Greatest World Cup kits of all time ranked

The FIFA World Cup has not only delivered countless unforgettable moments on the pitch throughout its history, but it has also produced some of football's most iconic kits, with certain designs becoming as memorable as the players who wore them.

From Brazil's famous yellow shirts to Germany's classic white kits accented by black, red and gold detailing and Nigeria's modern fan favourite, there have been several iconic jerseys throughout the competition's history.

As the 2026 World Cup is now just around the corner, with less than two weeks to go until the first game kicks off in North America, Sports Mole is taking this opportunity to look back and rank the greatest kits in the tournament's history.

10: England 1966 (Away)

England's World Cup-winning red kit is one of the most recognisable shirts in the competition's history, forever immortalised by the famous picture of Bobby Moore lifting the trophy on his team-mates' shoulders.

While the kit itself was just a simple block red design, it deserves to be on the list just for the historic moment alone, and for that reason it takes 10th place on our list.

9: Netherlands 1974 (Home)

The Netherlands arrived at their first World Cup since 1938 in a striking orange kit, with the black lion - the Dutch national symbol - providing a bold contrast against the bright shirt.

Johan Cruyff, sponsored by Puma, refused to wear the Adidas-manufactured shirt, with an eventual compromise seeing the Netherlands superstar wear a two-striped version - making this kit even more iconic.

Unfortunately for Cruyff and the Netherlands, they would eventually lose to West Germany in the final, but that does not take away from the beauty of this kit.

8: Italy 1994 (Home)

Another fabulous shirt worn by the losing side in a World Cup final was Italy's 1994 home kit.

The polo-style collar and deep blue colour make this one of the more sophisticated shirts on the list, while the geometric blue details certainly add to the beauty.

7: USA 1994 (Away)

USA, one of the 2026 World Cup hosts, win a spot on this list thanks to their unique away kit in the 1994 tournament - which they coincidentally also hosted.

The kit encapsulated the USA flag, with the denim blue shirt featuring stretched white stars and being contrasted by the red shorts, making this one of the most eye-catching and stand out kits in World Cup history.

6: Croatia 1998 (Home)

Croatia delivered two fantastic kits in their first-ever World Cup appearance in 1998, but it is the home shirt that makes this list.

The red and white checkerboard stretched across the front of the kit, and this became so iconic that any Croatia team can still be instantly recognised from the design itself.

5: Argentina 1986 (Home)

The blue and white stripes of Argentina's kits may be simple, but it is undeniably one of the most iconic designs in football.

The 1986 edition is arguably the best of them all, remembered especially fondly due to Argentina, led by the brilliant Diego Maradona, lifting the World Cup trophy.

4: France 1998 (Home)

Similarly to the Italy kit on this list, France's home shirt in 1998 is one of the most sophisticated designs ever seen at the World Cup.

The deep blue base was accented beautifully with the bright red and crisp white detailing, while the gold badge further elevates the kit with a more premium look.

3: Nigeria 2018 (Home)

Nigeria's home kit for the 2018 World Cup became an instant fan favourite, and it is still remembered as one of the best shirts in the competition's history.

The bright green and white chevron, paired with the black and white sleeves, make for one of the most eye-catching shirts in World Cup history, and it is unlucky to not be higher on this list.

2: West Germany 1990 (Home)

West Germany's 1990 kit was so iconic that Germany's 2026 World Cup shirt pays it tribute - and that has already become a favourite of the newly-released shirts.

The white base was accompanied by bold black, red and gold geometric stripes that draw inspiration from the colours of the national flag.

1: Brazil 1970 (Home)

No nation is more synonymous with the World Cup than Brazil, the record-five time winners whose iconic yellow shirt has become one of football's most recognisable designs.

The 1970 kit is arguably Brazil at their very best, with the simple yellow kit accented by green detailing and paired with blue shorts making for a timeless classic.

The kit is undoubtedly elevated by the superstar players who went on to lift the trophy that year, with the likes of Pele, Jairzinho and Carlos Alberto among the star-studded squad to have donned the shirt.