Illustration:
Harvey Symons Design by:
Chris Fenn
Explore the history of the World Cup with our graphic guide to the official kit worn by this year's 32 competing teams.
Select a team
When Argentina beat England in 1986, they wore new shirts sourced locally. Head coach, Carlos Bilardo, deemed the official cotton shirts too thick and heavy for the heat of Mexico.
Russia 2018
Brazil 2014
South Africa 2010
Germany 2006
Japan/S Korea 2002
France 1998
USA 1994
Italy 1990
Mexico 1986
Spain 1982
Argentina 1978
West Germany 1974
England 1966
Chile 1962
Sweden 1958
Italy 1934
Uruguay 1930
The green and gold kit echoes the national floral emblem of Australia the wattle. Australia adopted the colours in the late 19th century.
Russia 2018
Brazil 2014
South Africa 2010
Germany 2006
West Germany 1974
There's a nod to a classic Belgium kit of the early 80s and your granddad's favourite cardigan in the argyle pattern that adorns Belgium's 2018 kit.
Russia 2018
Brazil 2014
Japan/S Korea 2002
France 1998
USA 1994
Italy 1990
Mexico 1986
Spain 1982
Mexico 1970
Switzerland 1954
France 1938
Italy 1934
Uruguay 1930
Brazil dropped their all-white kit after the 1950 World Cup Maracanazo defeat. The iconic yellow and blue colours the Seleção now wear came about via a competition designed to replace the 'unpatriotic' white kit.
Russia 2018
Brazil 2014
South Africa 2010
Germany 2006
Japan/S Korea 2002
France 1998
USA 1994
Italy 1990
Mexico 1986
Spain 1982
Argentina 1978
West Germany 1974
Mexico 1970
England 1966
Chile 1962
Sweden 1958
Switzerland 1954
Brazil 1950
France 1938
Italy 1934
Uruguay 1930
Colombia's 2018 kit takes inspiration directly from the shirts worn in Italy in 1990. It was the first time Colombia had appeared in the finals since 1962.
Russia 2018
Brazil 2014
France 1998
USA 1994
Italy 1990
Chile 1962
At the 1990 World Cup Costa Rica wore red for their opening game against Scotland but then changed to black and white having borrowed shirts from Juventus in the hope of attracting local support.
Russia 2018
Brazil 2014
Germany 2006
Japan/S Korea 2002
Italy 1990
The match-up between Croatia's spectacular checkerboard kit and Nigeria's feathered affair should be one of the sartorial highlights of the World Cup.
Russia 2018
Brazil 2014
Germany 2006
Japan/S Korea 2002
France 1998
For 2018 there's a return of Denmark's iconic sleeve chevrons and, according to manufacturers Hummel, inspiration from the Danish Life Guards uniform in the detailed pattern.
Russia 2018
South Africa 2010
Japan/S Korea 2002
France 1998
Mexico 1986
The first African team to appear in the finals, they've since switched to red from the green they wore in the single match they played in 1934 - a defeat to Hungary.
Russia 2018
Italy 1990
Italy 1934
England got their three lions because Henry II married Eleanor of Aquitaine in 1154. Centuries later, the badge of the Football Association incorporated their royal standard.
Russia 2018
Brazil 2014
South Africa 2010
Germany 2006
Japan/S Korea 2002
France 1998
Italy 1990
Mexico 1986
Spain 1982
Mexico 1970
England 1966
Chile 1962
Sweden 1958
Switzerland 1954
Brazil 1950
In 1978 France and Hungary both arrived for a group match with only white away shirts. The French played in a green-striped kit from local Argentine side Club Atlético Kimberley.
Russia 2018
Brazil 2014
South Africa 2010
Germany 2006
Japan/S Korea 2002
France 1998
Mexico 1986
Spain 1982
Argentina 1978
England 1966
Sweden 1958
Switzerland 1954
France 1938
Italy 1934
Uruguay 1930
Germany's black and white kit harks back to the Prussian flag, and the champions' shirts also include a design throwback to their 1990 kit - albeit in more sombre tones.
Russia 2018
Brazil 2014
South Africa 2010
Germany 2006
Japan/S Korea 2002
France 1998
USA 1994
Italy 1990
Mexico 1986
Spain 1982
Argentina 1978
West Germany 1974
Mexico 1970
England 1966
Chile 1962
Sweden 1958
Switzerland 1954
France 1938
Italy 1934
Iceland's debut shirt was originally to have been designed by competition, but a row over prize money with supplier Errea put an end to that idea.
Russia 2018
Iran have opted for Adidas this year, sadly without the France 98 detail of having the country's name written on the front.
Russia 2018
Brazil 2014
Germany 2006
France 1998
Argentina 1978
Japan had a brief dalliance with a red home kit between 1988 and 1992, but all of their World Cup appearances have seen them wear the Samurai Blue that gives them their nickname.
Russia 2018
Brazil 2014
South Africa 2010
Germany 2006
Japan/S Korea 2002
France 1998
Uniquely, Mexico's World Cup kit in 1978 was manufactured by Levi's. Sadly, it wasn't double denim.
Russia 2018
Brazil 2014
South Africa 2010
Germany 2006
Japan/S Korea 2002
France 1998
USA 1994
Mexico 1986
Argentina 1978
Mexico 1970
England 1966
Chile 1962
Sweden 1958
Switzerland 1954
Brazil 1950
Uruguay 1930
Over the years Morocco have alternated between the green and red of their national flag for their home kit. For Russia, red is back in favour.
Russia 2018
France 1998
USA 1994
Mexico 1986
Mexico 1970
Nigeria's 2018 kit has been something of a sensation. The feather motiff echoes their Super Eagles nickname, and Nike say the kit had 3m pre-orders.
Russia 2018
Brazil 2014
South Africa 2010
Japan/S Korea 2002
France 1998
USA 1994
Known as La Marea Roja - "The Red Tide" - Panama are in Group G, where the combination of home and away kits means every game will be a team wearing red against a team wearing white.
Russia 2018
The red stripe design first appeared in 1936, inspired by Argentina's River Plate. It is the first time La Blanquirroja have been seen at the World Cup for 40 years.
Russia 2018
Argentina 1978
Mexico 1970
Uruguay 1930
Poland return after a 12-year absence with an unfussy kit. Nike say the grey speed blur across the chest represents "the pride of the eagle cutting through the competition".
Russia 2018
Germany 2006
Japan/S Korea 2002
Mexico 1986
Spain 1982
Argentina 1978
West Germany 1974
France 1938
The golden Nike swoosh on Portugal's kit is intended as a reminder that Cristiano Ronaldo and company are champions of Europe.
Russia 2018
Brazil 2014
South Africa 2010
Germany 2006
Japan/S Korea 2002
Mexico 1986
England 1966
Russia's design pays homage to the shirts worn by the Soviet Union in 1988, when they won gold at the Seoul Olympics - beating Brazil. They will hope it is an omen.
Russia 2018
Brazil 2014
Japan/S Korea 2002
USA 1994
Italy 1990
Mexico 1986
Spain 1982
Mexico 1970
England 1966
Chile 1962
Sweden 1958
Saudi Arabia's best World Cup performance was their debut in 1994, when they qualified for the round of 16 at the first attempt.
Russia 2018
Germany 2006
Japan/S Korea 2002
France 1998
USA 1994
Senegal's first World Cup appearance since 2002, when they stunned France in the opening game - has a less colourful look. The red and yellow trim has been ditched for Russia.
Russia 2018
Japan/S Korea 2002
A joint Serbia and Montenegro team played in blue at the 2006 World Cup, echoing the colour used for decades by Yugoslavia.
Russia 2018
South Africa 2010
For this tournament, Nike have supplied South Korea with a very simple kit. A redesigned national badge in black is the most notable feature.
Russia 2018
Brazil 2014
South Africa 2010
Germany 2006
Japan/S Korea 2002
France 1998
USA 1994
Italy 1990
Mexico 1986
Switzerland 1954
Criticised for a pattern resembling the anti-monarchy flag of the Second Spanish Republic, Adidas say it is the 1994 kit worn in the USA that inspired it.
Russia 2018
Brazil 2014
South Africa 2010
Germany 2006
Japan/S Korea 2002
France 1998
USA 1994
Italy 1990
Mexico 1986
Spain 1982
Argentina 1978
England 1966
Chile 1962
Brazil 1950
Italy 1934
Subtle angled stripes on the 2018 kit are influenced by the shirts the Swedes took to Italy in 1990. They will hope for better luck - Sweden lost all three of their games in Italy.
Russia 2018
Germany 2006
Japan/S Korea 2002
USA 1994
Italy 1990
Argentina 1978
West Germany 1974
Mexico 1970
Sweden 1958
Brazil 1950
If at first glance you think the 2018 Swiss home kit is covered with squiggly lines, look more closely. It's actually a topographical map inspired by the country's mountains.
Russia 2018
Brazil 2014
South Africa 2010
Germany 2006
USA 1994
England 1966
Chile 1962
Switzerland 1954
Brazil 1950
France 1938
Italy 1934
Having switched over the years from using red as a home colour to white, the 2018 Tunisia kit features a subtle red gradient on the trim.
Russia 2018
Germany 2006
Japan/S Korea 2002
France 1998
Argentina 1978
The Sun of May from Urguay's flag appears subtly as a pattern across the Uruguay shirt. The team's nickname, La Celeste, derives from their sky blue shirts.
