LONDON - Whether you call it soccer or football, the game is a global phenomenon. This has been emphasized and further brought to light by the 2014 World Cup. Across the globe, fans swear allegiance to their national teams and favorite clubs. Some squads are more popular than others and have achieved international stardom and notoriety and this notion is evident in jersey sales. Certain kits, as they are called, have been seen on the backs of supporters varying in age, gender, and ethnicity. However, these fans are united in adoration for their beloved team. To these supporters, football is religion. Here is a list of the ten best-selling jerseys. Notably, some of the most famous players in the game have sported the hallowed colors of these beloved clubs. 10. AC Milan – Italia Serie A Founded in 1899, AC Milan is one of the most distinguished football clubs in Italy’s top tier league Serie A. Milan has been an annual powerhouse that has always showcased some of Italy’s best talent. The team is currently the home of Italian wonderkid Stephan El Shaaraway and recently had famous names like Kaka and Mario Balotelli play for them. Kaka’s jersey was the best-selling item among active roster players. AC Milan’s signature kit is their red and black shirt with trademark vertical stripes. This is Milan’s home jersey, as their away jersey is usually a complete white ensemble. On average, 350,000 AC Milan jerseys are sold every year. Most notably AC Milan is also sponsored by Real Madrid and Arsenal’s largest sponsor: Emirates Airlines. The Fly Emirates crest is inscribed across the chest of every AC Milan jersey. 9. Inter Milan - Italia Serie A The arch rivals of AC Milan have one more thing to brag about: they sell more football kits. In fact, Inter Milan sells one hundred thousand more jerseys than AC Milan annually. The Serie A juggernauts boast an average sale of 450,000 jerseys per year. Inter Milan’s home jersey is strikingly similar to AC Milan. There is one chief difference: Inter Milan wears blue and black, as opposed to AC Milan’s traditional red and black. However, Inter Milan has a very similar style, as they also don the vertical bars. Inter Milan is sponsored by Italian tire manufacturer Pirelli and thus, you can also quickly identify an Inter Milan kit by noticing the Pirelli logo written across the chest. Recently retired Inter Milan legend Javier Zanetti had been a fixture in Inter history for close to 20 years, and was captain of the squad since 1999. His jersey was, and still is, most popular. 8. Juventus - Italia Serie A The third Italian club on this list is none other than the most popular team in Italy, Juventus. Juventus is comparable to Real Madrid or Barcelona in Spain or Manchester United or Chelsea in England, as they are known as the best club in the country. Founded in 1897, it is one of the oldest clubs in Italy. Juventus sells more jerseys than any other Italian club. Totals accumulate to around 480,000 kits annually for the team that has won three consecutive Serie A titles. Among the most popular kits are: Italian legend Andrea Pirlo and captain Gianluigi “Gigi” Buffon. Juventus wears white and black but assembles their jersey in similar fashion to fellow Italian foes AC Milan and Inter Milan. Seemingly, the vertical stripe design is trendy in Italy and Juventus sport a white base with black vertical bars. 7. Arsenal - English Premier League The Gunners sell approximately 800,000 shirts per year. Recently, the Gunners are in a celebratory state commemorating their FA Cup win in 2014. The Gunners had not collected hardware in a decade, but they are a perennial heavyweight in the English Premier League. “Gooners” proudly sport Arsenal’s traditional red and white ensemble. Other variations of Arsenal’s kits include a purple kit with black stripes and red lettering and a yellow away kit revealed in 2013. Notable players that are often seen on Arsenal kits include: Thierry Henry, Cesc Fabregas, Jack Wilshere, and Patrick Viera. Notably, the Gunners were founded in 1886 in the Woolwich section of London. For many years, the Gunners inhabited a quaint stadium in the Highbury section of North London, known as Highbury Grove. In 2006, the Gunners moved to neighboring Finsbury Park and play at the state of the art Emirates Stadium. Fly Emirates is often seen as the primary graphic on Arsenal kits, their chief sponsor. 6. Liverpool - English Premier League As they say in Anfield, where the Reds play, “You’ll never walk alone”. This couldn’t be more evident in Liverpool jersey sales. The traditional power of the English Premier League sell approximately 810,000 kits per year. Just 10,000 more than rival Arsenal. Liverpool could arguably be the Premiership’s most hallowed club, as they dominated Europe in the 80′s. Liverpool shares a storied rivalry with Manchester United, as both vie for historic supremacy. This is most evident in their uncanny ability to collect trophies. Liverpool’s most famous and widely distributed jersey are their home colors, which is a simple red piece with gold lettering. Among some of their most notable footballers are: English international Stephen Gerrard, Daniel Sturridge, and Luis Suarez (now playing for Barcelona). Liverpool sports a famous red kit with the Standard Chartered logo on the chest, although their previous deal with sponsor Carlsberg was the longest lasting shirt deal in English top-flight football. 5. Bayern Munich - Bundesliga Germany’s most famous club, Bayern Munich sells approximately 880,000 jerseys per year. Munich is the epitome of dominance, as they have captured over 20 league titles and more than 15 cups. Bayern Munich’s jersey consists of predominantly red and white. Among their most famous players were goaltender Oliver Kahn and defender Philp Lahm. FC Bayern Munich is among the most notarized German teams, along with Borussia Dortmund. On the international stage, Munich has won several UEFA titles and is regarded as one of the best clubs in the world. 4. Chelsea - English Premier League Perhaps they are the second most well-known club in England, next to Manchester United. The Blues proudly sell around 910,000 jerseys per year. Chelsea is one of London’s most famous football teams and rightfully so. They are an annual title contender and have captured the Premier League trophy three times in the last decade and been runners-up on four more occasions. Chelsea’s trademark uniform is their signature blue kit with white trim. Among the most famous Blues are: John Terry, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, and Mikel Ballack. However, the current squad is certainly capable of proliferating sales. Among the new talent are: Diego Costa, Eden Hazard, and Oscar. All three of these players spearhead a fierce and dangerous Chelsea attack. Chelsea’s greatest rivals are Arsenal and Manchester United, whom they battle for positioning with regularly. 3. Barcelona - La Liga Perhaps Barcelona has the greatest assortment of players in the world. Among the talented roster of Barca are: Lionel Messi, Neymar, Gerard Pique, and Andres Iniesta. Lionel Messi is nearly a unanimous choice for the best footballer in the world. Messi’s Argentina jersey is a best-seller, so it would be no different with his Barcelona kit. Barcelona’s home jersey is its most prominent piece, a maroon and purple striped kit with yellow lettering. The number and name is scripted in the same fashion on the back of the jersey. Lionel Messi’s number 10 jersey could be the best selling individual player jersey in the world. Barcelona is the second richest football club in the world and Barca is not shy to flaunt their financial prowess by landing the world’s greatest players with contracts that are not even competitive to standard clubs. A portion of their financial success can be attributed to the 1.15 million jerseys they sell per year, on average. 2. Manchester United – English Premier League The Red Devils are the face of English soccer, as no team has won more English Premier League titles than the squad that inhabits Old Trafford. Manchester United is a team that has hosted some of England’s greatest footballers, as well as international stars. Some of the players that have famously donned Manchester United’s crimson home kits are David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Ruud van Nistelrooy. David Beckham’s jersey was extraordinarily popular during his term as a midfielder for the Red Devils in the early-to-middle 2000’s. However, the best-selling jersey from Manchester United is none other than their hallowed striker Wayne Rooney. Rooney has been a name synonymous with Manchester United ever since he signed from Everton at the young age of 18-years old. Manchester United sell over 1.4 million jerseys per year and remain the most popular and well-known franchise in England. 1. Real Madrid - La Liga The debate is always had over which team is the greatest in the world: Real Madrid or Manchester United. They are two of the most successful teams in their respective leagues. In Spain, Real Madrid is an institution. In similar fashion to Manchester United, they too sport a line-up of exceptionally gifted athletes. David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo both donned the solid white home jerseys of Real Madrid, accented with black stripes. Most notably, the Adidas-made Real Madrid shirt sports a Fly Emirates logo across the front. Famous for their ‘Galacticos’ era when they numerous superstars like Zidane, Ronaldo, and Luis Figo playing for them, Madrid’s style of play cannot be mistaken. Real Madrid cannot eclipse or fall short of Manchester United’s 1.4 million jerseys sold per year mark, so technically there is a tie at the top of the list. The stalemate in sales figures only fuels the debate further.
