The World Cup is firmly underway, and it's not just our sporting heroes that are heading to the changing rooms to don their nation's uniform. No, football shirts are now firmly a streetwear staple, with celebs aplenty repping the style. From our Instagram feeds to the Cosmo UK offices, even the most feminine of fashion girlies have been spotted donning a football jersey. Whether repping the new season kit with jeans or pairing a vintage design with a satin slip skirt, consider us firmly in our Sporty Spice era.
As for how to style a football shirt, as in *not* on a pitch or runway? Our fave celebs have been sporting (sorry, we couldn’t resist) various vintage football shirts, serving up plenty of style inspo in the process.
Paris Hilton tackled the trend with a fairly understated (for Paris) white and red diagonally striped USA jersey. The v-neck was fitted, rather than oversized, and tucked into a pair of Y2K-coded skinny jeans with diamante stars running down the sides. She finished the look with some navy driving gloves and matching sunnies.
But this trend is far from new! It was all the way back in 2024 that Bella Hadid ditched her trademark Westerncore style for a 'fit that looked ready for the World Cup final. Namely, a vintage red and white Adidas jersey and Levi's 501 shorts, worn with mid-calf white ribbed socks and Adidas Originals SL 72 fashion trainers (move over, sambas). Bella tucked the longline jersey into her micro shorts, cinching the ensemble with a thick black leather belt.
And in the same year, Dua Lipa was spotted in a red and pink retro jersey, which, rather than showing her support for any sports team, was actually merch for her album, Radical Optimism. Does it get more iconic than being your own cheerleader? We think not.
As per usual, celeb style has trickled down to the masses, with high-street retailers and even independent businesses seeing a rise in sales for football jerseys. Hardly surprising considering it makes up a large part of another celeb-fave trend: ‘blokecore’. Comprised of baggy silhouettes, oversized tailoring, and classically ‘masculine’ pieces, blokecore has its roots firmly planted in British football culture. Plus, I’ll take any excuse to look back at David Beckham in his prime for *cough* fashion inspo *cough*.
Whilst it will come as no suprise that one of the world's biggest sporting events has influenced global fashion trends, the line between sportswear and fashion has been blurring long before this tournament began. Clothing that was once confined to the gym now effortlessly doubles for coffee dates with the girls, weekend errand running and even laidback holiday dressing thanks to trend-led activewear labels like Alo Yoga and Adanola. Athleisure has certainly earned its place in the fashion sphere, coming far from its track pants and high-top beginnings.
Theo El-Kattan and Henry McNeill, founders of online marketplace Known Source agree. “There’s been an increased focus on football capsules amongst big brands. From the Adidas x Wales Bonner sambas to the Nike x Martine Rose capsule for last Women’s World Cup – the overlap is real,” they tell Cosmopolitan UK. Even outside of collabs, bright football jerseys stole the show in Balenciaga’s 2023 resort collection, which was otherwise made up of dark colours and blocky suits.
From football’s influence on fashion, the input is just as prevalent the other way. “Not only are football clubs also releasing lifestyle merchandise, but teams now have creative directors in-house. Crystal Palace became the first Premier League club to hire a creative director,” Theo and Henry continue, referring to Kenny Annan-Jonathan's appointment in the newly created role.
Although let's not give all the credit to the World Cup, as there’s no denying the effect the Lionesses have had on introducing football into the lives of young women and girls. In a 2023 report ran by Sport England, there are "now 845,000 girls playing the game in England, an increase of 176,000 (4%) since the 2017-18 academic year".
Likewise, a 2024 BBC article reported that, at the time, there were twice as many female football teams registered in the UK compared to seven years prior, with a staggering 1,500 new teams registering after the Lionesses won the 2022 Euros. This uptick in girls joining grassroots clubs means the humble football kit is becoming a national uniform, and we can expect to see a whole lot more of it now the World Cup is in full swing.
The football jersey trend also offers a refreshing opportunity to champion second-hand shopping amongst the plethora of micro trends encouraging the fast fashion norm. Look to resale sights like Vinted and Depop to cop a vibrant vintage jersey without having to take part in any environmental foul play. As Theo and Henry explain, “Every kit tells its own unique story and has its own place in history. And don’t forget about the designs – a lot of them are works of art, and it’s nice to see them getting the appreciation they deserve.” Hard agree.
Whether you’re just getting into the sport, are a dedicated fan, or simply enjoy the aesthetics of the trend (guilty!), there’s no better time to invest in a football jersey. Don your new summer uniform, and you’ll be ready to hit the beer garden and start shouting 'offside'.
Amy May Ellis (she/her) is the SEO Manager for Cosmopolitan UK, Women's Health UK, Men's Health UK, and Runner's World UK. Her love for all things beauty, fashion, and wellness is evident in her work with these lifestyle and fitness brands. Providing content recommendations for everything from new gut health supplements to the latest fashion trend, Amy has a keen eye for detail and loves to spot trends before they fully flourish.
