With their first preseason fixture of the summer looming, Manchester United have unveiled their new kit for the 2021-22 season.
– JUMP TO: Barcelona launch new away kit
Inspired by the simple, unembellished United kits of the 1960s — worn by legends such as Sir Bobby Charlton, Denis Law and George Best — the new strip has been pared down accordingly.
Welcome to a new era of possibility.
Welcome to a world that works better.Welcome, @TeamViewer ?#MUFC #BringingYouCloser pic.twitter.com/83y372oF62
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 15, 2021
Plain red with oversized collars and cuffs, the design is simple and nostalgic, while the shirt carries the motto “Youth, Courage, Success” stamped inside the neck — three words that United feel encapsulate their core club ethos.
“The three pillars of Manchester United’s motto have brought the club more than a century of triumphs,” the official description reads. “This new home kit celebrates those that came before us and led us to some of our greatest moments. Now it’s time for a new generation to leave a mark.”
The front of the 2020-21 shirt also bears a new sponsor, with the TeamViewer logo replacing Chevrolet.
After starting life in green and gold, United made the switch to wearing an all-red shirt, white shorts and black socks at the turn of the 20th century — colours they have proudly sported ever since.
Throughout the 1960s, United streamlined their palette even further by swapping out the black socks in favour of white and/or red, and these are the iconic home strips they wore at Old Trafford while winning two First Division titles (1964-65 and 1966-67) and their first-ever European Cup (1967-68).
That said, United actually wore blue — a colour more closely associated with a neighbouring club just across town — when they beat Benfica 4-1 at Wembley to lift the 1968 European Cup, but the less said about that, the better.
Barcelona pay homage to women’s team with new kit
Man United aren’t the only big club to roll out a new kit, with Barcelona also proudly introducing their new away strip for 2020-21.
On the 50th anniversary of the formation of the club’s first women’s team, Barca have taken the opportunity to pay homage to that pioneering team.
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A tribute to our first female players ? @FCBFemeni pic.twitter.com/gbcg5qry8t
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) July 15, 2021
As such, the Catalans have produced a lavender shirt with stripes down the flank that contain selected lyrics from their club anthem, the “Cant del Barca” (“Anthem for Barcelona”).
Indeed, the stripes feature the phrase “Tots units fem forca” (“United we are strong”), with the original masculine version running down one side of the shirt and an updated feminine version on the other.