Long Sleeves Have Never Been More Back
Nov 21, 2025, by Chris
- Long-sleeved kits revival: After years of decline, long-sleeved football kits are making a comeback, seen across various leagues and international matches.
- Aesthetic and retro appeal: Long-sleeved shirts offer a more complete silhouette and allow design elements to flow better, aligning with the current retro trend inspired by the 90s and early 2000s.
- Increased availability and demand: Retail availability of long-sleeve shirts has improved, but demand is exceeding expectations, leading to sold-out options and anticipation for wider availability in the future.
After years of disappearing from football pitches across Europe, the traditional long-sleeved kit is experiencing a genuine revival, and the evidence is everywhere you look. Huge thanks to kit aficionado Phil Delves, Footy Headlines writer, as part of our partnership with Cult Kits, reseller of vintage football shirts, for the idea for this article, and also the headline: “Long Sleeves Have Never Been More Back".
A Trend That Can't Be Ignored
Scroll through any matchday gallery from recent weeks and the pattern is unmistakable. From the Bundesliga to the Premier League, from international fixtures to La Liga, players are increasingly ditching the base layer look in favor of proper long-sleeved jerseys.
Just five years ago, only a handful top stars got long-sleeve kits from their suppliers
Just ten years ago, there were hardly any players left wearing long-sleeve kits. Five years later, in 2020, half a dozen top players wore long-sleeve kits. Today, there are hundreds of top players wearing long-sleeve kits again.
The German national team has become something of a poster child for the movement. Adidas' retro-inspired home kit was worn with long sleeves by various players, including Woltemade, Wirtz, Sane, Gnabry, and Goretzka. The big three stripes are running down the entire arm (would have been better with the smaller 3 stripes for us, ayk).
Why It Works
There's something undeniably elegant about a long-sleeved football shirt. The silhouette is more complete. The design elements have more room to breathe. Stripe patterns that start at the shoulder can flow all the way to the wrist, creating visual continuity that gets lost with short sleeves or undershirts.
And while some years ago only a handful top stars got long-sleeve kits from their suppliers, now players across all major first divisions have been spotted embracing the look.
The timing makes sense. We're deep in the retro cycle, with kits increasingly drawing inspiration from the 90s and early 2000s. And what defined those eras? Long sleeves worn by everyone from Zidane to Ronaldo Nazário, from Beckham to Del Piero.
Brands Are Catching Up
With players clearly gravitating toward long sleeves, retail availability of long-sleeve shirts has also become much better. However, those long sleeves are apparently more popular than brands thought they would - Newcastle's long-sleeve options are virtually sold out, for example.
Those long sleeves are apparently more popular than brands thought they would
If this trend continues - and all signs suggest it will - expect kit manufacturers to further respond. Long-sleeve authentic match kits should be available for more teams in future seasons, and smaller teams should also get long-sleeve kits.
Whether this is a fleeting moment or the beginning of a permanent shift remains to be seen. But for now, long-sleeve enthusiasts can celebrate: their preferred look has well and truly returned to the mainstream.
What do you think - do you prefer long-sleeve kits or short sleeves? Let us know in the comments below!
Real Madrid 26-27 125th Anniversary Kit Concept
Based on the previous leaked pictures, our partner @whatthekit_x have provided a concept of how the Real Madrid 2026-27 125th anniversary kit could look on the club's stars. Made by adidas, the special shirt features a clean white design with a subtle heritage-inspired pattern.
The standout detail is the 1902 original Real Madrid crest, which replaces the current badge in navy blue. A special sleeve emblem featuring a European Cup, '125' and 'Aniversario 1902-2027' completes the anniversary theme, while the adidas, Emirates and HP logos are kept tonal.
What do you think of the Real Madrid 2026-27 125th anniversary kit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Eintracht Frankfurt Frauen 26-27 European Kit Released
Eintracht Frankfurt Frauen and Adidas have officially unveiled an exclusive new "Europatrikot" for the 26-27 season. Designed specifically for the team's campaign in the UEFA Women’s Europa Cup, the kit symbolizes the international journeys and unity of the Adlerträgerinnen.
The Adidas Eintracht Frankfurt Frauen 26-27 European jersey is based on a black canvas covered with an intricate, dynamic gray path pattern running across the torso and lower back. A clean white Adidas logo and the Indeed sponsor contrast against the dark background, while subtle gray three stripes run along the shoulders. Above the club crest sit two golden stars celebrating their league championship history, joined by Generali on the sleeve and LOTTO Hessen on the back.
Matching black shorts and socks complete the uniform. The Eintracht Frankfurt Frauen 26-27 European kit is available now through the club's official webshop and selected retail outlets for €100.
Nike Mercurial 26-27 'United' Pack 4 Boots Leaked - 3 New Pictures
rfboots has leaked new images of the new Nike Mercurial Superfly 11 boots, part of the United 004 collection, which will be released soon.
The boots feature a fresh light blue primary color with vibrant orange details, including a silver Swoosh with orange outlining and an orange Nike United logo on the heel.
Bristol Rovers 26-27 Third Kit Released
Bristol Rovers have officially unveiled their new 26-27 third kit, produced by Puma. The tertiary strip was already given an on-pitch debut by the squad during their recent League Two away match against Gillingham.
The Puma Bristol Rovers 26-27 third shirt introduces a stylish look with a black base and soft pink accents. A subtle tonal line pattern covers the front and back of the torso, complemented by contrasting pink inserts along the shoulders, side panels, and collar. The monochrome club crest, Puma cat branding, and front-of-shirt sponsor Pukka are all finished in the same matching pink shade.
Black shorts and black socks with pink detailing complete the new Puma Bristol Rovers 26-27 third uniform. Season ticket holders will have early access to purchase the strip at an exclusive club shop event on September 24, followed by a general in-store release on September 25 and online sales starting September 28.
Colombia's DIMAYOR Mandates Standard Helvetica Font for All Teams From 2027
Colombian football governing body DIMAYOR is set to introduce sweeping kit branding regulations starting with the 2027 Liga BetPlay season. An official circular distributed to professional clubs outlines strict new rules for shirt names, numbering, and sleeve badges. Most notably, the league will mandate Helvetica as the sole official typeface for player names and squad numbers across all participating teams, stripping clubs and kit manufacturers of the ability to use custom fonts. Big thanks to @cdfactoryco.
Beyond standardizing the typography, the regulations strictly govern visibility and colors. All names and numbers must appear either in solid black on light-colored kits or solid white on dark-colored kits, with no additional accent colors or outlines permitted. For shirts featuring stripes or graphic patterns, clubs must integrate a blank, single-tone rectangle measuring exactly 34 cm by 26 cm on the back to host the number. Player names must be positioned directly above the number with a font height between 5 cm and 7 cm, while DIMAYOR and competition sleeve badges will have designated dimensions and mandatory placement below club sponsor patches.
DIMAYOR is also putting an end to unconventional squad numbers. Players will only be allowed to wear consecutive integers from 1 up to the total number of registered squad members, outlawing high numbers such as 77, 88, or 99. The drastic move has sparked backlash among Colombian football fans and kit designers, who have criticized the choice of a standard office typeface and the loss of distinctive club identity on the pitch.
