In the summer of ‘96, as a 14-year-old English kid in love with soccer and in awe of the UEFA European Championship on home soil, I saved up and bought my first England jersey: the now classic, Umbro Euro ‘96 white home kit.
Ever since, every World Cup and Euros has meant at least one addition to my collection – often retros, sometimes a goalie kit, occasionally a training or a travel top, and maybe a bonus t-shirt to take the edge off.
Thirty years later, I have nearly enough England gear to wear something different every day of the World Cup.
Fortunately, the shift in fashion from baggy 90’s fits to the looser silhouettes of the 2000’s and 2010’s and finally to the snug athletic cut of the 2020’s has negatively correlated with my ever expanding waistline. So, as I have gotten bigger, my kits still fit. Any further physical inflation could result in every single shirt immediately and simultaneously becoming obsolescent – come back here in four years’ time for the 2030 World Cup update.
Despite all this, I’ve never actually worn one of this memorabilia to an England match.
That changed this summer.
With England’s Round of 32 match against DR Congo taking place in Atlanta – my home since 2007 – and a ticket in hand, I was presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: watching my country in a World Cup knockout game in person.
Naturally, this presented a dilemma: What should I wear to the biggest game of my life?