0

Your Cart is Empty

Vintage shirts
  • Modern Classics
  • Concept Kits
  • Add description, images, menus and links to your mega menu

  • A column with no settings can be used as a spacer

  • Link to your collections, sales and even external links

  • Add up to five columns

  • February 23, 2022 2 min read

    FSC Approved - 2002 Benfica away shirt

    Many teams in football have predictable colour schemes when it comes to shirts, but every so often a design comes along which mixes things up in a good way.

    The 2002 Benfica away shirt subtly introduced orange into the club palette, and it paid off in a big way.

    We all know the early 00s adidas template; a free, baggy fit which carried on the aesthetic of the late 90s, mesh panel sides which added an intriguing element to the overall look, and of course three stripes which actually extended more than just a few inches (looking at you, modern adidas).

    In an intriguing way, the template offered a different flavour to what was occurring over at Kappa HQ. Kappa had recently released their formative Kappa Kombat range; a series of tight-fitting shirts which promised to revolutionise the football shirt world. That they would certainly do, but for many people and fans like you and me, the shirts adidas produced were simply more wearable on a daily basis. In that sense, early 00s adidas remains highly collectable today.

    If your trace Benfica’s shirt history, you’ll notice that white was the away colour of choice for much of tehri history until 1997, when a black third shirt was introduced. This paved the way for the 2002 season, where the black and orange combo was born.

    The away shirt had something of a ‘reverse Netherlands’ look, but it was a nice move in complement with the traditional red and white home. The typeface of both shirts at the time was also highly memorable, with a number style that directly linked to the mesh panels on the side of the shirts.

    Since the 00s we’ve seen many black and red Benfica away shirts, but no further black and orange nods. I’d love to see a return of the look soon, though.

    Leave a comment


    Also in Things We Like

    2023 Southampton shirt
    The hidden details in the 2023 Southampton shirt

    September 23, 2023 1 min read

    Read More
    2023 Southampton shirt
    2023 Southampton shirt review

    June 25, 2023 2 min read

    The release of Southampton's 2023 home shirt was more than 2 years in the making. Since the announcement of the club's return to hummel in 2021, a remake of The Saints iconic 1987-1989 home was on the cards.

    Read More
    Life after betting sponsors
    Life after betting sponsors

    May 26, 2023 3 min read

    Things can only get better, right?
    Read More