THE JOURNAL
Squad selection is never easy. Just ask Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Didier Deschamps et al. Who makes it on the plane? Who stays home? How do they all fit together and into which formation? There is much to consider. And that’s just packing our bags for the duration of this summer’s World Cup.
Running for a bumper 39 days until 19 July, the 2026 edition of the international football competition will see a record 48 countries vying for glory. In all, that’s 104 matches – and an extra knockout round – to get dressed for. Which means the balance of your wardrobe will come into play.
The good news is that soccer-inspired style has never looked so at home in a man’s sartorial locker. “The football-shirt silhouette has always been iconic, but it is becoming even more influential in modern menswear,” says Farid Hounkponou, Personal Shopper at MR PORTER. “You can see it through oversized jerseys, cropped boxy fits and technical fabrics appearing across many designer collections. Fashion today feels much more comfortable embracing performance and sportswear references as part of everyday dressing.”
The question is do you have strength in depth to cover each position and rotate key players? Thankfully, we’ve assembled a team of sporty pieces to allow for greater tactical flexibility this tournament.
The striped Aimé Leon Dore jersey
A wry take on sportswear from Aimé Leon Dore. In this blue guise, it’s a dead ringer for the Brighton & Hove Albion home kit. There is also a second colour, which is perhaps a nod to a Real Bétis shirt that’s been in the wash too many times. Either way, the cheeky sponsor-style logo across the chest should be the talk of the Sunday league.
The classic Acne Studios jersey
Real Madrid being the obvious muse here, but the likes of Leeds United also play in sparse white kits. (As part of our Consciously Crafted collection, this piece by Acne Studios has been made using materials considered “lower impact”. Which is quite a departure from the more physical style of play that Leeds is traditionally known for.) There’s also a grey version with shades of Euro 1996 England.
The Willy Chavarria logo shell jacket
We’re imagining a 1990s Serie A training kit – AC Milan or Roma – endorsed by a Mexican beer company, with this Casa De Chavarria shell jacket from Willy Chavarria. It comes in a relaxed fit of that era, with a drawstring hem and elasticated cuffs to help it keep its shape.
The KAPITAL jersey track jacket
Squint and you can almost see Franz Beckenbauer turning out for West Germany in the mid 1970s. KAPITAL has played with the dimensions – we dig the exaggerated collar – and multiplied the stripes along the sleeves.
The BODE Lakewood jersey shorts
It might be a stretch to pair these BODE shorts with the iconic (and already heavily decorated) Brazilian Canarinho shirt. But a Barcelona – or even Crystal Palace – jersey with this vintage style would work. Better yet, the matching polo shirt, which has something of the rugby code about it.
The Aimé Leon Dore straight-leg shell sweatpants
While we’re not fully onboard with some of the American meddling going on with the beautiful game – “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” belongs on a wedding dance floor, not 23 minutes into a football match – we’re all for Aimé Leon Dore’s take on sportswear. We could see subs from Atalanta or Club Brugge wearing these shell sweatpants with a fluoro bib for warmups.
The Gallery Dept. Japan T-shirt
Belgium’s 2022 World Cup kit featured flames on the sleeves. Where, despite the air conditioning in the Qatari stadiums, their campaign went up the same way, with the Red Devils failing to make it past the group round for the first time since 1998. Not something to concern Gallery Dept. though. This logo tee is fire.