With a growing contingent of football shirt enthusiasts clamoring for long sleeves, we take a look at some of the greatest long-sleeved kits of all time.
PSG and Air Jordan are now entering the seventh (!!) year of their partnership, and their latest collection continues to redefine the crossover of football and fashion. The entire “Wings” line, inspired by the original Jordan logo that pre-dated the Jumpman, brings together luxury and performance as the two brands continue progressing in the space. From the collection, one of the most interesting things is how they have tailored the design for a long-sleeved version of the kit.
Long sleeves went through a period of hiatus, disappearing from football shirts for a while, and if you’re like me, it was devastating. However, as nostalgia continues to dominate the culture, long sleeves have made their return. Brands have made the pivot to bringing consumers the choice of sleeve length again.
This release from PSG and Jordan takes things a step further. While many long-sleeved versions of kits simply extend blank fabric down the arms, this one adjusts the design to continue from shoulder to cuff. The result is a much better aesthetic for the shirt than the short-sleeved counterpart. Inspired by this move, I dove into the kit history books again and picked out my favorite shirts that look better in long sleeves.
Newcastle Home 1995-97
Starting off with a shirt that is often regarded as one of the best of all time, this Newcastle kit goes down in Premier League history thanks to its fantastic design and iconic Brown Ale sponsor. The short sleeve version is wonderful, but thanks to its classic ’90s oversized cut, the long sleeve version looks a lot cleaner. They wore this during the Kevin Keegan era as the Entertainers challenged Sir Alex Ferguson for the Premier League title.
Germany Home 2024
The most recent kit in this list, Germany’s 2024 home kit made for the European Championships was beautiful both in short and long sleeves. But what makes it so special in long sleeves is the same reason the new PSG kit is great — the design continues down the sleeve. The gradient of the black and orange offers a wonderful aesthetic, topped off by the continuation of the stripes.
France 1998
This kit doesn’t feature any additional design on the sleeves or anything, but if you’re an advocate for long-sleeved shirts then you know this looks much better than the short-sleeve version. The three stripes going all the way down the arm, finished off nicely with the cuffs makes for a classier look, and when worn by the likes of Zinedine Zidane, it oozes cool.
Holland 1974
The shirt worn by the legendary Johan Cruyff when he did that turn in the 1974 World Cup and changed football forever. It is a classic orange and black look, but when in long sleeve, it has an aura of elegance about it, one that a short sleeve shirt just couldn’t bring. Cruyff mastered football, both as a player and as a manager. As a player, he did it looking good in a long sleeve shirt from time to time, too.
Saint Etienne 1974-78
I’ve gone football hipster on you. I’m bringing in a 1970s Saint Etienne kit as if I’ve just read Inverting the Pyramid for the 100th time. This Le Coq Sportif number is an absolute delight thanks to its Le Tricolore cuffs and collar. For those who love classic shirts, this is one you need to add to your grail list. Timothee Chalamet, that means you.
Real Betis 1995-97
Did you really think I could do a list without including a Kappa shirt? I’ve opted for Real Betis over Barcelona in a bid to share some light on a lesser-talked about shirt. Real Betis kits are notoriously beautiful, with the combination of the lovely shade of green and crisp white stripes. This one is an ideal kit for long sleeves thanks to the Kappa Banda, which adds a superb design element that not many brands can replicate. If you’re into kits, don’t sleep on some of Betis’ classics.
Milan 1988-89
I am purely including this kit thanks to Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, and Marco van Basten for looking so good when wearing it. This trio in that iconic Milan team made long sleeve kits look classier than they already do, and this shirt was a beauty. It was a simple design with just red and black stripes, but when worn in long sleeve in the San Siro, it took the aesthetic to a whole new level. An iconic shirt worn by iconic players.
