Football kits often represent something – values, culture, history, location, a tribute, an affiliation and so forth – and it is why every one of them has a deeper meaning.
The green colour is one of the least worn jerseys, nevertheless, some big clubs in Europe and beyond are among the teams that play in green kits.
- Celtic play at home in green and white horizontal hoops shirts, socks and white shorts.
- Lokomotiv Moscow don deep green shirts and socks with a touch of red, while their shorts are purely red with green designs beside.
- Ludogorets Razgrad play in all-green kits from top to bottom.
- Palmeiras play in deep green shirts and socks, accompanied by white shorts.
- Panathinaikos rock green and white stripes on their shirts, complete with green shorts and green and white socks.
- Real Betis play in green and white shirts, black shorts and black and green socks.
- Saint-Etienne don all-green kits with white on the necks and arms.
- Sassuolo play in green with black stripes shirts, black shorts and socks.
- Sporting Lisbon wear green and white horizontal stripes on their tops and socks alongside black shorts.
- Werder Bremen play in white and green shirts and socks, accompanied by green shorts.
- Wolfsburg play in all-bright green kits, with a coastal blue design on the arms.
At international level, some big countries are among the teams that play in green jerseys.
Source: https://www.footballkitarchive.com/nigeria-2018-home-kit/- Cameroon play in green shirts, red shorts and yellow socks.
- Mexico rock green shirts, white shorts and red socks.
- Nigeria play in green and white shirts and socks, with green shorts to match.
- Northern Ireland rock all-green kits, with a touch of blue atop their socks.
- Republic of Ireland play in green shirts and socks, and white shorts, with orange on the sleeves and at the tip of their shorts and socks.
Read this guide to football teams that play in green kits – if you know of any others that should be on the list, please get in touch!
Football Clubs that play in green kits
There are lots of football teams that play in green kits – below are some of the more well known green football teams:
Celtic
Celtic were founded in 1887 and have won 113 major trophies.
They have worn green kits since 1889 and are nicknamed the Bhoys, the Celts and the Hoops.
Celtic are one of only five clubs on the planet to have won over 100 trophies in their history, with 52 Scottish League Championships, 40 Scottish Cups, 20 Scottish League Cups and one European Cup under their belt.
The Glasgow-based outfit play in the 60,411-capacity Celtic Park.
Lokomotiv Moscow
Lokomotiv Moscow were founded in 1922 and have won 17 major trophies.
They have worn green kits since 1936 and are also called Loko and Parovozy (Steam Locomotives).
They are currently suspended by the European Club Association following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, unable to participate in continental club competitions as a result.
The RZ Arena (which hosts 27,320 fans) outfit have won three Russian Premier League titles, two Soviet Cups, the Russian Cup a record nine times and three Russian Super Cups.
Ludogorets Razgrad
Ludogorets Razgrad were founded in 1945 and have won 18 major trophies.
The Eagles have worn green kits since inception and they play in the 10,422-capacity Huvepharma Arena.
Ludogorets have 11 First Professional Football League titles, two Bulgarian Cups and five Bulgarian Supercups to their name.
Palmeiras
Palmeiras were founded as Palestra Italia in 1914, changing to their current name in 1942.
They have won 42 trophies and have worn green kits since inception. Palmeiras are also known as Periquito Verde (Plain Parakeet), Porco (Pig) and
Verdao (Big Green), with the 43,713-capacity Allianz Parque hosting their home games.
They have won three Copa Libertadores, 10 Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A titles, 24 Campeonato Paulista titles, four Copa do Brasil (Brazil Cups) and one Copa dos Campeoes (Brazilian Champions Cup).
Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos were founded in 1908 as Football Club of Athens before a change to their current name in 1924.
They have won 42 trophies and have worn green kits since 1911.
Panathinaikos’ home is the 15,000-capacity Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium and they are also referred to as Οι Πράσινοι-I Prasini (The Greens) and Το Τριφύλλι-To Tryfili (The Shamrock).
They have 20 Super League titles, 19 Greek Cups and three Greek Super Cups to their name.
Real Betis
Real Betis were founded in 1907 as Espana Balompie before changing to their current name in 1914.
They have won four major trophies and have worn green kits since 1911, adopting Celtic’s kit at that time – vertical stripes of green and white.
Betis play in the 60,720-capacity Estadio Benito Villamarin and are also known as Los Verdiblancos (The Green-and-Whites), Verdes (The Greens), Beticos
Heliopolitanos (Heliopolitans) and El Glorioso (The Glorious).
They have won one La Liga title and three Copa del Reys.
Saint-Etienne
Saint-Etienne were founded in 1933 and have won 22 major trophies. They have worn green kits since inception and are also dubbed Sainte, Les Verts (The Greens) and Les Stephanois (The Stephanois).
Saint-Etienne play in the 41,965-capacity Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, with a joint record 10 Ligue 1 titles, six Coupe de France (French Cups), five Trophee des Champions (Champions’ Trophy) and a Coupe de la Ligue (French League Cup) to their name.
Sassuolo
Sassuolo were founded in 1920 and are without any major trophies.
They have worn green kits since 1921 after Lancaster Rovers donated their green shirts to them to apologise for missing a fixture during their tour of Italy.
The Serie A outfit play in the 21,584-seat Mapei Stadium – Citta del Tricolore, and are also called I Neroverdi (The Black and Greens) and The Watermelon Peel.
Sporting Lisbon
Sporting Lisbon were founded in 1906 and have won 54 trophies.
They have worn green kits since their foundation and are the third most decorated Portuguese team, with the 50,095-seat Estadio Jose Alvalade their home ground.
Sporting are also known as Leoes (Lions) and Verde e Brancos (Green and Whites), and they count 19 Primeira Liga titles, 17 Taca de Portugal (Portuguese Cups), four Taca da Liga (Portuguese League Cups), nine Supertaca Candido de Oliveira (Portuguese Super Cups), four Campeonato de Portugals (Championship of Portugal) and one European Cup Winners’ Cup as accolades.
It was a pre-season friendly game between Sporting Lisbon and Manchester United where Cristiano Ronaldo tormented United’s defence so much, they signed him after the game – check out the highlights below:
Werder Bremen
Werder Bremen were founded in 1899 and have won 16 major trophies.
They have worn green kits since inception and are also called Die Werderaner (The River Islanders) and Die Grün-Weißen (The Green-Whites), with the 41,100-capacity Weserstadion their home ground.
Bremen have won four Bundesliga titles, six DFB-Pokal (German Cups), one DFL-Ligapokal (German League Cup), three DFL-Supercups and one European Cup Winners’ Cup.
Wolfsburg
Wolfsburg were founded in 1945 and have won three major trophies.
They have worn green kits since 1945 and are also known as Die Wolfe (The Wolves), playing in the 30,000-seat Volkswagen Arena.
Wolfsburg have won a Bundesliga title, one DFB-Pokal and one DFL-Supercup. Kevin De Bruyne made his name at Wolfsburg before signing for Man City – check out the best bits from his time there below:
National teams that play in green kits
Cameroon
The Cameroon national football team were founded in 1956 and have won five major trophies.
They have worn green kits since inception and are also known as Les Lions Indomptables (The Indomitable Lions).
Cameroon have five Africa Cup of Nations trophies to their name.
Mexico
The Mexico national football team were founded in 1923 and have won 13 major trophies.
They have worn green kits since the 1950s as the colour represents one of the three colours (green, white and red) of their national flag.
They are also called El Tri (The Tricolor), with one FIFA Confederations Cup, 11 CONCACAF Championship/Gold Cups and one CONCACAF Cup under their belt.
Nigeria
The Nigeria national football team were founded in 1949 and have won three major trophies.
They have worn green kits since 1960, shortly after their independence and were earlier nicknamed Green Eagles due to their national colours (green and white).
They are now known as the Super Eagles and have won three Africa Cup of Nations titles.
Nigeria have had some great kits over the years, and made the headlines with their 2018 world cup kit that everyone loved.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland were founded in 1882 and are without major honours.
They have worn green kits since they were founded and are also dubbed Green Army and Norn Iron.
Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland were founded in 1924 and have no trophies to their name. They have worn green kits since inception and are popularly known as The Boys in Green (Na buachaillí i nglas).
Other football teams that play in green kits
Some more football teams that play in green kits include:
- America Mineiro
- Atletico Nacional
- Avellino
- Bolivia
- Brocton
- Club Leon
- Groningen
- Forest Green Rovers
- Hibernian
- Lancaster Rovers
- Lechia Gdansk
- Plymouth Argyle
- Shamrock Rovers
- The New Saints
- Yeovil Town