The 25 Ugliest Uniforms in Soccer History

The beautiful game has some ugly kits.

Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Intro

With Euro 2012 in full swing, fans are being treated to seeing some of the world's best players take the pitch in some of the best kits. But the beautiful game isn't always a joy to watch. There's the flops, occasional ball-grabbing, and some pretty terrible uniforms.

This is a list of the latter. We scoured decades of club and international kits to find the ugliest jerseys in soccer history. (A hint: Most are from the early- to mid-'90s). So, check out the kits that reminded us of everything from drunk bumblebees to acid trips—the 25 Ugliest Uniforms in Soccer History.

Marseille

25. Marseille

Lifespan: 2011-2012
Reminds us of: An Atari game
These uniforms aren't that bad (at least when compared to others on the list) but they are from this past season. The club really ought to know better by now.

Athletic Bilbao

24. Athletic Bilbao

Lifespan: 2004
Reminds us of: An amoeba
For the club's 100th anniversary, a local artist attempted to create a jersey that reminded the world of splattering blood. All he managed to do was make anyone who saw the uniform want to die.

Fiorentina

23. Fiorentina

Lifespan: 1992-1993
Reminds us of: Hitler's favorite squad
In addition to being an ugly pattern, the Italian club's uniform featured swastikas. The symbol had other meanings before the Nazis adopted it—many of them positive—but it's probably best to just stay away from that particular design motif.

Jamaica's 1998 World Cup

22. Jamaica

Lifespan: 1998
Reminds us of: A QR code
The Reggae Boyz traveled to France with high hopes and hideous uniforms. After losing their first two games, they defeated a Japanese team that was hypnotized by the strange patterns.

Borussia Mönchengladbach

21. Borussia Mönchengladbach

Lifespan: 1992-1994
Reminds us of: A seasick footballer
The only thing better than a lime green shirt is a lime green shirt accented with black and white stripes. Sorry, a long-sleeved lime green shirt accented with black and white stripes.

Barcelona

20. Barcelona

Lifespan: 2011-2012
Reminds us of: A sellout
The uniform is not bad per se, but the story behind this kit is pretty ugly. The Qatar Foundation paid Barcelona around $45 million per season to throw its logo on the beautiful blue and red. Paying Lionel Messi, after all, gets expensive.

The University of Maryland

19. The University of Maryland

Lifespan: 2011
Reminds us of: A caution flag
They aren't as bad as the cleats or the football uniforms, but Marlyland's soccer jerseys are pretty terrible. This is what happens when the design of your kit is based off of one of the worst state flags.

Slovenia

18. Slovenia

Lifespan: 2010
Reminds us of: Charlie Brown
Slovenia shared something else with the Peanuts character: They lost, failing to make it out of the first round in South Africa.

Hull City

17. Hull City

Lifespan: 1992-1993
Reminds us of: A rug on an '80s porn set
Whoever designed this monstrosity really took the whole "Tigers" nickname to heart. Maybe this would be useful for picking up cougars? Peacocking, anyone?

Mexico

16. Mexico

Lifespan: 1998
Reminds us of: Olmec from Legends of the Hidden Temple
This jersey earns points for its nod to Mexican history. It loses them and many, many more for everything else. The idol looks freaked out to be on such an ugly kit. Only the hottest Mexican soccer fans could make this jersey bearable.

Bury away

15. Bury (Away)

Lifespan: 1993-1994
Reminds us of: Discovery Zone
What do you expect if you're sponsored by something called "Birthdays?"

Kaizer Chiefs

14. Kaizer Chiefs

Lifespan: 2011
Reminds us of: A drunk bumblebee
Where to start? The awkward radiating yellow lines? The completely yellow back? The horrible Vodacom logo? #failsonfailsonfails

United States away

13. United States (Away)

Lifespan: 1994
Reminds us of: Acid-washed jeans
The ugliness of Americans jerseys could foster a list of its own but this one, the famous "Denim Kit," is the worst of the worst.

Germany away

12. Germany (Away)

Lifespan: 1994-1996
Reminds us of: A totem pole
The home whites were bad enough, but Adidas' designers decided a green base would make the away kits pop. They were wrong.

Chelsea away

11. Chelsea (Away)

Lifespan: 2007-2008
Reminds us of: A highlighter
Well, if there's ever a power outage at the Stamford Bridge stadium at least Chelsea won't have any problems playing on. *cues the soundtrack*

Australia home

10. Australia (Home)

Lifespan: 1991
Reminds us of: An impressionist disaster
If you squint...nah that doesn't help at all. #abstractfail #wetried

FC Schalke 04

9. FC Schalke 04

Lifespan: 1992-1993
Reminds us of: Pick-up sticks
What the hell is going on here? It's like a 6-year-old child scribbled for a while and then learned to screen print. That's one talented fictitious kid.

Liverpool goalie jersey

8. Liverpool (Goalie Jersey)

Lifespan: 1995-1996
Reminds us of: A trip into the jungle while on acid
The keeper could get away with this monstrosity if his body was fused with adamantium. He would probably pop the ball, though.

Sierra Leone

7. Sierra Leone

Lifespan: 2011-2012
Reminds us of: Givenchy shirts x LSD
Perhaps the world simply isn't ready for the forward-looking Panther and mountain motif. Or perhaps the African country should get new shirt designers.

David Seaman

6. David Seaman

Lifespan: 1990-1993
Reminds us of: Austin Powers
There is not a single thing on Seaman's entire body that reminds us of England, not even the country crest.

Jorge Campos

5. Jorge Campos

Lifespan: 1990-2000
Reminds us of: Luchador x Salsa Instructor
Mexican national goalie, Jorge Campos, was an eccentric cult hero who came out of net and played forward when his team needed a goal. He was his own man. This is what sports fashion looks like when a man who takes balls to the face gets put in charge.

Huddersfield

4. Huddersfield

Lifespan: 1991
Reminds us of: The world's worst golf shirt.
Ignore, if you can, the horrible pattern. Why are there so many buttons, and why are they on the collar? Now, back to the red, black and awfulness.

Scunthorpe

3. Scunthorpe

Lifespan: 1994
Reminds us of: This song
Pink and yellow and sky blue, oh my. Also: purple.

Cameroon

2. Cameroon

Lifespan: 2006
Reminds us of: Black Swan
They wore unitards. Seriously. That could not contrast more with the team's nickname, the Indomitable Lions.

The Caribous of Colorado

1. The Caribous of Colorado

Lifespan: 1978
Reminds us of: Pocahontas
The team lasted one season in the NASL. It's amazing they were around for that long. Nice fringe, bro.