A new study has revealed the most in-demand football kits in the UK, with the Manchester United strips ranking as the most popular.
The research, conducted by football shirt retailer UKSoccerShop, used Google Keyword Planner to analyse nationwide searches for the shirts of Premier and Championship League teams over the last five years, identifying the teams with the most eager fans.
Manchester United ranked first with the highest number of searches for their team’s football shirt, with 321,760 searches in 2023. In fact, the team’s kit has been the most popular for the past four years, consistently receiving the most searches.
Since 2014, Adidas have manufactured the iconic jerseys, replacing Nike as their official kit sponsor. In 2023, they renewed their partnership with a record-breaking £900 million deal, extending the club’s relationship with Adidas for another 10 years.
Manchester United’s continued popularity identifies a strong connection between the club and its supporters. It’s no surprise they top the ranking as they also have the highest social media following with 63.3 million Instagram followers, revealing them as the team with the most devoted fans.
Gooners in second
Ranking in second place, Arsenal’s football shirts garnered an impressive 296,700 searches across 2023. The Gunners’ kit has firmly secured its position as the second favourite shirt, maintaining the second spot for two consecutive years.
The club’s timeless charm has made their football shirts one of the most sought-after in the UK, with fans waiting excitedly each year for the annual kit release. Arsenal’s substantial fan base is undeniably advantageous, as the team is currently second in the League table.
Liverpool in third
Ranking in third place, Liverpool’s kit was searched for over 235,000 times in 2023 alone. Liverpool is currently topping the League table and with their 44.3 million Instagram followers, there is always hope that their shirts could rise to number one next year.
Despite winning the 2022-2023 Premier League for the third year in a row, Manchester City only placed fourth in the findings, with 183,020 searches in 2023. It appears that, despite their impressive on-field performance, there is comparatively less enthusiasm among fans for wearing the team’s jerseys.
Manchester City’s ranking is even more surprising considering the presence of popular players such as Jack Grealish, who have made the team an appealing choice for fans.
Chelsea kits round out top five
Despite currently ranking tenth in the League, Chelsea’s kit was the fifth most searched for last year, with over 170,000 searches. Their dark blue kit is clearly still a favourite among football fans and the team has plenty of supporters as evidenced by their 41.6 million Instagram followers.
In sixth and seventh place are Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa football shirts, with 116,070 and 78,460 searches, respectively.
The eighth and ninth spots go to Newcastle United and West Ham United, with 69,560 and 64,340 searches across the UK in 2023, respectively.
Newcastle United’s iconic jerseys have made headlines across 2023 as the team decided to end their partnership with Castore, after multiple complaints concerning the quality of the shirts. Newcastle signed a five-year deal in 2023 with Adidas, who will be manufacturing the jerseys from the 2023/2024 season onwards.
Meanwhile, West Ham United have continued their £7million deal with kit provider Umbro.
Only just making it into the top ten, Everton football club had 38,230 searches last year for their shirts.
