Why retro football clothing is more fashionable than ever

Vintage football clothing is no longer part of private collections and the most countercultural hobbies, but has become a growing trend among fans of all ages.

In addition to being one of the fastest growing industries in e-commerce, the buying and selling of retro football clothing has 'infected' fans. Getting a shirt from Beckham's Manchester United, Rooney's England, Del Piero's Juventus or Spain's Guardiola and Cañizares is in vogue.

However, the boom in old football clothes is not the result of chance. There are a number of reasons that explain the rise of this fashion in different countries.

The timelessness of their designs, the nostalgia that produces in the most veterans or the ease of acquiring vintage t-shirts stand out among the causes. Next we will review them in more detail.

More than a T-shirt: 6 reasons to understand why we love vintage football clothing

That vintage football clothing is in fashion is something that does not surprise lovers of this sport. Maradona's t-shirt with Napoli or Pelé's clothing with Santos are real fabric 'jewels' admired by all.

But who has the retro shirts that attract us so much? Let's see:

Because it's timeless

Which FC Barcelona team attracts the most attention, that of the previous season or that of Cruyff's Dream Team? Obviously the latter.

Unlike what happens with the new clothing, certain models of retro football clothing have a timeless character, being valid for any year. In other words, they never go out of style.

In the case of some national teams and clubs, the design does not suffer significant variations, as we see in the teams of Italy and Brazil or Real Madrid, Juventus of Turin or Liverpool.

This is one of the main reasons why vintage football shirts continue to arouse passions among fans of all ages.

Because it is original and distinctive

Let's face it: vintage football clothing is different, it's unique, it's special. Wearers of Paolo Maldini's AC Milan or Beckenbauer's Germany shirts show a great personality.

They don't just wear the numbers of the players of the moment, but also the legends of another era: Maradona's '10', Johan Cruyff's '14', Paco Gento's '11', Franz Beckenbauer's '5' or the '88' that Gianluigi Buffon wore with Parma.

This type of garment, despite belonging to another era, are a good way to express themselves, as well as paying a small tribute to that club or selection for which we have always felt passion or a special respect.

Because it generates nostalgia

Nostalgia is a feeling that affects young and old fans alike and that is very present in the motivation to buy vintage football shirts.

Sometimes there's no better way to relive the Invincibles of Henry's Arsenal than with an outfit from that magical season. The same can be said of Totti's Italy, Galacticos' Real Madrid or Rinus Michels' 'total football' Holland.

The nostalgia and symbolism of certain football shirts can raise their price to unsuspected extremes. It is enough to check the figures that some auctions reach to understand how nostalgia influences (and a lot) in the phenomenon of the period football clothes.

Because it is part of street fashion

The new generations have very different tastes to the previous ones, and therefore the search and purchase of vintage football shirts is no longer reserved only for antique dealers and collectors.

They really are part of street fashion! It's not hard to find young people wearing Ajax 1990 or Inter Milan 1985 shirts. In addition to being glorious times for these clubs, they had particularly beautiful designs, which attract the attention of millennials and postmillennials.

Because it has a history

This advantage of old football clothes is directly related to the nostalgia produced by certain period outfits. Despite being retro and not at the forefront of modern textile techniques, vintage shirts hide a history, sometimes fascinating.

Cruyff's Netherlands, who wore three lines in the sleeves of his players (except Cruyff himself, who wore a special shirt with two lines with a sponsorship conflict) is one of the many stories that can be found in vintage football clothing.

Owning one of these outfits is an excellent way to treasure those stories and keep them in mind. Nike's latest t-shirt is nothing more than that, a t-shirt just out of the factory. But the 1978 Portland Timbers T-shirt is special, as it was one of the first to be sponsored by Nike.

Because it's more accessible than ever

Before the consolidation of e-commerce, getting retro football clothes was a challenge. Certain local shops, antique shops and second-hand bazaars were the only places where these very minority products could be found.

However, with the boom in digitalization and the expansion of online stores, it is possible to get almost any vintage t-shirt, regardless of its club, number or launch date. If they exist, always

In this sense, specialized marketplaces such as The Football Market have thousands and thousands of retro t-shirts from the main international leagues and competitions.

Today more than ever, buying a vintage football outfit is within everyone's reach!