The Most Iconic Soccer Shirts
That Became Priceless Collectibles
Soccer jerseys are not just uniforms or functional pieces of fabric. No, kits are representative of something bigger, a symbol of an era, a city or even a country, an individual genius, or perhaps just one moment, one that is etched in the memory of the fan who was lucky enough to witness it.
It’s why shirts manufactured decades ago, for just a few dollars, can now fetch ten million US dollars in an auction. That’s why they’re kept in secure storage, never worn, just admired. Some of the most iconic soccer shirts have become priceless collectibles. From a list of many, these are just an edge above the rest. Let’s start with the ones that won our hearts.
Pelé’s 1970 World Cup Final Shirt
For many soccer fans, the Brazilian 1970 World Cup squad is the best national team ever. And when we say ever, we mean ever! There’s a good argument: beautiful yet effective execution, soccer’s most creative players, a brilliant coach.
And of course, there is Pelé. Without Edson Arantes do Nascimento, o jogo bonito does not have the same spark. The FIFA Player of the Century, three-time World Cup winner, the youngest to win the tournament, record-breaking goalscorer, two-footed, technical, a visionary.
His 1970 World Cup final shirt encapsulates not only his genius, but of an entire Brazilian soccering generation. Carlos Alberto’s goal in the final is the symbol of a perfect team performance.
Maradona’s Hand of God Shirt
Look away, Peter Shilton, England fans. This one may be just a little too painful. Sold for a record-breaking auction price of $9.28 million in 2022 (at Sotheby’s in London, no less), this shirt captures the Maradona experience in a single piece of fabric.
Wildly talented, unpredictable, mesmerizing, taking on the entire English defensive line, masterfully weaving his way to one of the best goals ever seen on the World Cup stage.
Conversely, the ‘cheating’, cheekily using his hand to nudge the goal beyond Shilton’s grasp, sent one nation into ecstasy and another into a multi-decade soccering depression.
While Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ 1986 shirt will always remain a piece of football’s long history, those with a preference for St. George’s Cross need not wear the Albiceleste to their weekly 5-a-side. With owayo, clubs and fans can craft their own legacy by designing unique jerseys that make an impact on and off the pitch.
Ronaldinho’s Barcelona 2005/06 Home Jersey
Before Messi, there was Ronaldinho. Culés will tell you he was just as talented, while some will whisper he was more entertaining to watch. He played with a smile on his face, his moves unpredictable, and at his best, he was a Ballon d’Or winner.
His 2005/06 shirt will bring back nightmares for Real Madrid fans, who remember the two mesmerizing solo goals he scored in El Clásico. His exploits led to Real Madrid doing something they’d only done once before (to Diego Maradona, no less): a standing ovation for a Barcelona player.
Lionel Messi’s 2022 World Cup Final Shirt
Argentinian fans once had a love/hate relationship with Lionel Messi. It sounds absurd, not worshipping the best player in the world, thanking the gods daily for Diego’s clear heir.
But Argentinians saw Leo as a pseudo-European, leaving for Barcelona when he was still a child. For his club, he would be the Messi. For Argentinians, often a cheap imitation.
Until 2021, at the Maracanã, where he would win his first trophy for his country at the Copa América. And in 2022, he would do what Diego had always pushed him to achieve, win the World Cup with Argentina, sending his country into a frenzy never seen before.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal 2016 Home Jersey
For every fan who will tell you Messi is the best soccer ever, you will find another who will make that very same argument for Cristiano Ronaldo.
When he arrived in Manchester, Sir Alex Ferguson convinced him to wear the legendary No. 7 shirt . This was no small request, with Reds legends like Eric Cantona, George Best, and David Beckham donning the famous number .
Cristiano Ronaldo would make it his own, from a shaky debut in 2003, to a Ballon d’Or winner. He would win it all in Manchester and Madrid, but just like Messi, he was missing glory in his native Portugal.
In the Euro 2016, not many had high hopes for the Portuguese. They were now beyond their famous Golden Generation, with stars like Figo and Rui Costa. Ronaldo’s supporting cast just did not cut the mustard.
Yet, as tournaments consistently show, it’s about the team, not the individual. Ronaldo had played a good tournament, 3 goals, leading the line, the biggest threat. Once he went off injured in the final, some expected him to sulk, and Portugal to wither, but the opposite happened.
He became the off-field leader his country needed , pushing them, experiencing every play on the sidelines, and eventually winning a tense final against the favored French stars.
Barcelona 1992 Jersey
For the purists, the 1992 Barcelona kit is almost equal to a relic, reflecting the near-religious experience of watching Johan Cruyff’s vision manifesting on the soccer pitch.
The Dream Team was everything Guardiola would eventually re-create in Barcelona. It’s no surprise, he was a member of the 1992 squad himself. In that year’s Champions League final, Ronald Koeman would shatter the curse with his marvelous free kick.
For anyone who grew up in that era, it’s a nostalgic trip that will have you reminiscing about the good old days and searching for a classic piece to call your own — one you can even recreate using owayo’s 3D configurator .
AC Milan 1988/89 Jersey
Gullit. Van Basten. Rijkaard. Baresi. Costacurta. Maldini. Albertini. Ancelotti. Donadoni. And of course, the architect behind the magic: Arrigo Sacchi.
Silvio Berlusconi had worked to build a team for the ages, and this AC Milan vintage was perhaps the best of them all. The team did not win the Serie A, but that did not matter.
They did one better: European glory.
In one of the most convincing European Cup final performances, the Italians dismantled poor Steaua București 4-0. Two goals each from their Dutch talismans, Ruud and Marco. Wearing this shirt will tell others that you know that once, now decades ago, Italian soccer ruled supreme.
Mexico 1998 World Cup Aztec Shirt
For Mexicans, the World Cup has often been a deception, an experience of high expectations, but eventually falling short. In 1998, they would fall to Germany in the round of 16 after going ahead 1-0, with Bierhoff crushing Mexican hearts in the 86th minute.
Yet no one will forget their shirts, an iconic style infused with Aztec designs. And of course, they had the players to match, with Cuauhtémoc Blanco coming up with one of the most creative plays of the tournament against South Korea.
Nigeria’s Sold-Out 2018 Shirt
Final Entry: Venezia Away 2021/22
Our last submission would have fashionistas asking where they can find it. And many will not even realize it’s a soccer shirt, it’s just that cool.
At one point, Venezia was on the brink of calling in the liquidators. In 2025, the club once again featured in the country’s highest professional league, Serie A.
No one will tell you that they will win the title, but all have respect for the shirt. Their recent kits have reached legit virality, with even non-football fans racing to grab one before they sell out.
Here’s a stat: for the 2021/22 season, only 5% of their initial shirt sales were from within Italy. The rest? True global craze for Venezia FC.
So, no matter whether you’re harking back to a generation of players from your childhood, celebrating your country’s World Cup win, paying homage to a great individual, or simply copping a shirt for its pure fashion, there’s no wrong way to collect soccer shirts.
Image credits: Title image: Imago - ZUMA Press Wire; Image 2: BSR Agency; Imago - Image 3: Imago - PA Images; Image 4: Imago - Ulmer; Image 5: Tasnim News Agency, CC BY 4.0