Ranking the best 11 Champions League kits for the 2023/24 season | OneFootball

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The Champions League is more than just a tournament; it's a global spectacle that showcases not just football talent but also fashion statements with its club kits. As every football aficionado knows, each season's football kits are awaited with as much excitement as the matches themselves. From retro-inspired looks that bring nostalgia to avant-garde designs that break conventions, the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 kits have them all. While big names like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich often grab the limelight, it's not always their kits that win the style game.

For those passionate about football and fashion, Ollyhud is a trusted name. An acclaimed football shirt collector and a seasoned content creator, he's been at the forefront of football fashion discussions for years. His insights into the aesthetics and history of football jerseys make his rankings a must-read for kit enthusiasts.

In this article, we unravel the best UEFA Champions League kits for the 2023/24 season. From acknowledging historical elements in the designs to embracing innovative trends, these jerseys are not just about representing a club but also making a fashion statement.

Curious about which team kit reigns supreme this season? Let us guide you through the best of Champions League fashion.

11 Union Berlin

Let’s kick this list off with the Champions League debutants. Black and gold kits really are in at the moment, and Union Berlin’s 2023-34 version of the classic colour way is right up there with the best.

In recent seasons, we’ve seen Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Arsenal opt for a black base with a metallic look for the finer details. It is a trusted set of colours that looks both simplistic yet eye-catching at the same time.

The shirt was worn by Leonardo Bonucci & co at the Santiago Bernabeu for Union Berlin’s UEFA Champions League debut. A game that ended in a late Jude Bellingham winner. Obviously.

10 RB Leipzig

RB Leipzig’s away shirt is basically a walking Red Bull advert. You cannot miss the two bulls, slap bang in the middle of the shirt as the main sponsor, which also features on the badge.

For those who love their energy drinks, if you look closely at the pattern, it is the same one used on cans of Red Bull.

Mind. Blown. Despite this, I actually think it’s a nice shirt from Nike, who have a history of big and bold patterns on Leipzig kits. Solid effort, but there are definitely better kits in this season’s Champions League.

9 Napoli

For years now, fans have been left disappointed with EA7’s Napoli kits, ever since the Kappa switch. Last season’s Serie A-winning shirts were an improvement on the previous season, but it’s the 2023/24 season when Emporio Armani finally arrived on the scene.

The home shirt is a classic Azzurri blue, with the Italian tricolour on the sleeve and collar, complete with the all-important Scudetto badge. Is it just me or does the Scudetto badge REALLY make this shirt?

With the likes of Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia firing in attack, Napoli will be hoping to win more silverware for their adoring fans this season. It’s not been the best start in Serie A on the pitch, but when they released this as their home shirt, they made a great start off it. Bellissimo.

8 Arsenal

The classy colours, the minimal badge, the AFC on the collar. This shirt is the pick of the bunch for Arsenal in the 2023/24 season.

When the home shirt was released, I wasn’t majorly impressed. Then the away shirt came out… well, the less said about that, the better!

BUT… in my eyes, Adidas have more than made up for things with the third shirt. One that will surely go down in the history books in north London, adding to Arsenal’s already rich history of classic shirts.

When you think of the Gunners’ kits down the years, you think of Thierry Henry in the ‘Highbury Farewell’ burgundy shirt, Ian Wright in the classic Adidas bruised banana, Dennis Bergkamp in the Dreamcast number with baggy long sleeves. One thing you associate with that Arsenal era is success.

Can the likes of Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice lead the Gunners to triumph in the 2023-24 season, kitted out in this classy third shirt? Only time will tell.

7 Manchester United

With things not quite going right on the pitch for Manchester United, at least they look the part. Well, wearing the third shirt they will, anyway.

Like Arsenal’s tame attempt at an away shirt, Adidas and the Red Devils also failed to impress when deciding on a change strip. But, also like Arsenal, the third shirt more than makes up for it.

When I think of Manchester United wearing white, the first thing that pops into my head is the Ryan Giggs solo effort in the late 90s. The Fergie vs Wenger days. That iconic SHARP sponsor.

Will United get back to those heights this season? Let’s face it, probably not.

6 Manchester City

Like their noisy neighbours from across Manchester, City have gone for a change strip of white with burgundy trim. Classy, of course, but with the likes of Bayern Munich, PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United and City all having similar away shirts, this could be a colourway we see a lot in the Champions League this season.

Although, out of all those clubs I just mentioned, City are by far the most likely to win Europe’s biggest competition. In Erling Haaland, the Cityzens have one of the best finishers in modern day football.

Whether it’s heading, shooting, holding up play, even assisting, the Norwegian can do it all. And doesn’t he look good in a white kit!

5 Real Madrid

When the Adidas Real Madrid home shirt was released, everyone’s eyebrows were raised. But when the away shirt came out, it became top of many football fan’s wish list.

The different coloured signature stripes and wavy pattern are the main features on this shirt; but what really completes it is adding a nameset.

After the insane start he’s had at the Bernabeu, it has to be number 5, Jude Bellingham, right?

4 Benfica

Another 120 year anniversary shirt, this time for Portuguese giants Benfica. Unlike Celtic’s commemorative shirt, Adidas have gone with a really modern look which, to be fair, they have knocked out of the park.

The design represents the global dimension of Benfica, with the five coloured stripes down the middle representing the five continents. With Benfica having a massive international fan base, this design is a nod to their supporters in each corner of the globe. A nice touch.

3 Celtic

Adidas strikes again! Like the Scotland anniversary shirt released earlier in the year, the sportswear giants have gone for a minimal approach with this Celtic 120-year anniversary shirt, and it gets a massive YES from me!

The official Celtic site describes the shirt as “A celebration of Glasgow’s green and white, giving supporters the chance to secure a top which conveys a simple and everlasting message of ‘the perfect Hoops’.”

This shirt is old school with a modern twist. The classic hoops, no sponsor and both the Adidas and Celtic logos embroidered in white, effectively hiding the detail. Lovely stuff.

However, this shirt is in fact not Celtic’s home shirt for the 2023-24 season, so we’re unsure if or when it will be worn by the team. Why a team needs two home shirts, I’ll never know!

2 Paris Saint Germain

Since becoming the main kit sponsor in the 90s, Nike and Paris Saint Germain have a history of bringing out beauties! The club has also had some iconic sponsors in OPEL, Fly Emirates and now Qatar Airways.

In terms of this season’s kits, the standout design for me is the third shirt, but not for obvious reasons. Yes, the design is nice and it’s another great collab with the Jordan brand, but the standout feature has to be the orange nameset.

It really is true - the colour and font of namesets can really make or break a football shirt, and in this case it is definitely the former.

Imagine Kylian Mbappe & co tearing it up in the Champions League wearing this bad boy. However, with Newcastle, AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund making up the group, they’ll have to progress through a tough round of fixtures to win the tournament.

1 Inter

For shirt collectors, Internazionale in white is one of football’s great sights, and for 2023-24, the iconic sash is back. Over the years, Inter fans have been blessed with some classy white away shirts. We’ve seen Wesley Sneijder and Samuel Eto’o tearing it up in the snake kit with THAT classic Pirelli sponsor. There was Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the unforgettable red cross kit. And who can forget Brazilian superstar Adriano in the T90 kits back in the 00s?

In terms of kits overall, Inter’s set of 2023-24 shirts are up there with the best this season. The yellow badge on the home kit is a nice touch and the orange third kit takes me back to a time when AC Milan legend Andrea Pirlo played for rivals Inter - if you haven’t seen it, Google Inter’s 2001 third kit; a beauty! - but, without doubt, the pick of the bunch has to be the white away shirt. Absolute belter!

Ollyhud is a content creator and football shirt collector, with over 300 shirts in his collection. For daily football videos, check out his Instagram, TikTok and YouTube channels.