Ranked: Top 10 iconic Nike football shirts of all time | OneFootball

While Adidas once ruled the football kit manufacturing roost alone, relative newcomers Nike are now arguably the most significant shirt provider alongside the German company.

Although they have been around for a shorter period of time, Nike have still managed to create some timeless shirts for both domestic and international teams.

In this article, we take a look at ten of the most iconic Nike football strips ever made. Do you agree with our picks?

10. Paris Saint-Germain home kit — 1995/96

In the 1990s, PSG were not the nouveau-riche behemoth they are today, but they were still a force to be reckoned with, albeit on a smaller scale.

During the 1995/96 campaign, they finished second in Ligue 1 and won the European Cup Winners’ Cup, beating Rapid Wien 1-0 in the final.

Their home kit from that season is classic PSG with a hint of Ajax.

The shirt features a red strip down the middle, flanked by dark blue on either side. Sponsors Opel were seemingly everywhere at the time, and the colours of the club crest owe themselves ideally to such a design.

Youri Djorkaeff was the star man in this shirt, a fitting creation for a brilliant player.

9. Borussia Dortmund away kit — 1996/97

Bayern Munich may reign supreme in Germany nowadays, but Borussia Dortmund were once on, or close to, an even keel with the Bavarian giants.

During the 1996/97 campaign, they became just the third German club to win the Champions League.

The away shirt they donned that term feels particularly retro, especially compared to others from this time as football entered a modern, more polished era.

It is still a top design though — mainly black with yellow stripes on the sleeves. It is perhaps shirt sponsor Die Continentale that gives it a vintage look as while the company is still active, they bring up memories of a bygone era.

8. Brazil home kit — 1998

It may have been four years later that Ronaldo conquered the world, but it was at the 1998 World Cup with Brazil where he first announced himself to football fans across the globe.

He scored four goals throughout the tournament and, although it ended in disappointment as the Seleção lost 3-0 to the hosts in the final, El Fenómeno had become a superstar.

The overriding image from that tournament is Ronaldo looking forlorn after the showpiece in what has now become an iconic shirt.

Brazil finished second at the 1998 World Cup in this strip and third at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

It could hardly be more straightforward — mainly yellow with green across the shoulders and around the sleeves and collar — but what it is associated with makes it memorable.

7. Inter Milan home kit — 1999/00

Has one player ever made such a strong impression at so many different clubs?

After destroying all in his path at PSV and Barcelona, but before his time as a Galáctico, Ronaldo moved to Inter Milan, where he continued to shine. Although injuries stopped him from showing off the full array of his talents.

Again, there is nothing particularly complicated about Nike’s home creation for the Nerazzurri for the 1999/00 season, but it is quintessentially Inter.

The black and blue stripes, Pirelli as shirt sponsor, and that classic badge are all crucial factors of a shirt that perfectly embodies what the Milan-based club is about.

6. Barcelona home kit — 1999/00

It was another Brazilian who was doing the business in Barcelona at the same time. The Blaugrana were often second best, sometimes even worse, domestically at the end of the 1990s and start of the 2000s, but Rivaldo was the team’s one constant performer and could be called upon when they needed him most.

The 1999/00 campaign marked the 100th anniversary of the Catalan outfit, inspiring Nike to release a centenary shirt.

Instead of the stripes, the shirt was predominantly split into two parts. The left side in red, and the right in blue, with the club badge and Nike logo in the middle. Although it perhaps didn’t respect tradition, it remains an outstanding effort.

During the 1999/00 season, Inter reached the Coppa Italia final but were snubbed by Lazio in an agonising 2-1 loss.

5. Valencia home kit — 2000/01

Indeed, at the beginning of the 21st century, several sides other than Barcelona proved to be Real Madrid’s biggest threat. Valencia were one of them, winning the La Liga title in 2002 and 2004.

During the 2000/01 campaign, they reached the Champions League final, ultimately losing to Bayern Munich on penalties.

Their shirt that year was mainly white, as it usually is, but with two black stripes, one on either side of the torso, running the length of the material. It remains a Nike hit.

4. Manchester United home kit — 2004/05

Wayne Rooney is Manchester United’s record goalscorer with 253 goals, the first three of which came against Fenerbahçe in the Champions League on his debut.

The Liverpudlian was tipped to become the next star of English and world football and, while some believe he didn’t quite hit the heights he should have, he definitely didn’t disappoint.

By 2004/05, United were, along with Real Madrid, the world’s biggest football brand. They were approaching the end of an initial five-year deal with Nike worth £302.9 million, which was a record-breaking agreement at the time.

This shirt was among the most recognisable, especially with Vodafone as shirt sponsor. Nothing screams United like red, something which Nike clearly understood.

United ended the 2004/05 season without silverware but came third in the Premier League and finished as runners-up in the FA Cup, where they lost out to Arsenal at the final hurdle.

3. Arsenal home kit — 2005/06

Nike have often avoided taking risks with their shirt designs, but little was conventional about their creation for Arsenal ahead of the 2005/06 season.

For most of the club’s history, the home shirt has been primarily red, but this creation was claret instead.

However, it was a clever nod to the club’s roots during their 100th campaign — claret was actually the Gunners’ original colour.

It was also Arsenal’s final season at Highbury before their move to the Emirates Stadium, so who better to score a hat-trick on the last day at home to secure a top four spot than Thierry Henry?

Despite being unable to secure any silverware that season — finishing fourth in the Premier League and as runners-up in the Champions League — the shirt still proved to be a fan favourite among the Gooners.

2. France away kit — 2011

France’s kits are instantly recognisable, right? Blue at home and white away always seemed typically French, until 2011 at least.

While their away shirt still contained plenty of white, the black stripes across the jersey were a first.

German designer Karl Lagerfeld helped Nike create this jersey steeped in links to the country’s past. The ‘mariniére’ design comes from the uniforms of 19th century sailors, and has since become embedded in French culture.

It is, quite frankly, a masterpiece, and it would be fantastic to see other countries tap into elements of their societies in such a way.

1. Nigeria home kit — 2018

Many shirts nowadays are almost indistinguishable from one another, but Nike managed to step away from their sometimes tedious templates to put together a true classic for Nigeria ahead of the 2018 World Cup.

Unfortunately, the Super Eagles went out in the group stages, so we only got to see the shirt in three games at the highest level, but that does not reduce its impact.

Everything about it stands out and shows what can be achieved when you think outside the box. In the years since, there have been more attempts to be innovative, and we can only hope that continues.