Football uniform consisting of a football jersey or shirt, shorts and socks, has changed considerably over soccer's history. A brief soccer history of uniforms is presented here.
The knickerbockers illustrated here were modern when they were worn in 1921. In Victorian times, the common soccer uniform included knickerbockers fastened tightly below the knee with long overlapping stockings, and the boots were heavy, similar to work or army boots in weight. Soccer players often wore caps, and sometimes even top-hats!
As the pace of soccer and social attitudes changed, so did the soccer uniform. Victorian kits were replaced by jerseys and long shorts as illustrated. The fastest changes in uniform occurred after World War II, starting in continental Europe, particularly Italy and Hungary. Shorts became shorter, and clothing lighter.
Another major change in soccer uniform occured when synthetic fibres, such as nylon and acrilic were invented and became commonly used. Today, soccer uniforms are constantly changing in a large part due to commercial influences on the game.
