BBC Sport has charted the evolution of the football shirt – from the wonderfully wacky to the downright dreadful.
Brazil 1970. Liverpool 1984. Netherlands 1988. Arsenal 1991.
Which is the greatest football shirt of all time? The debate is not a new one.
Yet, for more than a hundred years, most football kits failed to stoke the imagination at all. Even for a professional club it was practicality over pomp.
Predominantly kits were kept to a single colour – two if you were feeling bold, three if you were feeling like a maverick. Stripes, hooped and halved were as adventurous as designs got.
Wind forward to the modern day, however, and shirts are now as much a fashion item as a means of identifying players on a pitch.
In times gone by, each season a club would buy a set of shirts and they’d likely be worn for the entirety of the campaign – home and away.
But as David Moor, author and editor of the Historical Kits website, explains, all that changed after a chance encounter between then Leeds United manager Don Revie and Bert Patrick, founder of Admiral sportswear company.
“Up until then, Leeds just wore white shirts,” says Moor. “As a fan you could go into any sports shop anywhere in the country and buy a plain white shirt with their logo on it.
“There was nothing to differentiate that one from one sold by another store. Patrick’s idea was to redesign and copyright the kit so nobody could steal it, nobody else could manufacture it.
“He’d charge a premium to the public for buying it but more importantly he’d pay Leeds to wear it.”
The result was Leeds’ now iconic yellow shirt, which the team wore for all away games that year. Until then teams would only wear their alternate shirts if there was a kit clash. The idea was a success and it wasn’t long before other clubs followed.
Admiral were the originators of the movement, but other brands like Umbro soon joined the party.
“Soon the football kit became every kid’s desired Christmas and birthday gift,” said Moor.
“Over the next few years more and more clubs, including particularly the big ones who were at Wembley for the big showpiece matches, came out of the tunnel wearing a brand new specially designed kit.
“This completely revolutionised the way football kits were looked at,” Moor added.
“First and foremost, the easiest way for a kit to become iconic is if the team was successful in it,” podcast host and football historian Peter Kenny Jones tells BBC Sport.
England were famously beaten by West Germany on penalties in the semi-final of the 1990 World Cup in Italy but, after decades of underperforming at major tournaments, Bobby Robson’s team showcased the skill, determination and strength of character that fans had been calling out for.
“Although England didn’t win that tournament, they came home to an open-top bus parade and the whole country gathered around them,” Jones added.
“Paul Gascoigne become a national hero. Iconic moments like him crying and Gary Lineker asking the bench to have a word.”
Not only was there an increase in sales of England shirts during and after Italia ’90, the jersey remains a fan favourite to this day.
However, it wasn’t only the Three Lions jersey from that tournament that caught the imagination.
Football fans Doug Bierton and Matthew Dale, who met while studying at university, have turned the sale of retro football shirts into a near-£40m business empire.
The kit that started it all? The West Germany home shirt worn at that World Cup. “I think it cost £20 in a charity shop in the student area of Manchester. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it,” Bierton says.
Italia ’90 was the first major football tournament Bierton watched on TV and it was the initial difficulty in tracking down this specific shirt, worn by the likes of Rudi Voller and Lothar Matthaus, which led him to assume other fans had similar problems when searching for an old jersey.
The idea for Classic Football Shirts was born. The company began from a spare bedroom and the first few shirts were bought using Bierton and Dale’s student loans.
“My goal was to collect every kit from Italia ’90,” he said. “But the problem is, they only made half of them that you could buy in the shop. So you’ve got to dig around, contacting ex-players, going down wormholes to find them. I’ve ticked off most, but I’m missing four.
“So I need Cameroon 1990 away, United Arab Emirates home, Uruguay home, South Korea home. Then I’ve got the full set.”
The arrival of the Premier League in 1992 heralded big changes, not least in the amounts of money invested into the sport.
As player transfer fees and wages skyrocketed, so too did sales in replica shirts. What seemed a small change for the 1993-94 season made a huge impact. The league announced that all players would have their names printed on the shirts, as well as players having squad numbers.
Fast-forward to 2018 and for most football historians, the Nigeria shirt for the World Cup in Russia was the moment a football shirt became a fashion statement.
As the folklore around the shirt grew so did demand – and the manufacturer simply couldn’t keep up.
“Everyone wanted this shirt,” Jones said. “The issue was everywhere you went it was sold out.
“Suddenly what we saw were accounts popping up on social media sites claiming they could ‘get their hands’ on a few shirts.”
Such promises came with no assurance the shirts were official and, more often than not, they weren’t.
By now modern kits were made mostly of polyester, and the ability to replicate the designs meant forging the genuine shirts had become commonplace.
Once limited to wearing men’s replica shirts, women can now buy shirts specifically for them. Meanwhile, the growth of the women’s game has itself triggered a demand for women’s replica shirts.
Many nations now have their own bespoke international shirts and the recent success of Sarina Wiegman’s England side has meant Lionesses shirts are now in high demand.
For kit collector Arbon McNulty, the team’s performance in France at the 2019 World Cup was the moment that triggered her love affair with them.
McNulty turned her passion into a profession and works for Foudys – the first and only store in the world dedicated to women’s football. McNulty explains the Lionesses successes at the 2022 and 2025 European Championships have been vital in driving the sales and demand for the team’s replica shirts.
“The people who come to us don’t want Harry Kane or Declan Rice, they want Beth England or Leah Williamson on their shirt.
“There’s now demand for retro women’s shirts. People want a Kelly Smith or a Hope Powell shirt – previously you were never able to get those. Like me, I would have loved a Casey Stoney shirt and I’m glad that’s now possible.
“We remade some retro shirts last year and they were so popular, and everyone loved them.”
Whether collecting football shirts is a hobby or an investment, the industry shows no signs of slowing down.
“I think it can only grow. As more and more shirts come out, it means more and more shirts become retro,” says Jones.
“Now when I hold a shirt from the 90s it’s surprising how old it looks. They’re always going to have value in them.
“Teams release three or four shirts every season. And whoever didn’t or couldn’t get them now will want them in a few years’ time. So if you’ve got one, hold on to it,” he adds.
The football shirt has created its own fashion trend. So much so, some of the world’s biggest fashion brands now produce their own football-inspired designs – which have graced the catwalks of London, Milan and Paris.
Personal collections of jerseys span thousands of shirts and monetary sums reach millions of pounds.
Louis Bever is a photographer who combines fine art and football shirts – and, while he wasn’t even alive at the start of the Premier League era, he admitted to BBC Sport he has an “unhealthy” number of shirts in his collection.
“The great thing about collecting shirts is I might not even notice what another individual considers the Holy Grail,” Bever, who’s an Arsenal supporter, said.
He added: “Somebody could be looking at getting their hands on a Carlisle shirt from the late 1990s because they think that is the ultimate shirt.
“That’s why I love it. It’s all purely based on nostalgia and your personal taste.”
What each collector chooses to do with their prized assets simply comes down to personal preference. Some frame them to hang in an office, some lock them away in a vault and some wear them to the park for a casual kickabout.
Morning Live star Michelle Ackerley has revealed she gave birth to her first child with husband Ben Ryan. This comes only weeks after the star was rushed to hospital after suffering from a painful infection.
The 41-year-old hopped on Instagram to share that her daughter had been born and posted a sweet selfie of her and the baby girl. In the caption, she revealed the baby’s name.
“Welcome to the world Nala Lomani Ryan. Our hearts couldn’t be more full,” she wrote. Followers flooded the comments with messages, one writing: “Eeeeek this is so wonderful. I’m beyond excited for you. The biggest congratulations and sending SO MUCH LOVE.”
Famous faces also shared their new parent’s joy. Michelle’s Morning Live co-host, Rav Wilding, comments a string of heart emojis, while Strictly’s Karen Hauer wrote: “Awwww look at this angel.”
Only weeks ago, concern for Michelle and baby’s health was sparked when she was rushed to the hospital due to a painful infection. Michelle promised fans both she and the baby were fine, and explained that she was diagnoses with labyrinthitis, an inner ear infection that affects your balance.
Sharing her health update on social media, she wrote: “Well it’s been quite the rollercoaster of a few days this end. Had such a lovely day back at work with the awesome BBC Morning Live team last Monday.
“Then unfortunately ended up in hospital with labyrinthitis for the next 4 days. I don’t know if anybody has had it before but it ain’t ideal.
“I have to stay the midwives at St Mary’s Hospital in Manchester were amazing and kept me calm with all the anxieties of being ill whilst pregnant. Resting up and nesting up at home now.”
Michelle has previously opened up about her fertility journey and fears of being unable to conceive due to her endometriosis diagnosis.
Her co-star Gethin Jones halted today’s BBC Morning Live to announce her news. Gethin said: “Before we get into the show today, we have some wonderful news to share with you. It happened yesterday.
“Our Michelle Ackerley and Ben, they have had a new addition to the family. It is Nala Lomani Ryan.” A photo of Michelle with her new addition then appeared on screen, with Gethin saying: “There’s mum and daughter. She sent that to the group yesterday. Well, it’s just magnificent.”
He added: “We cannot wait for cuddles! Michelle’s watching this morning from hospital. We are sending all our love, Michelle, and to Ben and the whole family as well.”
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Priscilla Presley, actress and former wife of Elvis Presley, has revealed that Robert Kardashian wanted to marry her and she turned him down. Her memoir detailed how their relationship was effected by a “ballistic” Elvis.
In 1975, two years after Priscilla and Elvis divorced and three before Robert would marry Kris Jenner, the actress and the lawyer were a couple.
In her new memoir, Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis, she shared how Robert wanted to marry her. “Robert was a sweet man, and I liked him,” she wrote. “Robert wanted to get married, but I knew it wouldn’t work. I wasn’t ready to marry again.”
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Priscilla has only ever been married to Elvis. They wed in 1967, just before she turned 22 and when he was 32. The couple were already living together, as in 1962, she moved from Germany, where she met Elvis, to Graceland to finish her schooling near him.
The two were married for six years and had one daughter, Lisa Marie. They divorced in 1973, but according to Priscilla’s book, Elvis still had a great impact on her life and relationships.
She recalled a night when her ex-husband phoned her whilst she was in bed with her new boyfriend. “It hadn’t crossed his mind that I might have been asleep,” Priscilla started.
“It had certainly never occurred to him that I might be with another man. Despite our divorce, he still couldn’t wrap his head around my being with someone else.”
Priscilla added that she was scared of what would happen if Elvis ever did realise she had moved on. “He’d have gone ballistic, maybe literally, if he had known Robert was in my bedroom. Elvis always carried a loaded gun, sometimes more than one.”
The 80-year-old shared many more bombshells in her memoir. She went into detail about the first time she had sex with Elvis and their age gap.
She stated: “We waited to have sex until he married me at twenty-one. The fact remains, however, that there were ten years between us.”
She also wrote about her daughter’s relationship with Michael Jackson and claimed he wasn’t marrying her for love, but to join the “Presley dynasty”. Priscilla called him “manipulative” and said he “had his sights set on [Lisa Marie] long before she realised it”.
It’s no secret that chocolate brown and suede are both the top trends to wear for autumn, so when we spotted this perfectly-sized handbag that ticks both boxes for under £60, we knew it was going to be a must-have. Hailing from high street fave Fat Face, the Chocolate Brown Suede Bowling Bag is a guaranteed winner for autumn, and you can pick it up for £59.50.
It’s the perfect does-it-all bag that you could take everywhere from work to an evening out, and we’re already calling it as this season’s must-buy accessory. It comes in an expensive-looking chocolate brown shade, and is made from 100% real leather suede.
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There’s also lots of storage inside and secure zipped pockets so you can fit plenty of your essentials in, and the two long grab top straps fit over your shoulder so it’s easy to carry. The straps are made from leather which means they’ll be sturdy and hardwearing, with subtle strap details wrapping around the bag and a tassel bag charm that comes in the same chocolate brown suede.
It’s just a nice size for carrying around all your essentials without being too big and bulky, measuring 16cm high and 30cm wide. Both ends of the Chocolate Brown Suede Bowling Bag have a zipped pocket that’s the perfect size for fitting things like keys or your wallet inside to keep them close at hand.
The Chocolate Brown Suede Bowling Bag has a rounded rectangular shape that’s soft and slouchy whilst still holding its shape, making it easy and comfortable to tote around with you whilst running errands. If you do want something a little bigger, Nobody’s Child’s Brown Suede Shoulder Bag is £189 and has a taller and broader shape that would maybe fit a laptop inside, making it a great office bag.
Marks & Spencer also has a more minimalist version, with the Autograph Suede Bowler Bag priced at £80 and made from a premium soft-touch suede. If you’d rather steer clear of real suede, or just want to get the look without breaking the bank, the Gina Tricot Faux Suede Bowling Shoulder Bag is £40 at ASOS.
The Chocolate Brown Suede Bowling Bag is still so new on the Fat Face website that it hasn’t racked up any reviews yet, but it’s a great combination of quality without being too pricey. It’s also so easy to incorporate some brown suede into your wardrobe, as it pairs with almost every colour and outfit style.
You can style it with everything from a smart blazer and wide leg trousers to a more casual jeans and a T-shirt outfit, or carry it with a flowing midi dress for the evening. Chocolate brown also pairs with so many colours, from navy and green to pink, red and yellow, so you can fit it effortlessly into your wardrobe.
The Celebrity Traitors – Official Trailer – BBC
Celia Imrie is one of the many star-studded cast members in the new celebrity version of The Traitors. The actor, known for her roles in Calendar Girls, Nanny McPhee, and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, has joined presenter Claudia Winkleman and a group of celebrities in the Scottish Highlands to play the ultimate game of detection, backstabbing and trust.
Celia has joined the likes of Alan Carr, Ruth Codd, Stephen Fry, Mark Bonnar and Charlotte Church in the now-famous castle. As well as Cat Burns, Clare Balding, David Olusoga, Joe Marler, Joe Wilkinson, Jonathan Ross, Kate Garraway and Lucy Beaumont.
Other stars playing the game include Nick Mohammed, Niko Omilana, Tameka Empson and Tom Daley. Sadly, singer Paloma Faith was the first to be murdered and is out of the game.
Speaking about whether she’s got a good poker face, The Thurday Murder Club star said: “I suppose, being an actor, you do spend your life pretending to be somebody else, so that’s quite an advantage.
“But it is also a horror, because you haven’t got a character to hide behind, and so it is the same as being on a chat show, you just have to be yourself which is oddly quite a difficult thing to present without seeming to be affected or unreal. It is quite exposing to just be yourself.”
But what movies and shows has Celia Imrie starred in and what about her private life? Here’s everything you need to know.
Celia is an English actress and author. The 73-year-old has been a familiar face on our screens for years and has racked up a very impressive number of film credits.
Celia first made a name for herself on the series Upstairs, Downstairs during the 1970s on ITV, while her most famous roles include Calendar Girls, Nanny McPhee, and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, as well as St. Trinian’s, which has alrady been mentioned on The Traitors, as well as Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Better Things, and The Diplomat.
Her most recent appearance was in The Thursday Murder Club, an adaptation of Richard Osman’s international bestseller, in the role of Joyce, alongside Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan and Ben Kingsley.
Celia’s son Angus Imrie is also an actor. The 31-year-old is known for his role as Josh Archer in BBC Radio 4 drama The Archers.
He has also appeared in the ITV drama series, Kingdom in 2007, alongside his mum, and BBC One’s Restless in 2012. Angus has also had roles in Fleabag and The Crown.
Celia said: “In my autobiography I say that actresses are likened to Victorian young girls sitting round a ballroom on their gilt chairs waiting to be asked to dance. And that’s how our life is. We all have to wait for the part to come along.
“Yes, I could play Hedda Gabler in my attic but there’s nobody to tell me how good I am. If I was Van Gogh, I could create a painting in the middle of the night, I wouldn’t need an audience.
“The only thing I have tried to do in terms of control in my career is to attempt to try and do something as different to the last thing so as not to be pigeonholed. And this, to be a player of The Traitors, is as different to anything else I have ever done.”