Football Features

    Every 2019 Afcon home kit ranked from worst to best

    By Steve Jennings

    Published: 13:55, 20 June 2019 | Updated: 16:54, 25 June 2019

    An incredible summer of football continues with the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations just around the corner.

    This year the competition, which is being hosted by Egypt, has been expanded from 16 to 24 teams, meaning there are more debutants than usual.

    Indeed, three nations – Madagascar, Mauritania and Burundi – will appear at the Afcon for the very first time, while past champions such as Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Ghana are all set to take part once again.

    And of course, more teams means more kits.

    We’ve had a look at the home kits of all 24 nations competing at the 2019 Afcon and ranked them for your viewing pleasure.

    24. Burundi

    Tournament debutants Burundi will be delighted to even be in Egypt but unfortunately their red home shirts, made by Garman, leave a lot to be desired. Those faded dots just aren’t for us.

    23. DR Congo

    https://twitter.com/AFCON2019_en/status/1129711450312839169

    Designers O’Neills have used a thin sash to split the colours of the DR Congo flag, but it doesn’t look great, nor does the barely visible leopard’s head from the country’s coat of arms.

    22. Tanzania

    Made by Uhlsport, Tanzania’s blue shirt is modestly smart but the black and green colours of the flag smeared across the front like streaks of paint are quite odd.

    21. Angola

    https://twitter.com/prosoccerkits/status/1136241009183117312

    Angola’s red home kit suffers from having too much going on. There are some decent ideas thought up by manufacturer Lacatoni, but the circular pattern is bizarre and distracts from other areas of the strip.

    20. Guinea

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BydG3JliBWS/?utm_source=ig_embed

    Guinea like to have the three colours of their flag separated for their shirt, shorts and socks. It can look a little garish, and Macron’s curious flourishes don’t help in that regard.

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    19. Madagascar

    This one might come down to personal preference. If you like plain kits, you might like Madagascar’s green home shirt until you notice Garman’s pattern up the middle. It’s certainly different.

    18. Benin

    Benin go into the tournament without an official kit provider. As such, the strip they have been wearing in the build-up is commendable if a little unspectacular.

    17. Kenya

    Macron’s Kenya strip is fine in that it is understated, but that collar design takes away from the rest of the otherwise respectable kit.

    16. Namibia

    Much like Kenya, Namibia’s agreeable all-red kit is let down by Kappa’s strange decision to put a huge white strap across the collar and shoulders.

    15. Zimbabwe

    Perhaps the reason some manufacturers put a pattern in the middle of the shirt is because it looks like a training top without a sponsor. Take Umbro’s yellow Zimbabwe kit, for example.

    14. Guinea-Bissau

    Instead of using the red, yellow and green from their flag as they have in the past, Guinea-Bissau have dispensed with yellow this time and designer Qelemes has complimented the red kit with minimal green.

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    13. Uganda

    Here’s another with a pattern that takes away from a shirt’s understated nature. Unlike Madagascar, though, Mafro’s Uganda strip uses the colours of the flag down the middle, which is more appropriate.

    12. Tunisia

    Kappa have gone with a patterned design for Tunisia’s red home shirt. Fans of traditional kits won’t be overly keen but the design has a certain attractiveness to it.

    11. Senegal

    Senegal will play in the same Puma kit the Under-20s have been wearing at the World Cup, as pictured above. Again, the almost hidden pattern won’t be for everyone but it generally makes for a satisfying strip.

    10. Mali

    Sneaking in at number 10 is Mali’s kit. Some might accuse designer Airness of overkill, but the eagle seemingly set to land on top of the number on the front is a clever, distinctive touch.

    9. Ghana

    Via Puma

    Puma’s Ghana offering is next up. The colours of the flag neatly line the collar without being over the top, and the famous black star gives the shirt its uniqueness.

    8. Morocco

    Adidas’ three stripe design has become iconic, particularly among modern football shirts. The stripes give Morocco’s otherwise simple look a bit of flair on the shoulders and shorts.

    7. Mauritania

    Mauritania’s green home kit, made by AB Sport, could be accused of being excessive in its design. But the flame-like stripes work well with the rest of the shirt, as does the offbeat font for the number.

    6. Egypt

    Puma have gone with a wavy stripe design on the front of Egypt’s shirt, which contrasts nicely with the plain red back, white shorts and black socks.

    5. Ivory Coast

    Via Puma

    Yet more proof that sticking to one colour can sometimes be for the better. Puma have gone with a futuristic panelled design for Ivory Coast’s orange kits – a wise decision.

    4. South Africa

    South Africa generally wear a yellow shirt with small green parts to decorate it. Nike has used a patterned shoulder design to add the green this time, and the result evokes memories of Brazil’s best kits.

    3. Cameroon

    The Le Coq Sportif logo accommodates a football shirt delightfully, making us wonder why they don’t make more kits. Cameroon have certainly benefited from the design, which is top-heavy in a distinctive way.

    2. Nigeria

    Nike’s Nigeria kit received plenty of praise when it was revealed ahead of last summer’s World Cup, and the Super Eagles have stuck with it for the Afcon. The design borders on too much, but in fact it’s just right. It’s set to go down as a classic.

    1. Algeria

    Our winner. The Algeria strip is similar to Adidas’ Germany design, with its unusual but easy-on-the-eye pattern across the chest. What’s more, the typical Adidas stripes and sleeve-ends look as smart as ever.

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