TA: The player version of the long-sleeved jersey is back in full force. In addition to functionality, it also focuses on style and personal expression.

November 15th News The image of some football players is always inseparable from their long-sleeved jerseys. From the 1990s to David Beckham in the early 2000s, to Torres and Cantona before that, the long-sleeved jersey has been their signature look. In addition, Arsenal legend Henry is also famous for wearing long-sleeved jerseys with gloves. Theathletic writes about the return of the long-sleeved jersey trend.

This style lasted until about 15 years ago. UnderArmour's success in American sports prompted football equipment manufacturers to switch to short-sleeved jerseys with base layers instead of true long-sleeved jerseys. Some brands have even stopped producing long-sleeved jerseys entirely in favor of lighter and more high-tech gear. While stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe have maintained the aesthetic of long-sleeved jerseys, authentic player-issue long-sleeved jerseys have been extremely rare in games and in stores over the past decade.

However, this season saw the full return of the true player's version of the long-sleeved jersey. Classic Jersey founder and CEO Doug Bilton calls this "a renaissance of the pinnacle jersey era." Bilton is particularly fond of long-sleeved jerseys, and in addition to running one of the world's most popular vintage jersey stores, he made a YouTube video in 2021 called "The Tragic Death of Long-Sleeved Jerseys." He said some Premier League clubs would have a lot of long-sleeved shirts left in their kit rooms at the end of the season because sports science departments banned players from wearing them anymore.

Arsenal's move away from long-sleeved shirts was slower than other clubs. The north London side have a long-standing tradition of having the captain decide whether players will wear long-sleeved or short-sleeved shirts for each game. This tradition was broken in November 2013 when Flamini cut off his long sleeves before a game against Marseille. But long-sleeved shirts are making a comeback this season, especially among Premier League clubs sponsored by Adidas. While Adidas is not the only brand to re-make true long-sleeved jerseys (Nike also produces player-version long-sleeved jerseys for Chelsea), eight of the 20 Premier League teams (40%) have their jerseys produced by Adidas this season.

Bilton pointed out that Liverpool and Newcastle United's Adidas sponsorship may help the long-sleeved jerseys be more visible. Players such as Szoboszlai, McAllister and Walter Mader have all embraced the nostalgic style. The same goes for Ekitic, despite receiving a red card against Southampton in September for taking off his short-sleeved shirt.

Players' desire for more options is also a factor in the return of long-sleeved jerseys. Havertz has obviously always liked long-sleeved jerseys. Since joining Chelsea in 2020, he has been wearing bottom layers with long-sleeved jerseys. Even during Arsenal's pre-season, he only wore short-sleeved shirts in the heat and humidity against Milan and Newcastle. He wore the long-sleeved shirt again against Tottenham and Manchester United.

Not all players stick to one option. Arsenal captain Odegaard has mixed options. He wore long-sleeved shirts against Leeds United and Liverpool, but opted for short-sleeved shirts in other games. This decision may depend on how you feel that day. When Arsenal faced Liverpool at the end of August, he and Martinelli had both short- and long-sleeved shirts available in the dressing room. Interestingly, players choose long-sleeved jerseys not only for functionality but also for style and personal expression.

After years of replicating long-sleeved jerseys, fans can now finally wear authentic player versions of long-sleeved jerseys, and players are no longer limited to wearing base layers. With the cold winter months approaching, we'll see who among the new generation of players truly fits the style of long-sleeved jerseys. For fans of football and aesthetics who care about this aspect, the sport may not be as far away as some say. In fact, it may have just returned.