of Uruguay
Home: This is probably the best jersey Puma has brought to Qatar. The traditional Uruguayan sky blue is unhindered by design gimmicks, and the almost shawl white collar, paired with white cuffs and a single white button, completes an incredibly refreshing shirt.
Uruguay away jersey/Cougar
Departure: Leaving aside the hard-to-do running bib template, the vertical Albiceleste stripe on the front of the shirt is reminiscent of an Argentine jersey. Not many people in Montevideo may be too excited about the comparison.
South Korea| Nike
Son Heung-min of South Korea
Son Heung-Min of South Korea Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images
Home: Eye-catching shades of red without burning your retina, the tiger-striped shoulders continue the design theme that Nike and Korea smashed with away jerseys in 2020. It's a powerful product, but not overwhelming.
Son Heung-min of South Korea
Departure: Like other teams in this tournament, Nike has put its stencil on top of the overall design, but here the stencil takes a back seat in the incredibly colorful blue, red, and yellow brushstrokes. It is this creativity that makes the World Cup jersey so memorable.
Team Champions:
South Korea Runner-up: Uruguay
Eliminated: Portugal, Ghana
Round of 16
Ecuador vs. Wales
It's an encounter between two jerseys striving for neatness and, unfortunately for Wales, Ecuador has one of the cleanest shirts in this tournament – not to mention the advantage of accent details.
Mexico vs. France
It's a shame that these two teams met so early in the game. France had some of the best equipment in Qatar 2022, but after a total defeat of Les Bleus, Mexico finally entered the fifth.
Denmark vs. Saudi Arabia
It's an interesting matchup because, as runners-up in Group C, the Saudis can put on their Falcon Feather away jersey. Unfortunately for them, this is a Danish shirt with a smooth appearance and better messaging.
England vs. Qatar
It could be a close match if Qatar can wear their away shirt as Group A runners-up, but with England being the winners of Group B and having an option to choose their home whites, match hosts are forced into their rather pedestrian home belt.
Japan vs. Belgium
Belgium had the chance to take it to one of the stars of the group stage in their adorable festive-style away jersey, but there were simply too many samurai blues in Japan.
Brazil vs. Uruguay
It's not necessarily the best Round of 16 matchup, but it's certainly the closest. Uruguay's home jersey is arguably the cleanest in the entire tournament, but it wouldn't be a World Cup without Brazil's knockout rounds.
Croatia vs. Spain
Another perfect home-and-away matchup, another squeak. The away side of Spain is one of the best teams in this tournament, the traditional checkerboard match against Croatia is very intense, this match will go to extra time, the jersey that is not worn will decide the match, and the checkered team has a decisive advantage in the division.
South Korea vs. Serbia
Serbia can be proud of their efforts to reach the round of 16, but the Puma running bib template is not enough to cause trouble for South Korea.
quarterfinal
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Japan vs. Brazil
It's an unease in every sense. Brazil's yellow jersey is almost synonymous with the World Cup, and while this blasting yellow is comparable to Japan's bold blue, the home team in this match has a more coherent design from top to bottom.
Ecuador vs. Mexico
Ecuador's quarter-finals were a huge achievement, they could have reached the last four against different opponents, but Mexico can put on their amazing away jersey here and the match is not even that close.
Croatia vs. South Korea
It's a shame to see a proud football country with an impressive jersey tradition emerge like this, because Croatia never got a chance. The South Korean team can wear their stunningly beautiful away jersey. The semi-finals are beckoning.
England vs. Denmark
Sooner or later, Denmark will lose momentum, and this happens in the quarterfinals. It was a slim win for England, who somehow made it to the last four without putting on their superior away shirt. Is it... Is it home?
semifinal
Mexico vs. Japan
Japan is interesting when it lasts. Maybe if this retro 3D look print extends to their away jerseys, they can take the game to Mexico. But this was not the case, El Tri made it to the final!
South Korea vs. England
You could say England were unlucky because their away game clashed with South Korea's home side, but even if you put the Three Lions in their red, they still haven't eliminated the dazzling array of colourful away jerseys. It still hasn't come home. Sorry, England.
Final: Mexico vs South Korea
What a showdown! First of all, we put the Korean team in that away jersey, which is probably the best in the tournament. But do you know what is one of the best shirts in the tournament? Eltry's green. Mexico has not played a fifth match at the World Cup since 1986, winning the World Cup kit.
Omar Vega
Full ranking
1. Mexico
2. South Korea
3. Ecuador
4. France
5.Japan
6. England
7. Denmark
8. Croatia
9. Spain
10. Brazil
11. Uruguay
12. Germany
13. Saudi Arabia 14.
Tunisia
15. Portugal 16.
Wales
17. Qatar
18. Poland
19. Belgium
20. Serbia 21.
Argentina
22. Netherlands
23. Ghana
24. Morocco
25. Costa Rica
26. Senegal
27. Switzerland
28. United States
29. Australia
30. Iran
31. Cameroon
32. Canada