A retrospective on the resurgence of retro jerseys
Jakarta – As the 2023-2024 season begins, retro jerseys have once again become a fashion trend among football fans, and even among those who do not follow the sport. Driven by bloc-core fashion, retro football jerseys from clubs, with designs released in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, are paired with casual trousers to create a sportier look. Fans buy retro club or national team jerseys for their nostalgic value and timeless iconic designs. Moreover, retro jerseys are historically valuable collectibles, representing the era of a club’s golden years or a major moment from the past. The fashion industry continues to move and boasts a sizeable market that does not target football fans alone. This has led major brands such as Adidas, Nike, and Puma to see opportunity as innovation. For instance, Adidas has reissued the iconic Juventus jersey. The retro jersey produced in collaboration with Studio SGura is Juventus’ iconic shirt inspired by polo jerseys from the 1996-1997 season. Not wanting to miss out, Nike has previously released retro jerseys that have been reissued. In the atmosphere of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025, Nike, sponsor of the Nigerian national team, has again produced a memorabilia outfit dating back to 1996 that was worn for the Olympics. By presenting memorabilia that recalls fans to earlier eras of club jerseys, it is clear that retro-jersey sales have found a large market and are now one of the factors boosting jersey sales. The jersey industry now represents a very promising revenue stream for clubs. Consequently, many clubs release third or fourth jerseys with retro-inspired nuances or memorabilia edition jerseys, such as Real Madrid or Manchester United doing in partnership with Adidas. In terms of jersey sales, according to a study by Eormericas Sports Marketing, the industry is generating substantial funds for clubs. In that study, Real Madrid was the top-selling club in 2025, recording sales of 3,133,000 units and breaking the sales record in 2024. In second place was Real Madrid’s perennial rival Barcelona, which recorded jersey sales of 2,940,000 units after the Lamine Yamal back-numbered jersey boosted the Catalan club’s jersey sales. Then the Champions League titleholders 2024/2025, Paris Saint-Germain, rose to third place after selling a total of 2,546,000 jerseys in 2025. The reputation of PSG’s home city, Paris, as a fashion capital, greatly supports sales. The narrative framing of retro jerseys as memorabilia and nostalgia for fans has prompted La Liga operators to move to innovate by uniting football with the fashion industry.