Newcastle Adds Some Color with Third Kit, Plus Other Recent European Soccer Unveilings

As domestic football leagues in Europe kick into high gear, the number of kit unveilings has slowed down. But a few continue to trickle in, including third and special edition kits. Let’s take a closer look at some of the kits unveiled recently …

NEWCASTLE UNITED – Third

After unveiling a traditional black-and-white home kit and a grey-and-black away kit, Premier League side Newcastle United injected some much-needed color into their 2021-22 kits with their third jersey, made by Castore. It is predominantly light blue, with a navy blue crew neck collar and sleeve cuffs. The front of the shirt features a pattern of intersecting navy blue angled pinstripes. The sponsor logos and monochromatic club crest are also navy blue.

LEVANTE UD – Third

Spanish La Liga side Levante and manufacturer Macron have teamed up for a third kit they hope will help the players shine in 2021-22. The kit is predominantly gold, with “an embossed damask-effect print in gold tones for an opulent, ultra-stylish look,” according to Macron. According to Footy Headlines, the pattern is inspired by traditional Valencian clothing, and “pays tribute to Las Fallas, a traditional celebration held annually in commemoration of Saint Joseph in the city of Valencia, Spain.” The jersey features navy blue trim with red stripes on the collar and sleeve cuffs, as well as narrow navy blue inserts along the sides.

REAL BETIS – Third

Meanwhile, Levante’s La Liga counterparts Real Betis have also gone gold with their 2021-22 third kit, made by Kappa, but in a more modern way. The kit is predominantly gold, but features a triangular halftone gradient pattern on the sleeves that fades from dark green to gold. Triangles were big parts of Real Betis’s home and away kits, and were lifted from the club crest. The sponsor logo and Kappa logo on the chest are dark green, as is the monochromatic crest. The crew neck collar and sleeve cuffs are green with gold trim.

1.FC KÖLN – Special Edition

German Bundesliga side 1.FC Köln paid tribute to their unwavering supporters with a special edition fourth kit, made by Uhlsport and worn on Saturday, Aug. 28, as they defeated VfL Bochum 2-1. The shirt is mainly white, with red sponsor logos and trim on the collar and sleeve cuffs. Printed in grey on the bottom half of the front of the shirt, and around the name and number on the back, are the names of almost 6,000 season ticket holders who opted not to take a refund for the 2020-21 season even though they weren’t able to attend matches in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A blown-up version of the club’s crest also appears in grey on the bottom left corner of the front of the shirt.

EINTRACHT FRANKFURT – Europa League

For their Europa League matches in 2021-22, German Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt has rolled out a special fourth kit. It is based on Nike’s Challenge III template, which is also being used by teams like Hertha Berlin (Bundesliga) and Granada (La Liga) this season. Frankfurt’s version is black with tonal diagonal stripes down the front and white logos, including sponsors, Nike and the club crest.