Major League Soccer Jerseys: Then and Now
Major League Soccer is getting ready to kick off their 17th season and with all the recent club jersey releases on social media (some amazing but some awful) I wanted to take a look back and compare the jerseys of MLS clubs then (1996) and now (2017). You will also see some of the more memorable jersey designs from throughout the past 20 years sprinkled in for comparison's sake.
So without further adieu, here are the original 10 MLS club jerseys from 1996 in no particular order:
Eastern Conference Jerseys - 1996
Western Conference Jerseys - 1996
Besides the extremely "colorful" designs you can also see the very oversized fit which was obviously 90's inspired.
Now onto the current jersey releases. Modern day soccer jerseys have a more streamlined fit but it could easily be argued that the designs are just as "colorful". My least favorite would have to be the D.C. United secondary kit. It simply looks too much like a cyclist jersey to me.
Followed by my second least favorite, this FC Dallas secondary jersey with the somewhat childish starry night design...
There are a few 2017 MLS jersey releases that I did think "Nailed it". First up is this classic design by newcomers, Atlanta United. Clean vertical stripes make great use of the contrasting team colors of black and red. No gimmicks - just a quality concept.
Another classic look comes from the Portland Timbers. At first glance, the dark green may not seem very appealing but it seems to grow on you (figuratively speaking) and the inclusion of the Portland flag on the lower left corner is a nice touch as well.
And last but not least, from MLS expansion side Minnesota United FC, is the one that I am most undecided about. The color scheme and often used diagonal stripe across the chest are appealing however the GIANT Target logo is just too much of a distraction for my liking.
Do you have a favorite 2017 MLS team jersey? What about an all-time favorite? Let me know in the comments below or on Twitter @Chris_Wimmer_77