Which Football Team Has The Most Sought-After Shirt In The World?

A recent study concluded that Real Madrid’s famous white shirt is the most sought-after football shirt worldwide.

Menswear brand boohooMAN analysed the demand and popularity of these shirts. It painstakingly gathered online data linked to football clothing-related terms in the last 12 months for the top 50 most social media-followed clubs across the planet.

Football shirts have become something of a fashion statement thanks to the likes of Migos and Drake being seen sporting the colours of certain Premier League clubs. After Kim Kardashian wore an AS Roma shirt, searches for the club’s shirts skyrocketed.

According to the results collected by boohooMAN, these were the top 10 football shirts:

1. Real Madrid – 416,835 global searches

With an average monthly search of 416,835 in the last 12 months across the planet, the famous white shirt of the 14-time Champions League winners appeared first on the list.

The La Liga outfit’s all-white kit is probably a perfect addition to anybody’s summer wardrobe collection. Despite leaving the club back in 2018, search results revealed that users were browsing for ‘Real Madrid Ronaldo shirts’ more than for any other player.

His ten-year stint in the Spanish capital without a doubt contributed to Real Madrid finishing on top of the pile considering the Portuguese captain is also a fashion icon.

2. Manchester United – 390,985 global searches

Second place on the list belonged to Manchester United. During the 2000s, their shirts were produced by Nike, but since 2014, Adidas has taken over the manufacturing of their iconic tops.

Not only were browsers interested in current or upcoming shirts, but Manchester United enthusiasts were also interested in vintage shirts. Results showed that searches for the 1990 and 1999 versions were the most popular items.

3. Liverpool – 365,325 global searches

Another English club, Liverpool, placed third. The fact that the Anfield outfit is one of Manchester United’s biggest rivals was reflected in the search results.

Shoppers were found to have been searching for vintage or retro Liverpool tops. The shirts of these two Premier League clubs have a powerful history which stems from the iconic past and present players who have worn the famous shirts.

4. Arsenal – 358,590 global searches

Arsenal ranked fourth on the list globally but also ranked as the most popular in the United Kingdom. The club’s yearly kit releases are highly praised within football fashion circles with the iconic red shirt with white sleeves combination lauded for its feeling of north London and the roots of the club’s history.

Arsenal’s players have a historical tradition of wearing long-sleeved shirts. All the players in the team wear the same sleeve length, making it unique in the world of football. This has transformed the club’s tops from a mainstay of London fashion into a global fashion statement.

5. Paris Saint-Germain – 296,520 global searches

No fashion list would be complete without an entry from the fashion capital of the world. Paris Saint-Germain ranked fifth on this list.

PSGs were the only tops on this list to be manufactured by the Jordan brand. Paris Saint-Germain’s shirt popularity has skyrocketed in recent years. This can undoubtedly be explained by the calibre of international stars who grace the tops.

In recent years, their players have included Neymar Jr, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé all of who are amongst the most famous footballers in the world of football.

The study found that browsers were directly searching for Paris Saint-Germain shirts with those names on the back. Messi was the most popular, with an average global monthly search of 6,950.

6. Barcelona – 290,296 global searches

The iconic blue and red striped top of the Catalan giants was the sixth most popular. This shirt transcends beyond European popularity with the Canadian rap star Drake often pictured in a Barcelona top in images posted on his Instagram.

Past footballers have also popularised the shirt, with 8,170 average monthly browsers across the globe searching for ‘Barcelona Messi’ shirts.

7. Manchester City F.C – 245,530 global searches

In seventh, Manchester City ranked well below their cross-city rivals, United. The club appeared on the list thanks to players like Jack Grealish, who also has a contract as a Gucci ambassador. They had an average monthly search of 245,430.

8. Chelsea – 193,810 global searches

Chelsea placed eighth, the only other London club to enter the top ten. The Blues had an average monthly search volume of 193,810 in the last 12 months. They have popular support across the globe and the blue shirt is famous with ‘retro shirts’ also being searched by fans.

9. Ajax – 117,039 global searches

The famous Amsterdam-based team is the perfect example of how football shirts have transitioned into fashion. Ajax’s ranking in ninth place was due to the 2021/22 away edition which was inspired by Bob Marley.

These tops incorporated the colours of green, yellow and red for the Adidas stripes on the black shirt, with three little birds imprinted on the back.

This instantly made it popular across the planet with football shirt enthusiasts looking to purchase the item. A large number of browsers were found to have been searching for terms like ‘Ajax Bob Marley shirt’ or ‘Bob Marley Ajax kit’.

10. Juventus – 91,663 global searches

Serie A giants Juventus were the only Italian team to feature on the list, ranking tenth. The Turin club’s tops are traditionally striped, and Juventus were no exception with their classic black and white stripes throughout the years.

They had an average monthly search of 91,663 in the last 12 months. Italian fashion is famous and it’s only fitting that this translated into the football world.

A boohooMAN spokesman commented on the search results

A spokesman from boohooMAN commented on the findings: ‘Football is the biggest sport in the world, and it’s understandable that football fans would fill their wardrobes with merchandise from their favourite team’.

They continued: ‘The findings show that not only are shirts now worn by the star players and fans of the sport, but have transcended beyond sport into fashion, the clearest example would be Ajax’s 2021/22 Away kit, better known as the ‘Bob Marley shirt’.

‘Despite not being directly linked to the sport, many fashion influencers are often spotted wearing football shirts as more of a fashion statement, including the most famous influencer, Kim Kardashian who wore an AS Roma jersey earlier this year’, they concluded.