5 Kits that Bridged the Gap between Football & Politics
“Equipment must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images.”
This is FIFA’s official stance on politics in the sport and UEFA largely follows this rule. That is not to say however, that when it comes to football kits, this rule has not been bent or in certain cases, outright ignored.
There are many examples of political/societal issues being displayed on a club/countries colours. Sometimes these messages are subtle and can be passed off as coincidental and unintentional, in other cases they are pretty blatant. We’re going to take you through five football kits which bridged the gap between football and politics/societal issues. We are not necessarily saying that these are the best or most thought-provoking examples, rather five kits that caught our attention.
Clapton FC Jersey - 2019/2020
Clapton players celebrate a goal | Photo Credit
Clapton CFC are an East-London based non-league football club. Founded in 1877, they pride themselves on being a community-based club, open to people of all backgrounds. Their fans regularly voice their opinion on societal issues and very much have a left-wing, antifascist ethos. It is this outlook which sparked the inspiration behind their 2018/19 Away Kit.
80 Years on from the end of the Spanish Civil War, the kit’s colours are based on the flag of the Second Spanish Republic. The three-pointed star of the International Brigade is also prominent on the strip. The anti-fascist slogan, ‘No Pasaran’ (They Shall Not Pass) can also be found on the collar of the shirt.
Corinthians Home Jersey - 1982/1983
Socrates sporting a Corinthians strip with the words “Democracia Corinthiana” | Photo Credit
Not only was he the captain of the national team, but Socrates became a beacon of hope for the people of Brazil in the early 1980s.
As a response to the military dictatorship that the country was under, Socrates founded ‘Democracia Corinthiana’, an ideological movement which voiced the masses’ desire for democracy. The name of the movement featured on the back of the white home strip of Corinthians, establishing Socrates as not just a footballer but as something of a true national hero.
Bahia Home Jersey - 2019/2020
Bahia players with a clearly visible oil stain on their kit | Photo Credit
Esporte Clube Bahia play in the top-tier of Brazilian football and showcasing their take on political and societal issues is by no means something new for them. Over the years, they have dedicated themselves to ‘affection, integration and love’. October 2019 once again saw the club give their take on an issue off the football pitch.
In late 2019, the beaches of North-East Brazil were hit with a mysterious oil spill. Nobody knew where it had come from and why it continued to destroy the beautiful Brazilian coast. Bahia’s footballing heroes decided to use their home game against Ceará on October 21st, as an opportunity to highlight the issue. As a once off for this game, the traditional blue and red stripes of Bahia were stained with black oil marks, making it very clear what the once-off shirts were a reference to.
Not only did this action by the club raise global awareness of the issue but it also served to pile pressure on the Brazilian government to take action.
Volga Ulyanovsk Home Jersey - 2019
Vladimir Lenin with a football twist | Photo Credit
Ulyanovsk is the birthplace of Vladimir Lenin: Russian Revolutionary, Politician and Political theorist. 2019 marked the 149th birthday of the leader and the footballing pride of Ulyanovsk, who play in Russia’s third-tier, decided to commemorate the occasion with a special edition home kit.
Instead of a sponsor, the kit features a stylized image of the former leader.
Bohemian FC Away Jersey - 2020
A photo from the jersey’s official launch | Photo Credit
Dublin-based club Bohemian FC have been outspoken on the refugee crisis for many years now and have regularly worked with MASI (Movement of Asylum Seekers Ireland).
‘Direct Provision’ is a system of asylum seeker accommodation used in only the Republic of Ireland. The system is regularly criticised by human rights organisations and remains a very controversial issue in Ireland. Bohemian FC have been very active in making families in Direct Provision Centres feel welcome by inviting groups of them to games in Dalymount Park and organising Christmas present collections for children in Direct Provision.
The 2020 Bohemian FC away kit saw the club partner with Amnesty International to raise awareness of the issue. Club Director, Daniel Lambert, said that he does not see this as a political issue but rather as a ‘societal issue, a social issue and a humanitarian issue’.
As you can see, many clubs have managed to sidestep FIFA and/or UEFA ruling on the issue of political expression on jerseys.
We would love to hear your thoughts on political expression on football jerseys and would like to learn more about some examples that we have not included on this list. Feel free to leave a comment on our Instagram and/or Twitter.