From Brazil’s iconic R9 shirt to Germany’s 1990 kit: How World Cup nostalgia became soccer’s biggest style trend

NEW YORK -- Saturdays Football’s New York City shops are a gold mine for vintage jersey lovers. Walk into either location and you’ll find a curated selection of soccer shirts ranging from World Cup finals to Maradona’s magic to the U.S. men’s national team’s denim era.

Everyone seems to be calling 2026 the year of nostalgia, and soccer is no exception. As the World Cup approaches, that trend has shown up in the way fans are shopping, with vintage jerseys and retro-inspired shirts becoming part of the buildup to the tournament.

With the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup just around the corner, some favorites are obvious. Lionel Messi’s Argentina shirts remain in demand, and anything tied to Brazil is always going to sell. But World Cup years can also create their own jersey trends, with fans searching for nostalgia, star power and something that feels connected to the moment.

Saturdays has not seen any especially unusual shopping trends emerge yet, but some names continue to fly off the racks.

“That’s a tough one,” Mat Davis, creative director at Saturdays Football, told GOAL. “CR7, Messi, Ronaldinho and R9 are really popular.”

When it comes to national teams, Brazil and Argentina remain the most popular sellers at Saturdays. Those in-store trends line up with a broader picture of what fans are gravitating toward ahead of the 2026 World Cup. According to a Live Football Tickets study that analyzed every released 2026 national team jersey using fan ratings, resale value, search demand and kit reception, Germany currently has the most popular shirt overall, earning a 9.26 out of 10 rating. Norway ranked second at 8.9 out of 10, while Brazil came in third at 8.67 out of 10.

That mix of iconic vintage names, classic national teams and newer designs gaining traction says a lot about how fans approach World Cup jerseys. Some shirts are tied to nostalgia, some to star power and others to the momentum of a tournament that is quickly approaching. So, with demand building, GOAL takes a closer look at what fans are searching for, what is selling and which 2026 World Cup jerseys stand out most.

Germany's home kit pays tribute to the 1990 team that won it all and, according to Live Football Tickets' study, the jersey is once again winning over fans. The shirt is not only a fan favorite, but also generated significant global interest, drawing 600 searches worldwide. The kit blends modern flair with classic elegance and received a 9.26 out of 10 overall rating, making it the highest-rated and most in-demand jersey in the study.

Nostalgia is clearly woven into the design, bringing fans back to 1990, when West Germany won its third World Cup title with a 1-0 victory over Argentina. The original kit was widely considered radical at the time, as designer Ina Franzmann was just 25 years old and chose to incorporate a bold geometric pattern instead of relying on a traditional all-white look. Germany's 2026 World Cup kit revisits that geometric design while adding a more structured modern feel, which feels fitting for the four-time champions.

Soccer jerseys have been part of streetwear for years, but the World Cup has pushed that crossover further into the mainstream. Ahead of 2026, soccer-inspired shirts, shorts, and jersey silhouettes are showing up well beyond traditional football retailers, with everyday clothing brands trying to tap into the sport’s growing cultural pull.

That shift was clear in New York City, where brands such as Aritzia and Old Navy have leaned into soccer-inspired summer pieces, from jersey-style tops to national-team-adjacent designs with lace, ruffles, and lifestyle details. Not all of it is for hardcore fans, and that is part of the point. The World Cup has made soccer style more accessible, turning jerseys and jersey-inspired pieces into fashion items as much as fan gear.

Even Saturdays, a store built around soccer culture, has seen more interest in lifestyle pieces.

"We've seen some real purchase volume in our lifestyle jerseys, which we created around general football culture," Davis said.

Another soccer jersey shop in the city, Classic Football Shirts (CFS), has seen strong demand tied to star players and, more broadly, anything related to Brazil. A spokesperson for CFS pointed to “Brazil in general” as one of the biggest trends among buyers and added that “Neymar is probably going to have a lot of hype now that he has been called up.”

Brazil jerseys have long stood out because their colors transition naturally from the field to streetwear culture. Their away kit for this World Cup leans even further into that lifestyle appeal through its Jordan collaboration, darker color palette and more intimidating aesthetic.

Brazil rarely disappoints aesthetically, though many fans still remember the nation’s infamous 7-1 semifinal loss to Germany at the 2014 FIFA Men’s World Cup. Fortunately for the 2026 squad, both the home and away kits have been extremely well received. Fans love them, consumers are buying them and even trend-driven New York City shops are seeing Brazil jerseys fly off the shelves.

“It’s Brazil and Argentina,” Davis said when asked which countries have the most buying power in the shop. “R9 is really popular,” he added, while also noting that classic Ronaldinho jerseys remain in high demand.

Brazil’s home jersey ranked third overall in the jersey study with a score of 8.67 out of 10. The away kit also contributed heavily to the overall fan rating, earning praise for its darker look, sharp styling and lime accents.

The Jordan collaboration adds another layer of appeal to the collection. Jordan rarely crosses into soccer unless there is a clear cultural fit, and the partnership extends beyond traditional soccer audiences into basketball and streetwear spaces. Among all the World Cup kits, Brazil’s collection stands out for its blend of nostalgia, style and history.

Beyond Germany and Brazil, several other 2026 kits have broken through with fans and collectors. CFS said some of its best sellers have been “Yamal, Spain Away, France Away, USA kits are basically gone, and Brazil in general.”

That list shows how wide the appeal can be during a World Cup cycle. Lamine Yamal is not a nostalgia play, but he represents the other force that drives kit demand: young star power. Spain’s away kit, France’s away shirt, and the USA collection, meanwhile, all offer different versions of national identity through design.

The USA made a statement with its bold striped kit and a quieter, patriotic stars design. Spain’s away kit incorporates elements inspired by Spanish literature, combining the country’s traditional colors with an off-white base and layered storytelling details. France’s away kit captures the feeling of summer in the South of France, with a light turquoise tone that feels tasteful and understated.

France’s home kit takes a more classic route, leaning on a French collar, royal blue color scheme, and a cleaner silhouette that connects more directly to the country’s past. Together, those shirts show how the best World Cup kits do more than sell a look. They give fans a way to wear a team’s identity before the tournament even begins.

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