The Top 5 Liverpool Kits of All Time: A Legacy Woven in Red

With the release of Liverpool’s fresh 2025/26 Adidas home kit, the conversation isn’t just about fashion — it’s about history. Each Liverpool shirt carries with it a moment, a memory, a miracle. From the golden nights of Europe to Premier League heartbreak and triumph, the shirts tell our story.

Here’s a deeper look at the Top 5 Liverpool kits of all time, and the unforgettable moments stitched into their fabric.

5. 2025/26 Adidas Home Kit

Manufacturer: Adidas
Sponsor: Standard Chartered

The Kit:

Adidas’ long-awaited return to outfitting Liverpool begins with a statement: simplicity, tradition, and performance. The shirt features a rich “Strawberry Red” tone — a throwback to mid-2000s Adidas classics — with white sleeve piping, minimalist three-stripe branding, and a clean crew-neck collar. It’s the kind of shirt that could be worn in any era, and it lands at a pivotal moment in the club’s story.

Why It Ranks:

This kit marks the start of a new chapter — Adidas’ reunion with the club, and the continuation of Arne Slot’s vision following his Premier League-winning debut campaign in 2024/25. The shirt balances modern athletic design with retro inspiration, and it's already resonated with fans across generations.

The Hope Is That This Will Be the Shirt Remembered For:

• Mohamed Salah’s continued legacy, as he adds to his already legendary goal tally.
• Virgil van Dijk's leadership in what could be his last few seasons as captain, anchoring a defense still feared across Europe.
• A serious run in Europe or a back-to-back league title, cementing Arne Slot’s Liverpool as a force — not just a one-season story.

What Lies Ahead:

While the kit is still fresh, the emotional weight behind it is already strong — with the memory of Diogo Jota’s tragic passing hanging over the campaign, and an eager fanbase hungry to see the next era rise. If this season brings another major honour, this shirt won’t just be remembered. It’ll be immortalized.

4. 1989–91 Home Kit — “The Candy Classic”

Manufacturer: Adidas
Sponsor: Candy

The Kit:

Few shirts scream retro football quite like this one. Diagonal watermark patterns, a bold white Candy sponsor, and the three Adidas stripes running the shoulders — this is quintessential late '80s Liverpool.

Moments:

• 1990 First Division Title: Kenny Dalglish’s side secured what would be Liverpool’s 18th league title, with John Barnes in devastating form. Nobody knew at the time that it would be their last league title for 30 years.
• Final Title for the Old Guard: This kit marked the end of an era for the likes of Alan Hansen and Ronnie Whelan, and the early rise of future leaders like Steve McManaman.

This wasn’t just a kit — it was a visual stamp on the end of Liverpool’s domestic dominance before the Premier League era began. Now? It’s a streetwear staple, sold in vintage shops and worn proudly by fans who never even saw it live.

3. 2004–06 Home Kit — “The Istanbul Miracle”

Manufacturer: Reebok
Sponsor: Carlsberg

The Kit:

This Reebok shirt, with its unique paneling and thick white piping, might not be the most elegant kit visually — but emotionally, it’s priceless. Carlsberg across the chest, Champions League patch on the sleeve — it's synonymous with belief, grit, and European glory.

Moments:

• 2005 Champions League Final (Istanbul): 3-0 down at halftime to AC Milan. Six minutes of madness. Gerrard’s header, Smicer’s strike, Xabi Alonso’s rebound. Then, Dudek’s spaghetti legs in the shootout.
  Liverpool 3 (3) – (2) 3 AC Milan.
  “And now you’re gonna believe us…”
• Gerrard’s Ascension: This was the kit in which Steven Gerrard became Captain Marvel — leading the charge, lifting the trophy, and earning European football immortality.
• Luis García’s Ghost Goal: Against Chelsea in the semi-final, this kit was front and center when Anfield erupted after one of the most debated goals in football history.

If football is about stories, this kit is a novel in itself.

2. 1982–85 Home Kit — “The Crown Paints Dynasty”

Manufacturer: Umbro
Sponsor: Crown Paints

The Kit:

Before the explosion of modern kit graphics, this was elegance in simplicity. Deep red, classic white V-neck, and the understated Crown Paints logo. Umbro kept it classy, and the squad delivered history.

Moments:

• 1983 & 1984 League Titles: Under Bob Paisley and then Joe Fagan, Liverpool dominated English football, winning back-to-back First Division titles.
• 1984 European Cup Final (vs Roma): Though they wore a variation for the final itself (we'll get to that next), this kit was part of the campaign that saw Liverpool lift their fourth European Cup.
• Ian Rush & Kenny Dalglish: Two of the greatest forwards in club history terrorized defenses in this kit. Rush scored a staggering 47 goals in 1983/84 alone.

This was Liverpool at their most ruthless, most consistent, most clinical. This kit was the uniform of a footballing machine.

1. 1984 European Cup Final Kit — “The Golden Standard”

Manufacturer: Umbro
Sponsor: None

The Kit:

No sponsor. Gold embroidery. Regal. Eternal.

This is the Liverpool kit. Pure red with golden details, worn in the 1984 European Cup Final against AS Roma — in Rome. It's possibly the cleanest and most iconic kit in the club’s history.

Moments:

• European Cup Final, May 30, 1984: Liverpool played Roma in their own stadium. Alan Kennedy converted the winning penalty after Grobbelaar’s famous “spaghetti legs” routine.
  Liverpool 1 (4) – (2) 1 Roma.
• Bruce Grobbelaar’s Legend Begins: His antics in goal during the shootout became the stuff of folklore — and would later inspire Jerzy Dudek in Istanbul.
• Fourth European Crown: Liverpool became the first English club to win four European Cups, solidifying their dominance on the continent.

No commercial branding. Just the crest, the moment, and the glory. This is not only the best Liverpool kit — it’s one of the greatest kits in football history, full stop.

Honourable Mentions

• 2017/18 Home Kit (New Balance): The deep red shade and centenary crest celebrated 125 years of the club — worn during Salah’s record-breaking season and the road to Kyiv.
• 2008/09 Adidas Home Kit: Gerrard and Torres at their peak. A near-miss title run under Rafa. Clean gold detailing, vintage Champions League nights.
• 1995/96 Away Kit (Green and White Quarters): Outrageous design, unforgettable memories — Robbie Fowler brilliance and David James chaos.

Liverpool shirts are more than colours and collars. They’re soaked in silverware, stitched with emotion, and passed down like sacred heirlooms. The best kits aren’t just about design — they’re about moments. And if the 2025/26 Adidas shirt becomes the backdrop for another legendary campaign, it may one day top this list.

Until then, Rome '84 remains the gold standard.