3 Lions On A Shirt: The Best 90s Retro England Shirts

We take a trip down memory lane & look at some of the very best retro England shirts from the 90s era from Italia 90’s to France 98′.

It shouldn’t really matter what time of the year it is because football fever will always be something very close to our hearts regardless of FIFA’s corruption, fake fans, draconian LGBT laws, tents made out of bin liners and cans of Budweiser for £12.50. Let’s be brutally honest this World Cup should of never happened. The timings are all wrong and awarding an event to some backwards country that think they can buy everything they want with dirty oil money was never going to be a good idea. Medieval laws (mainly in favour of rich men) just don’t really mix with how progressive our beloved sport has become. Football as a sport has pioneered the women’s game & racial equality. It’s given hope to the forgotten kids living on inner city estates, left for dead by their government that wine and dine on poverty like it’s all a big fucking joke. Football is what unites us regardless of ethnicity, creed or sexual orientation. It’s that feel good factor of supporting your local team on matchday whether it’s top flight Prem or Non League. It might sound cliche to say “just focus on the football” but why shouldn’t we enjoy what we love? FIFA might think they can get away with not allowing players to wear LGBT armbands but in the end it’s only themselves that look bad.

So let’s now focus on the football. In this feature we wanted to take a look at some of the best 90s retro England shirts. Why the 90s in particular you may ask? Well I’m probably going on a bit of a nostalgia trip here because watching England growing up through the 90s was a massive part of my childhood. From Acid House to Britpop, even the football anthems of the 90s set the bar as far as pop songs were concerned. We all wanted Gazza to go all the way in 1990, we all wanted it “to come home” in 96′ & we all wanted Beckham to stay on the pitch with his Brylcreemed hair in 98′. As far as the 90s goes it was an exciting time for an England supporter.

Italia 90′ was where it really started for me personally. Watching the likes of Roberto Baggio with his signature Azurri line football boots, Gazza’s tears & witnessing the first African team to ever reach the quarter finals of a major tournament. West Germany were still West Germany, even though the Berlin Wall had already fallen in 1989, and there was a sense of optimism in the air. Although I was only 5 years old at the time, and I didn’t really understand the politics behind the teams, Italia 90′ ignited a passion of football fever that I will never forgot. The rise of retro football shirts from the 90s era have become an mainstay on the packed out terraces across the country over the last few years. The UK’s streetwear connection of retro football shirts, especially from the 90s, just seems to keep growing and growing. From Italia 90′ to France 98′, here’s a selection of the best retro England shirts from the 90s era.

Italia 90′

New Order’s ‘World in Motion’ song couldn’t have really summed up the summer of 1990 if it tried. Combining the free spirit and unity of Madchester’s Hacienda scene, with New Order’s signature drum machine sounds, Peter Beardsley singing and even John Barnes rapping. What more did you really need? Football has always had some sort of musical connection & 1990 was all about dance music. As far as football songs go it’s probably one of the best. As usual for England though the campaign ended in tears, literally for Gazza, going out to West Germany on penalties in the semi-finals in Turin.

England’s Italia 90′ kit has become synonymous with Gazza’s tears & is certainly up there as one of the greatest. Like usual for England there were 3 versions of the kit, the home which was white, the away kit which was red and the third kit which was blue. It was also one of the original Umbro sponsored kits, with the British born sportswear brand also sponsoring the likes of Man United & Tottenham throughout the 90s. With diamond taping around the sleeves and a classic polo shirt style collar, the shirt was famously worn by the likes of Paul Gascoigne, Gary Lineker, David Platt, Chris Waddle & John Barnes.

Euro 96′

Whether you liked it or not, ‘Three Lions On A Shirt’ from Baddiel, Skinner and the Lightning Seeds was the official anthem of the summer of 1996. That summer we really did think football “was coming home”, but sadly it didn’t. Gazza’s famous dentist chair celebration took a stab at the British tabloids after they went on their usual hate campaign against the players after a night out in Hong Kong got a bit too rowdy. With games across the nation from Old Trafford to Wembley, a Britpop soundtrack & a summer of football you will probably never forget, Euro 96 had it all.

France 98′

France 98′ marked the next generation of England talent & the football terrace anthem ‘Vinadaloo’ from Fat Les with a hot ruby murray twist. You’ll probably remember that unbelievable goal from an 18 year old Michael Owen against Argentina in the last 16. In the same game, David Beckham let his emotions get the best of him with a little tap (come on it was a little tap) on Argentina’s Simeone. England’s World Cup dreams were over but we were lucky enough to witness some of the greatest football players to ever grace the World Cup final such as Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo & Roberto Carlos.

The England kit worn at France 98′ would be the very last Umbro sponsored kit they would wear to a World Cup. Again the design is typical late 90s sportswear with a centred Umbro logo & 3 Lions badge. Featuring a polo style collar with navy & red colour blocking to the sides, the shirt is synonymous with Michael Owen’s wondergoal against Argentina making him the youngest England player to score at a major tournament. David Beckham’s red card in the same game saw England fizzle out of the tournament with the British tabloids really going to town on poor Golden Balls.

So that just about wraps it up for this feature of 3 Lions 90s nostalgia. You can shop the entire collection of 90s Retro England Football Shirts now via the links above & don’t forget to follow @thats_mint_official to keep up to date with all the latest news, releases & more.