The best ever Arsenal shirts of all time as picked by players and fans

Few clubs do football shirts like Arsenal. From bruised bananas to Invincibles red, or the classic redcurrant home shirt from 2005. The Gunners have given us some of the most stylish and iconic kits in football history.

Each classic Arsenal shirt tells a story; of winning trophies, the legends that wore them, and even memories of getting them.

Here are the best Arsenal shirts as picked from fans, footballers and celebrities we have interviewed over the years.

Shop authentic Arsenal shirts from this list — every one hand-checked and guaranteed genuine:

1991/93 Arsenal adidas "Bruised Banana" Away Shirt

Genuine adidas — £349.99

1992/94 Wright #8 Arsenal adidas Home Shirt

Genuine adidas — £189.99

1988/90 Arsenal adidas Home Shirt

Genuine adidas — £209.99

2011/12 Henry #12 Arsenal Nike L/S Home Shirt

Genuine Nike — £119.99

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What are the best ever Arsenal shirts?

1991–93 yellow away “The Bruised Banana” by adidas

"People hate that, I love it! I saw Dennis Pennis at Highbury wearing it, and that really cemented... that it was one of the greatest shirts of all time."

Chris Scull

Who wore it: Ian Wright, Paul Merson, Tony Adams

1971 green goalkeeper Shirt by Umbro

"My favourite shirt is the Arsenal plain green one that I wore on May 8, 1971, which was when we won the double. We went to Tottenham on the Monday and won the league, then went to Wembley. I gave it to my son John for his 50th.

I was the first goalkeeper to get a number on my back. I came into football through a
roundabout route – as a teacher – and it was very personal to me to make it to the first team. I said to Tony Donnelly, the Arsenal kit man, I want the biggest No 1 you can get on the back. It was my way of sticking two fingers up to everyone who said I wouldn’t make it."

Bob Wilson

Who wore it: Bob Wilson

Mid-1970s home shirt by Umbro

"My first football shirt was a mid-1970s Arsenal home shirt. It had classic simplicity – red, with white sleeves and trim, cannon, that’s it. The full kit came with huge, billowing Alex James-style shorts and red socks. I was around five years old and recall wearing it to a fancy dress party."

Amy Lawrence

"For me it’s easy. My favourite football shirt is Arsenal’s iconic red and white home shirt from the 70s and specifically the 1971 double winning shirt. It was an absolute classic."

Perry Groves

Who wore it: George Armstrong, Charlie George, George Graham

Late 1970s Away – Yellow & Blue towelling by Umbro

"The yellow-and-blue away kit Arsenal wore in the late 70s. it was the first one I ever saw Arsenal win a trophy in."

Andrew Mangan (Arseblog)

Who wore it: Pat Rice, Liam Brady, Graham Rix

2005-06 Arsenal home shirt by Nike

"I finally relented in 2006, yes, that late, to play five-a-side at Highbury just before the bulldozers moved in. It had to be an Arsenal shirt, and it was that season’s so-called ‘cherry’ home kit."

Philippe Auclair

"Now this is a tough question! Not sure I can pick one single shirt as my favourite, but a few certainly stick in the memory. The shirt Arsenal wore to mark the final season at Highbury was a beauty.  It gave Arsenal an edge of sophistication and class at a time when that’s exactly what their team was on the pitch."

Graham Ruthven

Who wore it: Thierry Henry

1989 Arsenal away shirt by adidas

"It's the yellow and blue Adidas / JVC away shirt worn in our title-winning season in 1989. I never had it, so no, I don't have a photo of me wearing one. Although *in my mind*, during idle moments, I often wear it as I am bearing down on goal to score the goal that wins us our first title in 18 years."

East Lower

Who wore it: Tony Adams

1995 Arsenal away by Nike

"My favourite shirt is the 95/96 lightning away kit with the blue bolt down it and the gothic Arsenal script on the bottom back and the art deco logo faintly visible all over the shirt. I didn't get it at the time but have it now with Wright on the back. For me Dennis Bergkamp is the one I think of when I think of that kit."

Eighteen86

Who wore it: Dennis Bergkamp

2001-02 Arsenal gold away by Nike

"My favourite ever football shirt has to be the Arsenal 2001-02 gold away shirt. Why? Two reasons. Uniqueness and success. It was the first time I’d ever seen a gold shirt. There was something classy about it. Something that encapsulated my gold plated feeling towards the team. Secondly, one of my favourite moments in football was watching us beat United at Old Trafford in 2002 to win the league. We were wearing that shirt. I was there. Also wearing that shirt. Amazing."

Le Grove

Who wore it: Robert Pires

1992-94 home shirt

"This is such a difficult question because I’m a collector of retro shirts. In terms of home shirts, I love the Arsenal 1992-94 home shirt. I became a season ticket holder in 1992 when that was our shirt and we went on to win three cups wearing it."

Tim Stillman

"My favourite Arsenal shirt is the 1992-94 Home shirt. I’m a sucker for a centralised badge and it has probably one of the top three collars of any shirt ever."

Dan Evans

Who wore it: Tony Adams, Steve Morrow, Ian Wright

2012-14 Arsenal home shirt by Nike

I have 3 favourites – and it’s mainly because of the events that surround these shirts. Arsenal 2012-2014 home – this shirt holds personal significance as this was the first Arsenal shirt I picked up in the UK when my wife and I moved to London from Sydney. The stars also managed to align when we found a place to live in Highbury and Arsenal signed Mesut Özil!

Humans of the Arsenal

Who wore it: Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla

2003-04 away shirt by Nike

"My first football shirt(s) that I can remember were the Arsenal 2003/04 home and away kit – I got them both for my 7th birthday. I used to go to football training twice a week, on a Wednesday evening and on a Saturday morning with one of my neighbours.

He also had the same two kits as me, and whenever we would go to football training, we would alternate our kits so that one of us was wearing the home jersey and the other was wearing the away one! Can’t be clashing."

Phil Costa

Who wore it: Thierry Henry

1986-87 Arsenal home shirt by adidas

"My first football shirt was the 1986/87 Arsenal home kit, bought for my 7th birthday. Most of my family were Liverpool fans, so growing up with that pressure was difficult, even though I grew up within walking distance of Highbury. I didn’t realise at the time that it coincided with the re-emerging of a sleeping giant under George Graham, with a core of young local lads as symbolic as the Class of 92 at Man United. I remember being so happy at getting the kit from Marathon Sports on the Essex Road, only £22 for the lot. It’s probably still in my mum’s loft, despite the blatant fire risk that were the pinstriped shiny shorts."

Rich Nelson

Who wore it: David Rocastle

1993 Arsenal away shirt by adidas

"My first shirt was the yellow Adidas JVC away shirt (93/94) - my godbrother (son of my godfather if that makes sense!) gave it to me when I was very young. I remember it so vividly even though I would’ve only been 4/5 at the time.

I fell over and cut myself badly playing football with him outside his family home and wouldn’t stop crying. He was a couple years older than me and he didn’t know what to do. But very sweetly he rushed back in and came back out with the shirt and gave it to me - it worked. And really that was the start of me supporting Arsenal. I had my team and I had my shirt. And I still go to games with him to this day."

Eighteen86 fanzine

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Summary of top ranked Arsenal shirts of all time

FAQs

What is the best Arsenal shirt of all time?

There's no single answer — it depends who you ask. Among the players, writers and fans we interviewed, the 1992–94 adidas home, the classic 1970s red-and-white Umbro home and the 2005–06 redcurrant Highbury shirt were each picked twice, while the 1991–93 "Bruised Banana" away is the most talked-about (and most divisive) Arsenal shirt ever made.

Why is the 1991–93 Arsenal away shirt called the "Bruised Banana"?

Its yellow base is covered in a dark red and black zig-zag print, which fans said made it look like a bruised banana. It was mocked at the time but is now one of the most sought-after vintage Arsenal shirts.

What shirt did Arsenal wear in their final season at Highbury?

The 2005–06 Nike home shirt. Arsenal swapped their usual red for redcurrant — a nod to the colour the club wore in its first season at Highbury in 1913 — to mark the stadium's final season before the move to the Emirates.

Who has made Arsenal's shirts over the years?

Umbro made Arsenal's kits up to 1986, followed by adidas (1986–94), Nike (1994–2014), Puma (2014–19) and adidas again from 2019 to the present day.

How can I tell if a vintage Arsenal shirt is authentic?

Check the product code on the wash label and search it online, look closely at the badge, manufacturer logo and stitching, and be wary of rare shirts listed cheaply or in every size. Our guide on how to spot a fake Arsenal shirt walks through the checks with photos.

Are Football Shirt Collective's Arsenal shirts authentic?

Yes. Every shirt is hand-checked before listing and photographed in detail (10+ photos per shirt), and we're rated Excellent on Trustpilot. No fakes, no exceptions — browse authentic Arsenal shirts here.

Read our other Arsenal shirts guides

• Read our complete guide to buying Arsenal shirts
• Read our guide on how to spot fake Arsenal shirts here.
• View our archive of every Arsenal shirts since 1990 here.
• Shop authentic Arsenal football shirts.

Fancy owning one? Read our guide to buying a classic Arsenal shirt before you buy.