My First Football Shirt: Irving Perez

We love AFCON, with the range of wonderful and eclectic shirts that it throws up for the likes of Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal.

We caught up with Irving Alberto Perez - the designer of Senegal's sensational AFCON shirt, as worn by Liverpool's Sadio Mane - to talk Mexico in World Cup '94, timeless Italy shirts and brilliant scissor kits.  

What was your first shirt?

Mexico 1994 home by Umbro

stand-out design home shirt as worn at World Cup USA 1994 where the side reached the 2nd Round only to be defeated on penalties by Bulgaria

See all our #mexico shirts here - https://t.co/kzfIXzlhMg pic.twitter.com/sYsa6GWDYa

— Classic Football Shirts (@classicshirts) July 7, 2019

My first jersey in general was probably a little league team jersey. The first jersey that my parents purchased for me, though, was the Mexico WC 1994 jersey. One of my all time favorites both due to my love for the team and transcendent style.

What is your favourite shirt?

Italy, Euro 2000 by @OldSchoolPanini. pic.twitter.com/dVGDa1TVIJ

— 90s Football (@90sfootball) June 26, 2021

My all time favourite jersey that continues to inspire me today and the helped me understand how passionate I was about football kits was Kappa's Italy Euro 2000 jersey. Followed by the already mentioned Mexico's '94 jersey, Germany's '90 jersey and Club America's late 80's jersey.

What is your favourite goal?

I'll stick to Mexican football on this one. I have a couple that hit home deeply. Recently, Raul Jimenez's late outside the box bicycle kick vs Panama, saving Mexico's WC dream and potential birth, is the one that is most fresh in my memory. Next

Cuauhtémoc Blanco vs Belgium 1998. #Greatest90sGoals pic.twitter.com/EidHckKJja

— 90s Football (@90sfootball) September 6, 2020

Next are Cuauhtemoc Blanco's flying one-legged wonder goal vs Belgium during the WC '98 group stage and Club America's goalie's, Moises Muñoz, last second header in the in the 2013 Apertura final vs Cruz Azul.

Thanks to Irving for speaking with us!

If you want to read more about the football memories of players, writers, and more you can buy the full Your First Football Shirt book. Discover Alan Shearer's first ever football shirt, Carl Anka's most cherished shirt and more. All proceeds go to the charities CALM and Willow.

You can pick-up your own Mexico '94 home shirt, just like Irving's, in our store now. View the Mexico jersey and more here.