Inter Milan x Pirelli Ending This Year? Iconic Football Shirt Sponsors
Jan 24, 2021, by Simon
This year, another historic partnership will most likely end, and it will be Internazionale Milano x Pirelli. In fact, Pirelli was Inter's shirt sponsor since 1995, but the deal will run out this year and it is almost certain that the contract will not be renewed. To commemorate this historic partnership we want to take a look at iconic football shirt sponsors from all around the world.
There are a ton of other famous main sponsor partnerships that lasted over a decade such as Bayern Munich x T-Mobile, Arsenal x JVC or Manchester United x Sharp, but a majority are not active anymore. What makes these shirt sponsor stories especially intriguing is that the image of club and company merge during these long partnerships and one starts to not be able to imagine one without the other.
Historic Football Shirt Sponsors
It is quite interesting that the lines between shirt sponsorship and being a parent company sometimes fade or do not even exist at all. A very good example is Parma Calcio during the 1990s when they were sponsored by parent company Parmalat. In the end, Parma Calcio went into adminstration in 2004 and only really bounced back in 2018 when they finally returned to Serie A.
A relationship of a football club with the shirt sponsor can become too close for comfort if the main sponsor gains too much power. Parma's performance was elevated by Parmalat, but it was also the reason for the eventual downfall during the early 2000s. There are still companies that have very close ties with the football clubs they sponsor nowadays such as Schalke x Gazprom or Zenit Saint Petersburg x Gazprom. Gazprom also has a partnership with UEFA Champions League.
AC Milan x Opel - 1994-2006
Ajax Amsterdam x ABN AMRO - 1991-2008
Arsenal x JVC - 1981-1999
AS Roma x Barilla - 1981-1994
Bayern Munich x Telekom - 2002-present
Beşiktaş x Beko - 1988-2004
Bolton Wanderers x Reebok - 1990-2009
Borussia Dortmund x Continentale - 1986-1997
Chelsea x Samsung - 2005-2015
Club América x Coca-Cola - 1990-2005
FC Barcelona x UNICEF - 2006-2011
FC København x Carlsberg - 2000-present
FC Porto x Revigrés - 1983-2003
Flamengo x Petrobras - 1984-2008
Inter Milan x Pirelli - 1995-2021
Liverpool x Carlsberg - 1996-2010
Manchester City x Brother - 1987-1999
Manchester United x Sharp Electronics - 1982-2000
Parma x Parmalat - 1990-2004
PSV Eindhoven x Philips - 1984-2016
Rangers x McEwan's Lager - 1987-1999
Real Madrid x Teka - 1992-2001
Schalke 04 x Gazprom - 2007-present
SSC Napoli x Lete - 2005-present
Tottenham Hotspur x Holsten - 1983-1995
Which iconic football shirt sponsor do you like the most? Did we forget any historic football shirt relationships? Let us know in the comments down below.
Kocaelispor 26-27 Home, Away & Third Kits Released
Turkish club Kocaelispor have unveiled their new home, away, and third kits for the 26-27 season. The new shirts are made by Adidas, marking the continuation of the partnership between the brand and the team.
The Kocaelispor 26-27 kits feature a mix of the club's traditional colors alongside fresh alternative designs for the upcoming campaign. Built on the latest Adidas templates, the collection offers a distinct look across all options while maintaining the team's core identity.
The new Adidas Kocaelispor 26-27 shirts are available to purchase ahead of the new season, giving fans a complete set of matchwear for the year ahead.
FC Zlín 26-27 Kits Released
Czech club FC Zlín have officially revealed their new kit collection for the 26-27 Chance Liga season. Made by Adidas in collaboration with retailer 11teamsports, the new jerseys will be worn throughout the upcoming domestic campaign.
The Adidas FC Zlín 26-27 kits introduce modern designs for the club while staying true to their traditional identity. The launch was accompanied by a promotional video and photoshoots featuring the first-team players, as the club, nicknamed the Ševci, prepares for the new season in the top flight of Czech football.
Braunschweig 26-27 Third Kit Released
The new Eintracht Braunschweig third kit for the 26-27 season has been released. Made by Umbro, the new kit jersey will be worn by the club in the upcoming 2. Bundesliga campaign.
Following the official release of the club's Umbro home kit earlier in July, these new images provide fans with a full look at Eintracht Braunschweig's third option. The leak includes four distinct images showcasing the alternative design that the team will utilize when there is a kit clash on the road.
Horrific: Ruch Chorzów 26-27 Home, Away & Third Kits Released
The new Ruch Chorzów home, away and third kits for the 26-27 season have been released. Made by Adidas, the new shirts will be worn in the Polish I liga.
The Adidas Ruch Chorzów 26-27 kits are based on the brand's new Tiro 26 Competition template, which debuts in the Adidas catalog this year. To give the team a bespoke look, the template is combined with a custom pattern that covers the entire front and part of the back of each shirt.
The kits are rounded off with an embroidered Adidas logo and a 3D jacquard Ruch Chorzów crest.
Despite the unique additions, the bold designs of the Adidas Ruch Chorzów 26-27 home, away and third shirts have not been universally praised, with some early reactions criticizing the striking look.
Tigres 26-27 Home Kit Leaked - 6 New Pictures
Footy Headlines can now leak 6 new pictures of the Tigres 26-27 home kit. Although it is a fake, the design is identical to the real one.
The new kit features darker shades of yellow-gold and blue, combined with white trim on the classic stripe, and a prominent 'TIGRES' wordmark with a gradient design as its standout feature.
Jordan Pickford Debuts Next-Gen Puma Ultra Boots and Gloves
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has been spotted wearing the next-generation Puma Ultra football boots and matching goalkeeper gloves. The Everton shot-stopper debuted the unreleased Puma collection during the 2026 World Cup match between England and Mexico. Big thanks to @marcadegol.
Pickford's choice of footwear and gloves highlights Puma's latest advancements, specifically featuring the brand's NITRO technology. The upcoming Puma Ultra boots appear to have a modified upper design and soleplate tailored for lightweight performance and responsiveness. The corresponding goalkeeper gloves also incorporate this new tech, offering an early look into what Puma has planned for its future equipment line.
While Pickford is already playtesting the gear on the biggest international stage, Puma has yet to officially launch this new generation of the Ultra series to the public. Expect a full release in the coming weeks ahead of the 26-27 club season.
