Full Nigeria Kit History 1949-2020
Update: CasacaLuchoLasS has created a nice infographic with illustration with all of Nigeria's home kits since 1992, including all the 19 shirt Nigeria had since then.
It was about time. With Nike having released the unique 2020 kits for the Nigerian national football team this month, we take a look at the history of the Nigeria jersey, which today is possibly hyped country in terms of football kits.
So far, Nigeria had four different shirt suppliers - Erima (1980-1984), Admiral (1984-1987), Adidas (1988–1994 & 2002-2014) and Nike (1994–2002 & 2015-present).
Nigeria Kit History: 1949-2020
Check out all Nigeria shirts used between 1949 and 2010.
The Nigeria football team played its first official game in October 1949, while still a British colony. In their first matches in the UK, they wore a dark green shirt. Prior to Nigeria's independence from the UK, they were called the Red Devils due to their red kits.
From the early 1960s until the late 1980s, Nigeria's jerseys featured typical designs of that time in different shades of 'forest green' and white.
Nigeria's first outstanding jerseys were released in the early 1990s, when Adidas supplied the country with some typical early 1990s Adidas designs. When Nike took over from Adidas in 1995 / 1996, Nigeria's kits got the first big notice in the world. Nike release some truly amazing Nigeria jerseys, before the Swoosh stopped releasing such outstanding bespoke kits in favor for streamlined template looks.
Adidas again became Nigeria's kit maker after the 2002 World Cup. Their kits for the Nigerian national team were anything but as amazing as Nike's recent ones - the ý were mostly standard designs based on the brand's template of each time frame.
The most boring Nigeria kits in history were likely released in second first first years with Nike after the Swoosh took over from Adidas. Nigeria received standard kits from Nike just four years ago - something that you somehow can't believe today.
The Nigeria 2020 home kit is set to hit stores in March 2020.
Our of all of these, what's your favorite Nigeria shirt? What's your least favorite? Comment below.
