Best Premier League kits 2021/22: every shirt ranked
Brace yourselves, folks. It’s that time of year again.
Now that the new Premier League season is just around the corner, we need to tear ourselves away from the transfer window circus and decide who’s got the best kits. It’d be rude not to.
This is the prize every club dreams of, so we teamed up with The Kitsman, Football Attic, The Shirt Union and Football Kit Geek to rank every single new Premier League shirt from worst to best.
The tension is killing us, so let’s just dive right in.
PLEASE NOTE: Burnley are being incredibly slow with releasing their away shirt, so that hasn't been included in this list. Hey, we can't hang around forever.
Check out the latest 2022/23 rankings >
39. Newcastle United - Home
Oh, no. There’s nothing “Fun88” about this at all, and instead Castore have had a Toon debut from hell.
Once you see the huge number 4 slap-bang in the middle of this shirt, it’s impossible to unsee it. A nightmarish sponsor and grandad collar: name a less iconic duo. We’ll wait.
38. Brentford - Away
Can someone please check on that sponsor for a pulse? It looks ill. The sad thing is, that waning and sickly star is literally the only thing worth remarking on here.
Oh, it’s incredibly yellow. So, uh, you’re in luck if you’re distracted by bright colours.
37. Wolves - Home
Sigh. Wolves are blessed with one of the most interesting colour palettes in the Premier League, but Castore have delivered something so dull we’re all hastily stifling a yawn.
The less said about that sponsor, the better. Let’s just not even acknowledge its existence.
36. Brentford - Home
The stripes look fine, they’re as sleek and clean as you’d maybe expect. Unless you’re Newcastle, it’s quite hard to get that part wrong.
For a team in the top flight for the first time in decades, it’s all just a bit… meh.
35. Watford - Home
Hmm, we feel like this shirt is shouting at us. Yeah, we definitely get stressed if we look at it for too long.
The faded lines probably sounded great at Kelme’s design meeting, but there’s just way too much going on. It’s also rude of Watford’s crest to intrude on this lovely Stake advert. Very inconsiderate.
34. Leeds United - Home
Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you the safest Premier League shirt of 2021/22.
Next week, we’re gonna line this up alongside last season’s home shirt and play a game of Spot The Difference. Nah, only joking, we all know they’ve just switched the blue stripes to yellow and added a weirder collar.
33. Leicester City - Home
Ah, another season, another adidas template for Leicester City. Straight outta the generic teamwear catalogue.
Still, the design itself is solid enough, especially with the golden trim on the collar and cuffs. It’s high-time The Foxes had a bespoke home shirt. We’ll be starting the petition shortly.
32. Chelsea - Home
Yes, this is a bit of a mess. Yes, it makes us feel nauseous. But, hey, you’ve got to give Nike and Chelsea bonus points for doing something really bonkers.
The weird zig-zag/checker combo definitely puts us in mind of a board game compendium - if you tried to mash all the games together and whack them on a football shirt.
31. Watford - Away
Woah, have you seen the size of the shirt on that sponsor?
Look behind the enormous Stake billboard, though, and you’ll find a rather lovely marble pattern which is probably too subtle to be called “psychedelic”. Still, it’s much groovier than their ugly home shirt.
30. Leeds United - Away
Pfft. adidas really do love a generic camo pattern. Not really sure why, since it makes every design disappear into mid-table mediocrity.
The white logos stand out really nicely against the navy, but it doesn’t exactly capture the excitement of Bielsa-ball. More like, um… Warnock-ball?
29. Brighton - Away
Do we detect a hint of minty freshness?
The colour is what saves Brighton’s away shirt from falling completely into the bargain bin. That’s right, this is a yawn-inducing Nike template you’ll find right down in the lower leagues, but the minty green almost makes it interesting. Not quite, though.
28. Liverpool - Home
Not sure who was in charge of drawing those diagonal lines, but it’s making our eyes twitch a bit. The design apparently represents power and energy, but instead seems more like a nod to people who love to randomly doodle lines on things.
The orange details freshen things up a bit, but it’s a weird design choice that just looks a bit naff overall.
27. Tottenham Hotspur - Home
This is possibly the most inoffensive football shirt of all time. It’s the vanilla ice cream, ready salted crisps and Margherita pizza of this list - and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with all those things.
It’s incredibly smart, traditional and a huge improvement on last season. Still, a spattering of sprinkles wouldn’t have gone amiss here.
26. Southampton - Away
It’s great to see Southampton go up in flames again, even if the fire isn't quite stoked this time around.
Tear your eyes away from the incredibly bright yellows and blues, and you’ll see a subtle flame graphic which nods back to their iconic 1991-93 shirt. This isn’t a patch on the original, but playing on retro themes will always get you into our good books.
25. Chelsea - Away
When they’re on the road, Chelsea simply belong in yellow. This is a clean and simple effort from Nike, a solid design which doesn’t quite have us doing a Drogba-esque knee slide.
The black on yellow mix has naturally caused plenty of Dortmund and Haaland jokes, but it’s a fairly smart contrast to the absolutely mental home shirt.
24. West Ham United - Away
Gonna be honest, the strange Betway letterbox has ruined this completely. The colours, stripes and details all scream class at the top of their lungs, and there’s absolutely no reason why the sponsor needs to break up the party like that.
A real shame. Ah well, Hammers fans will just have to lie awake dreaming of what might have been.
23. Leicester City - Away
Nice colours. Nice pattern. Nice logos. It even looks pretty ice cold on Jamie Vardy, too.
Leicester’s shirt ticks a lot of the right boxes and there’s not much wrong with it at all. Sadly, when everything is just “nice” without doing anything too exciting, you’re gonna struggle to get above par.
22. Everton - Home
This isn’t hummel’s most jaw-dropping work and didn’t really blow our judges away. However, the dazzle camo definitely freshens things up a bit, and serves as one of the most adventurous home shirts of the season.
You could argue the yellow trim ruins the look a little, but this is yet another solid entry in the hummel x Everton back catalogue. Even if it’s the weakest of their shirts this season.
21. Manchester City - Home
Someone please pass the tissues, because this is a tear-jerking tribute to a real Manchester City legend. Oh Sergio, the Premier League is gonna miss you. Sniffle.
The detailing and patterns are actually inspired by scoreboard fonts, saluting his iconic last-gasp goal against QPR. It’s a nice idea ruined slightly by a droopy collar and the fact it looks like it’s been made using a calculator.
20. Brighton - Home
Clean. Simple. No messing about here. It doesn’t have any eyes popping out of sockets, but you can’t really expect much more from Brighton’s traditional blue and white stripes.
No, this isn’t as interesting as last season’s pinstripes, and that American Express box continues to be an eye-sore. There’s just something understated and classy about this, maybe it’s the awesome seaside theme promo shots.
19. Wolves - Away
Hey, give us a black and gold bus seat pattern, and we certainly aren't gonna complain about it. Especially when it continues onto the back of the shirt. Hallelujah.
It's just a shame they've got the ugliest sponsor logo going, really. Replace that with Doritos and they're onto a winner.
18. Crystal Palace - Home
Now this is something really fresh. It’s a bit like chocolate and crisps: you take two things you absolutely love, put them together, and it still tastes pretty darn good.
This is a stunning mix of Palace’s iconic stripes and sash designs, giving us something shiny and new which also honour’s the club’s history. Traditionalists might not like it, but these are the most inventive stripes we’ve seen in the Premier League for years.
17. Burnley - Home
Well hello there, Mr Gorgeous Sleeve Pattern. And goodbye, Mr Really Ugly Lovebet Logo.
Umbro have underwhelmed a little bit this season, and that stunning sleeve graphic marks some of their best work in the Premier League - even if the arm sponsor gets in the way. Suddenly we feel like watching SMTV and playing with our Tamagotchi, because this feels very 90s indeed. Underrated.
16. Manchester United - Home
Ah, long sleeves. It’s good to see you back - especially on Manchester United’s nostalgic blast from the past.
The new adidas design doesn’t exactly tear up trees, but the white collar, cuffs and simplicity of the whole shirt takes us right back to the days of Best and Charlton. It’s a shame the TeamViewer logo is a bit naff, but at least it’s better than that godforsaken Chevvy sponsor. Shudder.
Bonus points for awesome socks, by the way.
15. Everton - Away
Well, this is retro. Very retro. It goes all the way back to 1881, so you could probably say it’s a shirt 140 years in the making. It’s nice, but hopefully hummel didn’t quite spend that long making it.
Essentially a blackout beauty with a burning orange sash struck straight through it, it’s always impossible to go fully retro when you’ve got the word Cazoo in the middle of everything. Ignore that, though - this is still just as stunning as Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s fashion shoots.
14. Norwich City - Home
Oof. The Canaries have finally got some wings. That sleeve pattern might not actually help them fly this season, but it still looks goddamn fantastic.
The return of the Lotus sponsor is also a welcome change, standing out brilliantly against the classic yellows and greens. Yeah, this is a very good effort from Joma indeed.
13. Manchester City - Away
Very clean indeed. Basically a plain white shirt with some shiny logos, but the effect still has us nodding our heads slowly in appreciation. Nice.
The collar is once again a massive letdown, and the “water droplet” details look more like a nod to that rubbish Super League logo. Even so, it’s a classy design which isn’t a million miles away from being something special.
12. Aston Villa - Away
Beautiful. When you’re paying homage to a European Cup triumph, you’re always gonna put a few smiles on faces. Villa’s new away shirt certainly does that.
The claret pinstripes salute the design worn back on that night in 1982, while a twinkling star on the back completes the tribute. Kappa’s design is undeniably sleek and smart, it’s just a slight shame the Cazoo logo breaks up the stripes a bit. It does the business, though.
11. Arsenal - Home
Save the Ajax jokes, we’ve probably heard them all by now. Yes, this looks like something you’d find in the Dutch giant’s wardrobe, but it’s still yet another lovely Arsenal shirt from adidas. They just don’t miss.
The blue stripes on the shoulders have received criticism from fans and the white side panels have raised more than a few eyebrows. Put those things together, though, and you’re sent right back to the iconic JVC/Dreamcast shirts from the early 90s. It worked then, it works now.
10. Newcastle United - Away
After the fairly disastrous home shirt, this is a much better offering from Castore. The gold trim and collar look very smart, serving as a direct contrast to that ugly sponsor.
There’s something very Joy Division about the distorted stripe pattern, but there’s absolutely nothing unknown about the pleasures of a black and gold kit. The promise of gold shorts has also grabbed our attention.
9. Crystal Palace - Away
If we were in charge of the country (thank god we aren’t), then we’d make sure Crystal Palace always had a yellow away kit. It’s just the way the world is meant to be.
Just look at those colours. You just can’t go wrong with them, especially when you throw in some lovely stripes like that. Honestly, Puma have delivered a colossal improvement on last season - the big “W” in the middle sums it up pretty nicely.
8. Arsenal - Away
Arsenal and adidas really are a match made in heaven. The muted yellows, the navy trim, the exceptional promo shots - everything they produce is just absolutely top tier.
The return of the classic Cannon crest was always gonna go down a treat, and here it rounds off one of the smartest designs of the season. Yes, we’re fairly sure it’s acceptable for formal dress codes.
7. Aston Villa - Home
Oh, yes. The beauty really is in the detail with Aston Villa’s new home shirt. All those pinstripes within stripes is like an Inception design from our dreams, while just about avoiding the trap of becoming way too convoluted. No spinning tops here.
There’s a real depth and character to this from Kappa, and the quality of the crest once again looks absolutely sensational. Another claret and blue beauty.
6. Southampton - Home
A collar sent straight down from the heavens. That really is a chunky work of art.
Apparently, the shirt features some kinda Augmented Reality tech, but let’s ignore all that and just focus on what hummel have done with the red and white stripes instead. The subtle chevron pattern looks very tasty indeed, even if the sponsor ruins the effect a bit.
That’s right, hummel are back with a bang. This is a proper Southampton kit.
5. Liverpool - Away
Liverpool’s new away shirt really is lovely. It looks clean enough to eat your dinner off, with a gorgeous colour, smart collar and lovely details which make the mouth water. Yes, you could probably wear this to a wedding.
Of course, we loved this design even more last season, when Roma wore pretty much exactly the same thing. There’s no doubting the class and sophistication of this design, but the low marks for originality mean it doesn’t quite trouble the top places.
4. Norwich City - Away
Somebody get Daft Punk on a new soundtrack, Tron FC are here and they’re taking absolutely no prisoners. The Master Control Program won’t know what hit it.
Norwich’s away shirt features the same awesome sleeve graphics as the home, based on the wings of a canary. This time, though, they’re displayed in a stunning shade of turquoise, matching up with the collar, crest and sponsor logo. Ice cold, indeed.
3. West Ham United - Home
Any shirt inspired by Paolo Di Canio was always gonna be special, and Umbro have served up a beautiful little time machine. Yep, the smart collar and blue sleeves are taking us right back to 1999.
It’s a shame we can’t have Doc Martens joining in the fun, but this is still a stunning throwback that makes us feel warm and fuzzy with nostalgia. Let’s just take a moment to appreciate that collar and cuffs. Lovely.
2. Manchester United - Away
Without question, the best Manchester United shirt in years. In fact, it’s the best design adidas have come up with since taking the reins back in 2015.
The terrific colours and pattern draw inspiration from the classic 1990-92 snowflake design, even though here we’re treated to more of a zig-zag graphic. Either way, it’s a sensational design polished off by the red detailing and logos - even the huge TeamViewer sponsor can’t get in the way of this.
Throw in the classic Trefoil logo and this would probably have clinched the top spot.
1. Tottenham Hotspur - Away
Cheers, Son’s smiling. We don’t blame him either. No shirt has divided opinion quite like Tottenham Hotspur’s outrageous away kit, but we’re all agreed this is an absolute banger.
This is unlike anything else in the Premier League this season. It’s like Nike have used an oily mixture to paint outer space, producing a canvas which has eyes popping and jaws dropping in equal measure.
It’s brave, brash and very much the yin to the home shirt’s yang. You might love it, you might hate it - but give it a try and it might just blow your mind. Just like proper Marmite.
If you're an '80s or '90s kid, we've got a selection of retro Premier League shirts for you, alongside the latest Premier League kits. You probably completely disagree with us on this list, so feel free to drop a comment and tell us your favourite shirts from this season!
