It’s official – Liverpool and adidas will reunite at the culmination of this season, confirming what has been one of the worst kept secrets in football, something the brand have leant into for their announcement. Here, we take a look at why it’s such an iconic partnership.
Anyone with even a passing interest in football kit culture will have known this was already on the cards, but Liverpool and adidas have today made it official, announcing a multi-year partnership that will see the sports brand becoming the club's official kit partner from the 2025/26 season onwards. But we’ll have to wait until 1 August – when the current Nike deal has officially ended – to see what the new kits will look like, as the two entities come together for a third stint.
Speaking about the partnership, Bjørn Gulden, CEO of adidas, said: “We are very excited that adidas and Liverpool Football Club are teaming up once again. The club is one of the biggest and most iconic names in world football with a huge fan base. We are honoured to once again provide the players with cutting-edge technology to perform at the highest level. The jerseys worn during previous partnerships are some of the greatest ever created. We are looking forward to bringing back some of these classics and creating new exciting products for the fans.”
That was followed up by Billy Hogan, chief executive officer, Liverpool Football Club, who added: “Everyone at the club is incredibly excited to welcome adidas back into the LFC family once again. We have enjoyed fantastic success together in the past and created some of the most loved LFC kits of all time. It’s the perfect time for us to partner together once again and we look forward to creating more iconic kits and continued on the pitch success, that will build on our wonderful, shared history.”
While the partnership with Nike was an exciting one, coming off the back of one of the most successful periods in the club’s recent history – in which they lifted their sixth European Cup and their first league title in 30 years in New Balance kits – it has ended up being relatively short lived. It was the first time that Nike and Liverpool had partnered, and as a result it came with a lot of hype. But despite some exciting drops with the likes of LeBron James and Converse, it never really hit the levels that were anticipated when the partnership was first announced. The difference with adidas is that the foundations are already in place. For a lot of Liverpool fans, this will feel like coming home.
See, Liverpool and adidas have worked closely throughout some of the club’s most iconic eras, sharing a successful and memorable partnership during two key periods: from 1985 to 1996 and again from 2006 to 2012. It was throughout these years that the club achieved significant success, securing an impressive collection of trophies, including three domestic league titles and eleven domestic cup triumphs. In adidas, the club lifted multiple FA Cups, League Cups, and other domestic honours, cementing their reputation as one of England’s most dominant teams but also crafting that link between the Three Stripes and success.
These two eras cover a huge chunk of the current fanbase. Kids who grew up watching the likes of Hansen, Souness, Dalgleish, Barnes, Rush and so many more ripping up the record books through the late 70s and 80s grew into adults, and they’ve since likely raised their kids to be Reds, who watched Gerrard, Carragher, Torres and Alonso in their height. Two amazing generational periods, both in adidas kits.
Ah, the kits. Beyond the silverware, Liverpool’s adidas kits became some of the most iconic and beloved in the club’s history throughout these periods. Couple up the first period of Three Stripe offerings with either Crown Paints or Candy and you're basically tapping into pure footballing nostalgia. Then flash forward to Carlsberg, and it's much the same – fan favourites that now represent eras of success and some of the best players to have ever worn Liverpool kits.
The adidas x Liverpool collaboration has captured the essence of the club's identity, combining elite performance with stylish designs that resonated with supporters worldwide. Now, as the two reunite, we can all eagerly anticipate a new era of iconic kits.
Roll on 1 August...
