It's appropriate to start with the contemporary kit that has sparked renewed interest and debate about the greatest kits of all time: Nigeria’s Nike-designed home kit for the 2018 World Cup. There are a few things that made this Nigeria kit an instant-classic before the Super Eagles even took the pitch.

For one, it represents a drastic break from what Nike has offered other federations for the World Cup. Often the major kit providers—Nike, adidas, and, to a lesser extent, Puma—have a cookie-cutter formula that they use for major international and continental competitions, swapping out national colors, or traditional details. Almost omnipresent on the 2018 Nike kits are “speed sleeves”, seemingly blurred sleeves that contrast clean kits; see Brazil, France, Australia, and England. Nigeria’s kit eschews that aesthetic; it is loud, flamboyant and impossible to miss.

More importantly, though, the kit represents the Nigerian national team’s identity. The inspiration for the jersey’s blurred chevron pattern came from Nigeria’s 1994 kit, which bore eagle wings; it’s a not-so-subtle nod to Nigeria’s history at the World Cup but also to the team’s nickname. The brash, flashy kit also lends itself exceptionally well to a Nigeria team that is the youngest in the tournament and bursting at the seams with exciting, fun-to-watch attacking footballers. In a way, the Nigeria ‘18 kit is an extension of the team.

Nike saw potential for Nigeria’s 2018 kit—it smashed Nike’s pre-sale record—and doubled down by turning it into a veritable cultural and lifestyle event with events attended by the likes of Skepta, Naomi Campbell, and Nigerian players. The kit eventually sold out worldwide, almost instantly, and now resells for twice retail. Just imagine how high this kit will climb on the greatest of all time list if Nigeria puts together an electrifying run during the tournament…

1998 was a great World Cup as far as kits were concerned—as evidenced by the three entries from that tournament on this list. Arguably no kit from the 1998 World Cup was more important than that of tournament debutant Croatia, though.

Why? Well, for one, the country was relatively young as a nation, having been formed after the Cold War and forged during the Balkan conflict that left communities torn apart but steadfast in their national pride. Croatia’s participation in France 1998 was huge for the country and the national team’s debut kit will be forever remembered as the kit that sparked the emblematic red-and-white check that has become synonymous with Croatia, its national team and its fans. Oh, and Croatia put together a magical run to the semi-finals that announced the country’s arrival on the world footballing stage.

That history, and the unique look of the kit, both within the annals of the country’s own jerseys and when compared to those of other countries, is what makes Croatia’s 1998 jersey one of the best to ever grace a World Cup pitch. And, if that weren’t enough, it was produced by Lotto, the Italian sportswear manufacturer, and designed by Miroslav Sutej, a Croatian artist who also came up with the country’s coat of arms, which gives it added cachet for collectors.

Another kit from 1998 and another kit greater thanks to a bevy of extenuating circumstances.

France played host to the 1998 edition of the competition, against the backdrop of social unrest and racial tensions across the country and particularly in the Parisian banlieus—Mathieu Kassovitz’s La Haine puts things in context quite well. But, rather than les Bleus cracking under pressure and flaming out on home soil. The team ended up winning the tournament and uniting the country with a moniker that championed unity regardless of race: Black Blanc Beur.

So, yeah, France’s 1998 team is one of the most celebrated squads in recent memory, so the kit they wore would be a collector’s item regardless of aesthetics. But the kit was exceptionally clean, too. Designed by adidas, it took full advantage of the three stripes and France’s national tricolor, integrating blue and red stripes on the sleeves and collar piping.

For collectors and fans, there’s also the added cachet that the players that made up the squad are some of the best to ever pull on a France jersey—names like Zidane, Henry, Vieira, Pirès and Trezeguet grace the back of blue kits floating around vintage shops and auction sites.

Taken together, the context and design of the jerseys, and players that wore them, make France’s 1998 kit arguably one of the most sought after of all time.

In retrospect, the 1998 World Cup represented the zenith of jersey design. We could have put together a convincing list with kits exclusively from that edition. Unlike the previous two kits, though, there was nothing particularly special about Mexico’s run at the 1998 World Cup… besides its jersey.

Not only was the jersey produced by an obscure company—ABA Sport—which gives it added cachet, but it is, arguably, one of the most brazen and unique kits that has ever made it to the World Cup. While both the home and away kits featured an all-over Aztec print, it was Mexico’s iconic green that made the home kit so memorable. The numbers and “MEXICO” printed in the centre of the chest added a bit of a refined look to an otherwise garish kit.

Even if you’re not a fan of El Tri, or if you prefer understated jerseys, there’s no denying that Mexico’s 1998 kit is one of the most unique to grace a pitch and a must-have for any collector.

USA Soccer has always seemingly struggled to fully embrace European football without bringing in parts of American football culture. As hosts of the 1994 World Cup, USA Soccer was tasked with following up arguably one of the best World Cups ever, Italia ’90. While the United States made it to the knockout stage—as one of the two Wild Cards—the team failed to make an impact beyond that.

But, the United States fielded an away kit that challenged conventional kit design and was decidedly American. What did adidas give the United States? Denim print jerseys with massive, distorted white stars across the back and chest, with red detailing and numbers. While it might not be the most aesthetically pleasing or cleanest kit of all time, it is definitely unique and it typified the United States determination to do soccer its way. If you have any doubts about that, consider the classic picture of a jubilant Alexi Lalas airborne in the kit—that is American soccer in a single cliche.

With the United 2026 bid making headlines recently, the USA away ’94 jersey has come to the fore once again—most notably as part of KITH’s latest collaboration with adidas Soccer, which is meant to pay homage to the history of USA Soccer.

Speaking of Italia ’90, West Germany’s kit from that tournament is, arguably, one of the most well-known jerseys of all time, thanks to adidas’ timeless design for the team that would go on to win the tournament.

The kit actually debuted at the 1988 Euro Championship and West Germany sported the strip until the fall of the Berlin Wall—its continued use over those few years is a testament to the kit’s almost perfect design. It’s important to recognize that adidas’ use of the West German flag’s colors was a relatively novel concept in 1990 and the brand even managed to work in the Italia ’90 logo type in the white space between the off-kilter stripes.

It was a perfect kit that stood in stark contrast to some of the other offerings at the time, including Germany’s green away jersey from the same tournament.

The true sign of greatness as far as West Germany’s 1990 home kit is concerned is its continued use by both adidas and the German national team. The sportswear manufacturer continues to sell retro versions of the kit, in both jersey and T-shirt form, while Germany’s 2018 World Cup jersey is inspired by the 1990 classic. It is a design that remains, 30 years later, supremely wearable both on and off the pitch.

Scandinavian design is often held up as the idyll of minimalism and simplicity, with Denmark often the first country that comes to mind among the Nordic brethren—at least when it comes to design. While Denmark’s home kit for the 1986 World Cup is definitely the best Scandinavian kit of all time, it isn’t exactly in line with the traditional Scandinavian aesthetic.

The Hummel-designed kit was a panelled amalgamation of prints and colours, with black detailing and contrasting candy cane and two-tone red (for the home kit) and white (away) pinstripes on the chest, back and sleeves, with chevron strips down the shoulder. The kit was impossible to miss and, much like Nigeria’s 2018 kit, ended up embodying the Danish footballing philosophy at the ’86 World Cup—Denmark attacked endlessly and beat the likes of Scotland, West Germany and Uruguay with an attractive brand of football that attracted attention.

Despite hailing from the ‘80s, the kit wouldn’t be out of place in 2018 and it remains adored by football fanatics and kit connoisseurs alike.

Zaïre most likely had no business being included in the 1974 edition of the World Cup; if you need proof, look no further than this gem of a highlight where the Zaïre players seem clueless as to the rules governing a free kick.

But, they did compete in the tournament, albeit without getting paid and under the threat of violence from the country’s tyrannical president. While its poor and clueless performances may be what most remember from the country’s foray at the World Cup, the kits they sported were undoubtedly an effort on Zaïre’s part to gain international attention and recognition.

The green knit kits were accented by yellow and red stripes—inspired by Zaïre’s national colors—but the most unique aspect was undoubtedly the giant leopard, the team’s nickname and the country name proudly emblazoned on the chest. It was unlike anything the World Cup had seen and has yet to truly be replicated. It was representative of Zaïre’s appearance as a whole: curious and unorthodox.

With the 1974 marking the country’s only appearance in the tournament, all of the complications surrounding the Zaïre team and the fact that the country is now called the Democratic Republic of Congo, the kit remains a true grail for collectors.

Alongside the aforementioned West Germany kit circa 1990, Peru’s distinct kit is often considered to be one of the nicest—if not the nicest—of all time. That obsession was arguably sparked by the South American nation’s appearance at the 1970 World Cup, which, coincidentally, was also the first edition to be televised in color.

That’s important in the context of Peru’s jersey because its fame is derived from the iconic red sash that cuts diagonally across an otherwise crispy white jersey. Mix in a collar—albeit a bit oversized—and the 1970 Peru jersey was seminal in establishing one of the most consistently classy kits in football history.

The red sash has been ubiquitous on Peruvian national teams over the years—including at the 2018 World Cup—but the 1970 edition stands out because it was the first time that viewers around the world were exposed to the aesthetic in color.

We’d be remiss to not include one of the most instantly-recognizable jerseys in all of sports, the Brazilian national team kit. There isn’t much to be said about it—its beauty lies in its exceedingly simple and timeless design: a yellow shirt with green trim.

That being said, the best Brazil kit remains the 1970 knit T-shirt version sported by the likes of Pele and featuring nothing but the Brazilian federation’s crest on the chest. Much like the Peruvian jersey from the same edition, the 1970 Brazil kit is made all the greater because it was the first time that those not at the World Cup could appreciate the jersey in all its glory. And, like the Peru jersey, it helped set the stage for decades of aesthetic continuity that have defined both the country’s national team and its national identity.

Given the popularity of Brazilian football, finding an authentic jersey from this time period is not entirely unfathomable; but it might take a bit of hunting.

It’s only appropriate to close this list with what is, without a doubt, the most simple kit of all time. Despite that, original versions of the red England Away kit from 1966 remain veritable grails for British football fans and sports memorabilia collectors around the world.

For one, England won the World Cup on home soil in 1966 and that victory stands as the country’s last silverware in international or European competition. That alone should be enough to elevate the kit worn to grail status. But it is the simplicity of the kit, a plain crewneck red cotton shirt with the England crest on the chest and white numbers on the back, that make it truly stand out. The fact that footballing legend Bobby Charlton was one of the players to sport the strip also adds to the legacy of the ’66 kit.

England’s contemporary kits are minimalist, inspired largely by the 1966-1970 era white or red jerseys, but can never quite match the effortless elegance of the 1966 kit. And while it may not be thought of on the same level as the 1970 Peru kit or the 1990 West Germany kit, nor carry the cultural capital of the 2018 Nigeria jersey, the ’66 England jersey is steeped in history that few other kits can match.