Greatest Liverpool kits: the Reds’ most legendary shirts

From Kenny Dalglish to Steven Gerrard, the greatest Liverpool players have all worn some amazing kits. Which ones are the club’s best, though? We’ve picked our top five.

The Merseyside club have one of the more unique kit histories in British football. Following stints with Umbro and Adidas from the 70s through the 90s, Liverpool enlisted Reebok as team wear provider in 1996.  

After ten years with the US brand, they switched back to Adidas for six years. Warrior followed in 2012, before five years of New Balance oversaw the return to glory days at Anfield.

Nowadays, the club sport jerseys courtesy of Nike.

Yet they will not feature on this list, as our top five greatest Liverpool kits go a little further back in time.

#5: 2004/05 home

Although some may have expected to see it higher, the shirt from that night in Istanbul ranks fifth on our greatest Liverpool kits list.

US Sportswear giant Reebok kept it simple with this design. A plain red jersey had two understated white panels underneath the arms, alongside a clean round-neck collar. Carlsberg sponsorship sits proudly in the centre, meanwhile, Reebok mounted the Liverpool crest on a shield.

Overall, there is not much to complain about with the shirt. The achievements of the team wearing it are what immortalise it.

Rafa Benitez’s side went on an improbable run to deliver Liverpool their fifth Champions League title in 2005. Of course, this included the unbelievable 3-0 turnaround during the Final vs AC Milan.

The Reds reprised this home strip for the 2005/06 season. That campaign also had an incredible Final – the “Gerrard” Final which brought an FA Cup to Anfield.  Two unforgettable tournament showpieces whilst in this shirt really elevate its status among the greatest Liverpool kits.

#4: 2019/20 home 

Like No.5 on this list, the 2019/20 shirt holds fond memories among the Anfield faithful as it commemorates success. In this New Balance number, Liverpool broke 30 years of heartache to finally win the Premier League title.

Boasting pinstripes reminiscent of the 1984 European Cup-winning kit, the 2091/20 shirt was a modern take on a throwback look. These thin white lines ran all the way up to a clean, round collar – although the shoulders were plain.

New Balance coupled their retro vibe with Liverpool’s traditional Liver bird crest in gold. In addition, the US brand put their own logo in the same colour. Contrastingly, the Standard Chartered sponsor sat boldly in white. This matched the small trim from the sleeve cuffs.

Despite it being their last season with the Reds, New Balance pulled out all the stops to produce one of the greatest Liverpool kits. The fact that it symbolises a momentous piece of silverware is a bonus, too.

#3: 2009/10 away

The only away kit to feature on this “greatest kits” rundown, Adidas gave Liverpool a stunning shirt in 2009/10.

An absolutely sublime charcoal and gold colourway provides the base for this effort. The German giants’ three stripes are golden, as is their logo in the centre of the kit, and the Carlsberg branding.

See? Much better with the darker shorts. (Photo by Jamie McDonald/Getty Images)

However, a red stripe from the collar to both sleeves leaves a subtle reminder that this is, indeed, a Liverpool shirt. It’s also commendable that Adidas did not mess with the club badge; instead, they left the crest in its traditional colours.

The Merseyside club used this shirt with both gold and charcoal shorts. It certainly looked better with the charcoal ones, though.

Plus, the gold ones bring back awful memories of Sunderland’s “beach ball” goal in a 1-0 Premier League defeat.

To be honest, the kit itself comes from a pretty forgettable season. Liverpool finished seventh in the league and had no luck in any cup competition. The closest they got to a final was a semi-final elimination in the Europa League.

Still, at least they looked sharp during the campaign in this belter of a kit.

#2: 1993/95 home

Following the trophy-laden 70s and 80s, the 90s were a pretty underwhelming era on Merseyside. But they made up for this with some of the greatest Liverpool kits of all time.

Our runner-up choice actually saw Liverpool lift some silverware, which boosts its standing. Adidas made a classic for the Reds using one of their boldest templates.

The most prominent element of the jersey is the thick trio of stripes protruding across the torso. These angle your gaze to the shirt’s middle that houses the sponsor and centrally aligned club crest.

Adidas’ logo sits just above the Reds’ badge and underneath a wedge-like collar. The thick neckline boasts red and green trim, which is a part of the white sleeve cuffs as well. Even the slightly brighter shade of red adds to a superlative effort from the German marque.

Liverpool donned this striking shirt during a League Cup Final win in 1995. Steve McManaman claimed man of the match Honours as Roy Evans’ side earned a 2-1 victory at Wembley.

#1: 1989/90 home

In top spot on our list of the greatest Liverpool kits is a shirt that brought a dominant spell to a close. Whilst wearing this gorgeous Adidas number, the Reds won their 18th and final league title for thirty years.

Liverpool’s signature red kit had a unique twist added to it for the 1989/90 season. Instead of being plain, Adidas implemented a geometric pattern of white dashes all over the shirt. It made for a captivating jersey, further bolstered by the smart crossover crew neck.

Additionally, the club badge and candy sponsorship, both in a minimalist white, were design positives.

Club legends such as John Barnes, Ian Rush, and Jan Molby elevated this kit to God-tier status via their on-pitch quality. The Reds continued on with this superb strip in the 1990/91 campaign, but they sadly failed to retain their league title.

Nevertheless, this innovative shirt rightfully sits at the top of the greatest Liverpool kits collection.

Featured image credit: Getty

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