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Northern Ireland's World Cup of Kits 2022 - Group G & H

By jcd

Through November and December 2022, to coincide with the FIFA World Cup, NIFG will be running polls to definitively select Northern Ireland’s greatest ever kits.

Starting with a daily group stage, the best kit from each group will proceed to the knock-out rounds, with the final two facing off and the ultimate winner to be crowned on the day of the World Cup Final.

Kits are being judged in their default format, with minor variations ignored. Voters can use whatever criteria they wish to identify their greatest - whether that is style, a favoured match, or a childhood memory.

[unless otherwise stated, stats are based on senior men’s matches and are based on “best guesses”*]

To vote, please visit and follow on Twitter. Group polls will be open for two days, with a new one unveiled every other day.

GROUP G

GROUP H


Courtesy of NI Shirt Collector

1994 unworn

This kit was prepared by Umbro for Northern Ireland in 1994, but owing to the Irish FA signing a deal with Asics the new kit supplier, it was never worn. Replica versions slipped into the shop, with a South American variant also being produced. Question remain – was it to be worn during the 1994 US tour (when the away shirt was worn in both games) or even in Billy Bingham’s testimonial (where a non-descript blue/white striped kit was worn)?

Umbro

(1994)

Debut:

-

Pl: 0

W: 0

D: 0

L: 0

1919 Home

When Ireland played their first post-First World War international match, they appeared in a new style jersey. Gone were the dressy wing-collared design, replaced with a lace-up “grandad” collar. The highlight performance for this kit was perhaps Joe Bambrick’s double-hattrick against Wales in 1930. Off the pitch there was another “Ireland” playing international matches – was that why blue gave way to green after 1931?

-

(1919-1931)

Debut:

25-10-1919 vs England

D 1-1 (H)

(British International Championship)

Pl: 32

W: 5

D: 10

L: 17

2018 Away

While there is no doubting that this is a tasteful kit, it has to be asked if it was sensible for Northern Ireland to released an “ice blue” kit (essentially light blue/green). Certainly, match officials weren’t happy for it to be worn against teams wearing blue, necessitating the previous white shirt to be twice brought out of retirement.

Adidas

(2018-2019)

Debut:

24-03-2018 vs South Korea

W 2-1 (H)

Pl: 4

W: 1

D: 1

L: 2

1993 Away

When the 1992 home kit was originally released it looked like the un-used 1990 blue-triangle kit would be retained as an alternative. Instead, when Northern Ireland travelled to Dublin in 1993 they wore this striped kit, based on a template also used by Celtic. It enjoyed further outings in the 1994 US tour, necessarily against Mexico, but un-necessarily against Colombia (see comments on the unworn 1994 home kit).

Umbro

(1993-1994)

Debut:

31/03/1993 vs Republic of Ireland

L 0-3 (A)

Pl: 0

W: 0

D: 0

L: 0

2016 Home

There was outrage when this was unveiled as Northern Ireland’s shirt for Euro 2016. Not since the 1990s had blue been such a prominent part of the home kit. Sales were strong (especially of bootleg versions) and astute observers pointed out that often it is the results in a shirt that make it a classic, not necessarily the look. Does anyone think it takes the shine off the images of Gareth McAuley’s celebrating in Lyon? One issue did seem to be sock supply – with two different versions sharing the lime-light.

Adidas

(2015-2017)

Debut:

13-11-2015 vs Latvia

W 1-0 (H)

(International Friendly)

Pl: 15

W: 9

D: 1

L: 5


1931 Home

It could be said that the GAWA was born in 1931 when Ireland finally adopted green as their first-choice colour. In the preceding 50-years when blue had been preferred there had been issues for matches against Scotland (the Scots had taken a few decades to settle on dark blue), but there were also suggestions that the Irish FA were trying to out-Irish the fledgling FA of the Irish Free State. The adoption of a shamrock shirt badge makes these jerseys virtually indistinguishable from the southern-FA’s (or the rugby team’s). What is true is that after the change, the Irish FA didn’t have to find an away kit for the senior team for nearly 50 years!

The style of socks varied slightly throughout this era and the number of buttons also changed. It should be noted that socks were generally navy while Eire usually wore green/white hooped stockings.

-

(1931-1951)

Debut:

19-09-1931 vs Scotland

Pl: 36

W: 7

D: 5

L: 24

Everton 1889/90 - Jonny Holt in his England cap and club colours

1889 Home

For their 1889 visit to Anfield to face England, Ireland were noted as wearing “royal blue and white halved shirts”. At the time, these were also the colours of host club, Everton. It is suggested that the same combination was worn when the sides met again two years later.  

No photographic evidence of the Ireland team wearing these colours has been found.

-

(1889-1891)

Debut:

02-03-1889 vs England

L 1-6 (A)

(British International Championship)

Pl: 2*

W: 0

D: 0

L: 2

2007 Away

Released in 2007 to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the 1982 World Cup, and what was hoped would be a glorious return to Spain for the final qualifying for Euro 2008. Sadly, by the time Northern Ireland arrived in Las Palmas, qualification hopes were reliant on a miracle that would never arrive, largely due to the match result in this kit’s first outing – a 1-0 defeat by unfancied Latvia.

Umbro

(2007-2008)

Debut:

08-09-2007 vs Latvia

L 0-1 (A)

(Euro 2008 Qualifier)

Pl: 3

W: 0

D: 1

L: 2

Results:

-

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