Is This Allowed? Liverpool & Real Madrid Goalkeepers Wear "Identical" Kit in Champions League Match

Nov 5, 2025

by Chris

34 views

Kit Clashing: During the Liverpool-Real Madrid match, both goalkeepers wore almost identical green Adidas goalkeeper kits, leading to questions about whether it was allowed.
UEFA and IFAB Rules: While UEFA requires player kits to have sufficient contrast, there is no such rule for goalkeepers; IFAB rules permit identical colors for keepers if no alternatives exist, though Liverpool had a black option available.
Possible Logistical Issue: The kit mishap might have stemmed from a logistical issue where Mamardashvili wore a fan-version shirt, and Liverpool may not have had a fan version of the black keeper kit available.

A rare kit mishap occurred in the Liverpool–Real Madrid clash as both Mamardashvili and Courtois walked out in the (almost) same green Adidas goalkeeper template. Is this allowed?

UEFA Mix-Up Sees Both Goalkeepers Wear Same Adidas Template in Liverpool vs Real Madrid

While the different teams must wear player kits that are easily distinguishable ("offer sufficient contrast") as per UEFA rules, there is no UEFA rule about the color contrast of goalkeeper kits. So, the rules of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) come into action.

Actually, IFAB’s Law 4.3 permits keepers to wear identical colors, but only when no team has alternatives. Liverpool has a black option in their Adidas 25-26 goalkeeper kit that remained unused.

However, the reason for the goalkeeper situation might have been a logistical slip from the home side. Mamardashvili wore the fan-version shirt, differing in cut and logo application from his usual player-issue model. Liverpool might not have had the black keeper kit available as a fan version, and Mamardashvili might wanted to wear the fan version (many goalkeepers prefer the fan version over the authentic due to the cut).