In light of the much maligned ending relationship between adidas and the Germany national team, this writer decided to compile a list of adidas’ best work with Germany, with a rather personal twist. Enjoy!
5. 2020 Away
The list begins with the blackout kit from Euro 2020. The shirt was jet black with no other color other than the German flag tricolor on the sleeve cuffs. Even the logos were black, making for a very rare, sleek look that was adored by fans a plenty. However, the flocking was made white for visibility
reasons.
The shirt was worn in two games at the Euros, most notably in the 2-2 draw against Hungary, when Leon Goretzka’s late equalizer propelled Germany from rock bottom to second in the group. Or, to use Formula One terminology, from the pit lane to the podium. Interestingly, the women’s national team, who normally wears their own shirts, also wore the shirt once in a friendly against Chile, which ended 0-0.
4. 2010 Away
Another black away kit follows the first one. This particular number was adorned with red and gold details, making up the colors of the German flag in a subtle manner. It was brave and bold (Batman reference intended), and it provided a fearsome look for a young German side that took the World Cup in South Africa by storm.
Germany wore this shirt in three games at the World Cup – the final group game against Ghana, the quarterfinal against Argentina, and the third place match against Uruguay – and won all three, scoring eight goals and conceding just two. The highlight was the crushing 4-0 win over Argentina, in which Bayern Munich was well represented through Thomas Müller’s opener and Miroslav Klose’s brace.
3. 1990 Home
This entry is the only one from when Germany was still divided into east and west. The famous 1990 shirt is a classic white strip with the German national colors splashed on the chest in a catchy zigzag pattern, and is still universally adored by Germany fans young and old. The shirt actually made its debut at Euro 1988, when Germany reached the semifinals, but was made famous at the World Cup two years later.
The shirt was worn in all four games that Germany played at the Euros, and all but one (the semifinal against England) of the seven games they played at the World Cup, including the final against Argentina. Germany won said game with probably the most momentous penalty kick in its footballing history, converted by the late Andreas Brehme.
2. 2026 Home
Second place goes to a shirt heavily inspired by the previous entry. Now, this writer understands that this might be a controversial pick, perhaps influenced by recency bias. But it is indeed a shirt that shine brightly, having taken notes from not one, but two World Cup winning shirts. The German flag stripes on the chest naturally pay homage to the 1990 shirt, but the chevron design and the sleeve cuffs were inspired by the 2014 shirt (more on that later).
Germany wore this shirt at the 2026 World Cup, where they…at least did better than the previous two tournaments. The women’s teams really shone in this shirt, with the senior team directly qualifying for the 2027 World Cup, the U-19s reaching the final of the Euros, and the U-17s (pictured above) winning the Euros altogether.
Now, before the No. 1 pick, here are some honorable mentions.
Honorable Mention 1. 2014 Home
July 13, 2014. Rio de Janeiro. Maracanã. Nuff said.
Honorable Mention 2. 125th Anniversary
A classic look that echoes the Euro and World Cup winning shirt from the 1970s.
Honorable Mention 3. 2012 Home
Crisp and clean with thin tricolor stripes. Not bad.
1. 2014 Away
The best shirt on the list, again, has a bit of a personal touch. The design is eye-catching and memorable, with black and red stripes and silver details. This writer also has a bit of bias because it resembles the shirts of his K League team, Pohang Steelers. Fun fact, both this shirt and Pohang’s traditional design were inspired by Brazilian side Flamengo.
The shirt also takes pole position because of the results behind it. Germany wore this shirt twice at the 2014 World Cup, and the second game they wore it in remains one of the most memorable results in world footballing history. Germany faced hosts and record world champions Brazil in the semifinals, and defeated them 7-1 to the collective shock of every football fan who was watching, including yours truly.
Naturally, this writer was delighted to hear that adidas would be re-releasing this shirt this year, and wasted no time in grabbing himself a couple.
And there you have it! What is your favorite Germany shirt by adidas? And will Nike ever live up to the lofty expectations set by them?
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