Greatest Bayern Munich kits: the best shirts in the Bavarians’ history

Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich have a rich history of legendary kits – but what is the club’s greatest ever shirt?

Despite using the same kit supplier since 1974, there has been an array of different styles throughout the Bavarians’ history. The German side has utilised white, red, and even shades of blue on their home kit – all creating some iconic strips.

Similarly, suppliers Adidas has had extensive creative license on the away kits.

However, the German giants no longer use blue on their home strips. In 2018, following fans’ complaints about the use of blue, Bayern confirmed that their home colours will be red and white moving forwards. The reason behind this is their city rivals, 1860 Munich, use blue as their main colour.

Still, in the past, the red/blue combo has worked really well for Bayern Munich – with one of the kits getting into our list of the top 5 greatest…

#5: 2012/13 home

Beginning our rundown of the greatest Bayern kits is a strip that oversaw the ultimate redemption arc.

The Bavarians’ red/gold number was the one used in the 2012 Champions League Final, where Chelsea upset Bayern in their own stadium. Even after this gut-wrenching setback, Munich persevered with the all-red shirt which featured gold trim.

What followed in 2012/13 was one of the greatest seasons in the club’s history. Bayern returned to the top of the Bundesliga, beating Dortmund to the Meisterschale for the first time in three years. They swiftly added a DFB-Pokal triumph, then beat their Der Klassiker rivals in the 2013 Champions League Final.

(Photo by Getty Images)

However, it must be said that toward the tail-end of the 2012/13 campaign, Bayern began to use their 2013/14 strip. This is why their kit in the 2013 UCL Final was red/white, rather than gold.

Still, the one used predominantly during their treble season gets our vote. It is simple, yet classy, with the regal colour adding a quality touch.

#4: 1995-97 home

Now, the fans may dislike blue on their kits, but surely this can be an exception. From 1995-97, Bayern rocked red and blue stripes on one of their greatest kits.

The white collar and Opel sponsor just add to the iconic nature of this kit. And, of course, the German giants picked up some silverware in the seasons during this strip’s use; the 1996/97 Bundesliga and the 1995/96 UEFA Cup.

Bayern even reprised this look for their 2014/15 home kit, which is another belter in its own right. We have gone for the OG, though, and a look that supporters may not allow to happen again.

#3: 2017/18 home

A modern take on a classic look sees the stunning 2017/18 home strip come third on the greatest Bayern kits list.

Adidas drew inspiration from the famous Bayern Munich shirts of the early 1970s to concoct this beauty. A slick, white collar matched a series of white stripes that ran vertically down the 2017/18 kit. White sleeve cuffs matched this look, with the ensemble providing a very retro feel overall.

The Bundesliga giants romped to yet another domestic title during this campaign – although did not add any other silverware. Their pursuit of the Champions League ended at the semi-final stage thanks to Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, Eintracht Frankfurt denied Bayern a domestic double by beating them in the DFB-Pokal Final.  

It’s a shame that this shirt only had one season in action, to be honest.

#2: 1996-98 away

Coming in second on the list is arguably the greatest of all Bayern away kits.

Adidas and the German club were on a tear throughout the 1990s, dropping classic after classic. But we think the best of all is this all-white alternate strip. This lovely base colour featured a pair of red and blue stripes racing down from the right shoulder – adding a splash of vibrance.

A further nice touch then shows in the collar and cuffs, which were black with blue/red detailing.

Interestingly, Adidas placed the Bayern crest inside a silver shield. It looks great, with the idea revived in the 2000s on one of the Bavarians’ home shirts. The legendary Opel sponsorship and Adidas text ultimately complete a sublime kit.

This particular kit was worn during the 1996 UEFA Cup Final. Here, Bayern emerged victorious over the Zinedine Zidane-led Bordeaux across two legs.

#1: 2000-02 European Home/Third

Lastly, the No.1 greatest shirt out of all the kits in Bayern Munich history is another in which they lifted the Champions League.

Honestly, the 2000-02 European strip is probably on par with the 1987/88 kit that it shares so many similarities with. But, due to the 21st-century jersey actually having the Bayern badge on it, we have chosen this.

The effortlessness of the shirt is what really shines through here. It sticks to the Munich club’s traditional red and white, whilst also boasting one of their top shirt sponsors.

On-pitch, the Bavarians ensured that this particular look earned footballing immortality. Bayern wore this Adidas classic during the 2001 Champions League Final, where they triumphed on penalties. This ended a 25-year wait to return to the pinnacle of European football, thus adding to the shirt’s mysticism.

The Bundesliga side’s European kit at the turn of the millennium is the prototypical Bayern Munich shirt. And for this reason, it finishes top of the greatest Bayern kits of all time – for us at least.

Featured image credit: Getty

Verified by MonsterInsights