As the most successful club side in football, Real Madrid have some truly iconic kits etched into their history – but what is the greatest Los Blancos jersey of all time?
Having chosen white as their home colour, Real made their kit a staple of greatness with five European Cups during the 1950s. From 1960 to 1980, Mont-Halt and Umbro alternated as suppliers to the Spanish giants before Adidas took over until 1986.
However, Hummel unseated the German powerhouse with a stint that took Madrid into the 1990s, after which Kelme replaced them. Adidas came back to the Bernabeu in 1998 and has made Madrid kits ever since.
Some of the greatest footballers of all time have pulled on the famous shirt, often adding to the fabric of Real’s history with their on-pitch exploits. It is, therefore, unsurprising that our greatest Real Madrid kits list also includes some super successful shirts.
#5: 1994-97 home
Kelme’s run of shirts during the mid-90s saw very subtle changes to the famous all-white home kit. As a result, we have mashed a few years together here as they were all fantastic.
The kit maker’s pawprint logo was taped along the sleeves in Real’s now-iconic purple – at least domestically. Unfortunately, UEFA outlawed the typically 90s styling from Los Blancos’ sleeves in Europe.
Nevertheless, these Kelme shirts saw two La Liga titles in Madrid, as well as numerous legends. Clarence Seedorf, Raul, Michael Laudrup, and Roberto Carlos all starred for Real in this three-year period.
#4: 2016/17 away
We told you that the greatest Real Madrid kits would be associated with glory. The striking, purple strip from Real’s Champions League triumph in Cardiff comes in fourth on our rundown.
This shade has been synonymous with the Spanish giants for decades since its introduction in the 1980s. However, Adidas pulled off arguably its best-ever look a few years back.
The purple is bright, although not garish. Additionally, the white trim and round collar really add a timeless feel to the jersey.
Of course, Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. added to this shirt’s mystic with their 4-1 win over Juventus to seal back-to-back UCLs. But this also capped off a fabulous 2016/17 which included a La Liga title, too.
A brilliant season for a brilliant kit.
#3: 2011/12 home
Any time there is gold on a Real Madrid shirt it goes well – and 2011/12 saw Adidas produce one of their greatest kits with it.
The German marque’s typical stripes came in the resplendent shade, as did the shirt trim. Meanwhile, the introduction of a collar was a cool added feature. There is just something really high-brow about the whole effort – white and gold combined well here.
As ever with Los Blancos, this jersey typified a historic campaign. Jose Mourinho led Real to a record-breaking La Liga crown, where they scored 121 goals and reached 100 points. This goal total is an all-time Spanish top-flight record, too.
Did the kit contribute to this? Probably not, but it certainly helps that Real looked awesome whilst achieving these incredible records.
#2: 1999-2001third
A personal favourite, one of the greatest Real Madrid kits oversaw the FIFA Club of the Century’s arrival into the new millennium.
Sublime, orange-gold trim totally contrasted with the crisp, black base of the shirt. Throw in a collar and “Teka” sponsor, and you have yourself a classic.
For many football fans, this jersey might also hold some great memories. Who can forget Fernando Redondo’s ridiculous skill at Old Trafford whilst in this kit? Or maybe it makes fans reminisce about the 2000 Champions League Final.
Here, Steve McManaman scored an outrageous scissor-kick volley as Los Blancos swept aside Valencia to claim their eighth European Cup.
Even without these moments, Adidas certainly served up a classic Real alternate strip to see in the 21st Century.
#1: 2001/02 “centenary” home
There is always something about a centenary that sees clubs produce their greatest kits – and Real Madrid is no different. In 2002, Los Blancos delivered the most sumptuous home shirt in their entire history.
Their typical home kit in 2001/02 had the club’s website on the front. Thankfully, for the centenary, Real ditched this logo, instead providing a clean, blank jersey.
This beautiful simplicity was consistent across the kit, with just black Adidas stripes present on European nights. A classy white collar then finished off the look.
Real Madrid celebrated their 100th birthday with another iconic act in their favourite competition – the Champions League. Yes, this is the kit where Zinedine Zidane connected with a ball that fell from the sky to score arguably the best UCL Final goal ever.
The Frenchman’s wizardry only serves to elevate this jersey to immortality. And that is why it comes first on our list of the greatest Real Madrid kits of all time.
Featured image credit: Getty
