Friday, September 18th, brought the usual weekly fire, with a fresh batch of alternate kit releases dropping. With the European season already underway, teams are rolling out their third kits, and these clubs did not hold back with seriously cool designs inspired by history and classic aesthetics.
Euro Clubs Bring Back the Classics
First up, Chelsea’s new third kit for the 2026/27 season, hooked up with Nike, is a straight-up blast from the past. They pulled inspiration from their 1993 model, and man, it screams retro. It’s mostly white with thin red vertical lines, and that traditional royal blue pops on the collar and cuffs. The coolest part? The club badge itself goes “retro,” swapping out the current crest. Talk about a nod to the past, right?
Then we’ve got Inter Milan dropping their third kit for 2026/27, also a Nike joint, and they’re hitting the 90s hard. It’s got a dark gray base, but what really grabs you is this wide black horizontal band cutting across the chest. Below that, a thin blue line for contrast, which is just slick. You’ll see blue and black on the collar and crest too, while yellow makes a subtle appearance inside the crest, on the iconic Nike “swoosh,” and with the sponsor’s name. It’s a clean look that shouts 90s.
Roma’s Elegant Statement
Across Italy, AS Roma also unveiled their third kit for the 2026/27 season, partnered with Adidas. These guys went for straight elegance, opting for a charcoal-gray base that plays with different shades and textures. It’s not just a flat gray, you know? They’ve got patterns inspired by classical ornamental elements on the front, creating different effects depending on how the light hits them. That’s next-level design! Roma’s traditional yellow and red colors show up subtly on the sleeves, and the crest is smack-dab in the center, right under that famous Adidas logo. It’s understated, classy, and super refined.
Corinthians Honors a Legend
But man, if you want a kit with a story, Corinthians just launched their third kit as a huge tribute to their former goalkeeper, Tobias. This guy was a legend, a key figure in the famous “Corinthian invasion” of the Maracanã back in 1976. And get this: this kit isn’t just for outfield players; even the goalkeepers, across both the men’s and women’s teams, will rock it! The base color is a beautiful sky blue, directly inspired by Tobias’s original kit worn against Fluminense in the Brazilian Championship 50 years ago. It’s got an elegant polo-style collar with a button closure and black piping around the edges. Every single detail in the launch pieces referenced that rainy afternoon at the Maracanã, with a sky full of heavy clouds. This isn’t just a kit; it’s history stitched into fabric.
So yeah, that’s the rundown. From retro Euro vibes to deep dives into Brazilian soccer history, these alternate kits are setting a tone for the season. Which one are you grabbing?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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