Ones to watch - Euro 2020 shirts
Euro 2020 is finally just hours away, and with so many contenders for the continent's most prestigious crown, we thought we would give you some help on who you should be backing for this Summer’s tournament.
We have picked out five teams to back at the Euros based entirely on the quality of their shirts. And while we would love to include England’s beautiful typeface, Scotland’s paneled away shirt and Wales’ red/yellow colour schemes in our list, we wanted to focus on some shirts you might have passed over in the build-up. This also means that we aren’t focusing on the other usual suspects of Spain, Germany, The Netherlands or France (No matter how much we love that France home shirt).
While everyone else’s ‘Ones to watch’ include the likes of Alexander Isak, Ryan Gravenbach and Federico Chiesa, at FSC our ‘Ones to watch’ are all about the kits. So if your team failed to qualify - Hi Ireland fans - or you’re worried they will drop out in the group stages - Hi Scotland fans - these are the five teams to keep your eye on during this Summer of Euros football on the basis of their Euro 2020 shirts.
1. Croatia
The checks on the new Croatia home shirt are notably large again, as with the 2018 kit.
— Football Shirt Collective (@thefootballsc) September 1, 2020
Perhaps they're hoping that lightning will strike twice? ⚡ pic.twitter.com/tN2kcZ3xtb
We’re starting with a classic design here, and despite the fact that we pretty much know what to expect from Croatia by now, it never seems to make their chequered home shirts any less mesmerising at each and every tournament they play in.
For Euro 2020, those famous red and white squares are back, and they are bigger, making an already iconic shirt stand out even more. Nike have experimented with a waving flag effect in previous tournaments, but this edition proves that sometimes simplicity is best.
The Croatia u21 away shirt looks familiar 👀 🇭🇷 pic.twitter.com/SkhRzV2wwZ
— Football Shirt Collective (@thefootballsc) May 31, 2021
But it is not just one Croat shirt you should be looking out for when Luka Modrić and co take on Scotland, the Czech Republic and England, because now they have an away shirt to match their home jersey. With a much more toned down version of the home shirt’s chequered look, this shirt definitely has some elements of Liverpool’s 2020/21 third shirt to it. But we loved that design, so at least now we get to see it on the international stage too.
So if you love a classic, and are not planning on cheering on Scotland and England through the group stages, then get behind this Croatian team.
2. Finland
Finland reveal their new home and away kits...
— Football Shirts (@FootballShirts) September 2, 2020
More Finland here: https://t.co/XkwdqnDEym
What do you think?.. pic.twitter.com/SM7w8Zh6vk
When you are entering your first ever major tournament in the Men’s game, you want to make an immediate statement, and we think that is exactly what Finland are going to do with their Euro 2020 shirts this Summer. Following years of overly simplified white shirts, the Fins have been given a new lease of life by manufacturers Nike, thanks to a striking home shirt which features the design of the Finnish flag.
The fading black-into-blue of the cross, alongside the golden Nike tick, adds much needed differentiation to the shirt, which is a far cry from its template predecessors.
Unfortunately, Finland’s away shirt is not quite as stylish, giving off very distinct gym teacher vibes thanks to its classic collar and shoulder panelling. Thankfully, Finland will likely only have to wear the shirt against Russia, meaning we are guaranteed at least two games of that stunning home shirt.
This one is for the underdogs. Having spent years toiling away in qualification groups, they have finally made the breakthrough, and it just so happened to coincide with the creation of a fittingly brilliant shirt. And with Teemu Pukki leading the line, the Finnish team already has the backing of the whole of Norwich.
3. Russia
In a day full of international releases, @adidasfootball have saved the best till last with this Russia away shirt 🇷🇺 pic.twitter.com/BS5U85WDdj
— Football Shirt Collective (@thefootballsc) March 22, 2021
We don’t have a lot of space to take up here, so I’ll get straight to the point with this one: It is all about the away shirt. It is extremely difficult to make a design both extremely simple and deeply impactful, and that is exactly what adidas have here with the Russian National Team.
Use of the white background works perfectly with the red and blue bands to create the Russian flag across the shirt’s midriff, while a similar pattern is used on the sleeve cuffs. It is a design element that adidas used for several Euro 2020 shirts, but none to greater effect than with this Russia shirt. And we haven’t even spoken about the national crest yet!
For anyone who just loves beautiful shirts, this is the team for you. We’re just disappointed that the Russia vs. Finland group game will likely not see a clash between the Russian away shirt and the Finnish home kit.
4. Sweden
🇸🇪 adidas continue to roll out their EURO 2020 shirts as Sweden's new home jersey is revealed: https://t.co/79ROpz7uwP pic.twitter.com/Lme1SD5zIf
— SoccerBible (@SoccerBible) November 11, 2019
Much like the national team who wear them, Sweden’s international shirts are generally pretty consistent at major tournaments, throwing up few surprises. In many ways, their home shirt keeps up this tradition, using a Condivo template with the usual yellow/blue colour scheme, alongside the addition of some more nicely designed sleeve cuffs.
.@adidasfootball have unveiled a cache of Away shirts for their teams in Euro 2020 (now known, neatly, as Euro 2020ne). A lot of white-and-red combos, with Sweden's classy pinstripe effort the outlier. pic.twitter.com/wKD7XiQGgC
— MUNDIAL (@MundialMag) March 23, 2021
But the away shirt is a very different story, because adidas have gone and added some pinstripes to the team’s usual blue jersey. It instantly adds some class to the entire look, with the blue and yellow colours mixing just as well as they always do.
With no Zlatan Ibrahimović in their squad and many looking to Alexander Isak, this tournament could be a major turning point for the Swedes. And who knows, if they are successful this time around, maybe at the next major tournament we will get pinstripes on their home shirt too! Keep an eye on their exploits in Group E to find out.
5. North Macedonia
The Macedonian president presented Pope Francis with the new NT jersey today. Only the back of the jersey was released as an official photo. However, journalists also got a look at the front while it was laying on a table.
— Macedonian Football (@MacedonianFooty) May 27, 2021
Odd color. It looks more like what Portugal would wear. pic.twitter.com/Z1GggWGBOD
Really, we should all be supporting North Macedonia for Goran Pandev and his age-defying abilities alone, but it also helps that they have a kit with a bit of buzz around it.
After the uproar over the new maroon/burgundy jersey, FFM has backtracked and will go back to the old jerseys for EURO 2020.
— Macedonian Football (@MacedonianFooty) May 29, 2021
Muamed Sejdini, the FFM president, posted the below message on his Facebook which was then picked up by the official facebook page of FFM. pic.twitter.com/NLHhx6tebP
After wearing the same shirt for five years, Jako produced a new design for Pandev and co. ahead of their first major tournament appearance, and it was partly revealed whilst being presented to The Pope. However, within a matter of days, it was announced that The Lynxes would be returning to their original design because the new shirt abandoned the usual red and yellow colours with adorn north Macedonia’s flag, which the country’s supporters did not take too kindly to.
Luckily, that original design from 2016 still works quite nicely, with the Sun beam graphic standing out compared to some of international football’s plainer shirts.
Want to try something new? Then North Macedonia are the team for you. Just don’t try and change their colour scheme, okay!
Whoever you are supporting throughout Euro 2020, good luck! Remember to keep in touch with our socials during the tournament to hear first about any big Euro 2020 shirts news!
Our international collection is ready for the Euros too. Browse the full collection and pick-up a classic here.
