5 Months Ago, Kroos Said, "Polo Collars Are a Big Shit" - Now the New 23-24 Madrid Third Kit Again Has a Button Collar
Update: In March 2023, Toni Kroos revealed that he very much dislikes polo collar football shirts because of the comfort distractions of a bigger collar. Now the new Adidas Real Madrid 23-24 third kit has been released, and it again has a collar with a button.
For the launch picture, Toni Kroos did not button up the collar but left it open - we strongly expect him to do in matches. The collar of the 23-24 season is not quite as big as the home kit collar of the 22-23 season, so Kroos probably will have a smaller problem with it.
Adidas 23-24 Third Kits - 3 Buttoned-Colors, 2 Crew Neck Collars
When designing and finalizing the Real Madrid 2023-2024 third kit, Adidas were not aware of Kroos' anti-collar message. It seems possible that the Three Stripes would have opted for a different collar model, as done for the Bayern Munich and Manchester United 23-24 third kits.
March 2023: Kroos: "Kits With Polo Collars Are a Big Shit"
Toni Kroos, the famous German midfielder of Real Madrid, this week revealed his dislike for football shirts with collars in the latest episode of his podcast "Einfach mal Luppen". Big thanks to our friends form Real Total for the story and pictures.
Real Madrid's Toni Kroos Expresses Dislike for Collared Football Shirts
The 33-year-old German international complained about the discomfort and unattractiveness of such shirts, referring to them as "a big s*."
While Kroos did not specify any particular jersey of Real Madrid, he did express his displeasure with the current season's shirt, which features a collar. He believes that polo shirts are not suitable for football shirts and that the two buttons on the collar make it look like a shirt instead of a jersey.
Kroos' favorite jersey from his time at Real Madrid was the white-gold one from the 2019-20 season.
This is not the first time Kroos has shared his thoughts on football shirts. In November 2021, he revealed that his favorite jersey from his time at Real Madrid was the white-gold one from the 2019-20 season.
Collared shirts have been a part of Real Madrid's kit in previous seasons, including the 2018-19 and 2014-15 seasons, where Kroos played without a collar but with buttons.
Frankfurt's former player Hinteregger cut off the collar
Real Madrid's kit supplier and Toni Kroos' personal sponsor, Adidas, did not comment on Kroos's criticism.
Indeed, Frankfurt's extraordinary ex-footballer Hinteregger cut off the polo collar of the Nike Eintracht Frankfurt shirt in the 2020-2021 season. Nike then created a custom collar-free kit for the former Austrian international.
For the 2023-2024 season, Real Madrid will get NO polo collar
For the 2023-2024 season, Real Madrid will get NO polo collar.
Are you a fan of Polo collared kits? Let us know in the comments below.
FC Barcelona 26-27 Home Kit Spotted on Sale Ahead of Official Launch
The FC Barcelona 26-27 home kit has been spotted on sale well before its official presentation. The new Nike jersey is currently available for purchase at JD Sports in Thailand, both in physical retail stores and online.
The early availability appears to be happening in multiple regions, with reports from fans mentioning sightings in stores across the United States.
Schlotterbeck Deliberately Wears His Football Socks the Wrong Way Round
Borussia Dortmund and Germany defender Nico Schlotterbeck has a very specific habit regarding his matchday attire. The centre-back deliberately wears his football socks the wrong way round - the back is on the front, and the front is on the back.
In 2025, the Borussia Dortmund & Germany center back once told SPORT1 that this was one of his unique habits.
Urawa Red Diamonds 26-27 Home Kit Teased - Launch Next Week
Japanese J1 League club Urawa Red Diamonds have officially teased their new 26-27 kit. The club announced through their official social media channels that the full details and design of the new uniform will be revealed on June 26, 2026.
The teaser image released by the club gives very little away regarding the actual design of the shirt, but it confirms the continuation of their long-standing partnership with American sportswear brand Nike.
A Look Back at World Cup Shirt Number Typography
Football kit design account @PaladarNegroWeb has shared an interesting retrospective on the typography used for shirt numbers in recent World Cups. The visual language of football kits is often defined by these details, with fonts becoming instantly recognizable symbols of specific tournaments and eras.
The collage highlights various iconic typefaces worn by national teams on the biggest stage. spanning from the 2006 World Cup to the FIFA World Cup.
This overview is part of an ongoing series by the account exploring the visual elements of football. It serves as a great reminder of how deeply typography impacts the overall aesthetic and legacy of a football shirt.
