There’s nothing worse than two teams running out onto the field of play only to find their jerseys clash; the apparent confusion on who to pass to, despite working alongside your teammates day after day, can be too much to bear. Thankfully, teams now come prepared; a second kit is always packed for just such an emergency.
But what about those soccer teams that have green jerseys? Is it a cunning ploy to blend in with the grass, or is it because these teams are free spirits yearning for a greener earth? It’s unlikely to be either of these reasons, but the fact remains that surprisingly few soccer teams still play in green.
Is it harder to spot a teammate? As of the 2022/2023 Serie A season, no green teams will be allowed to step onto the hallowed turf. Is it to help players find each other with that defense-splitting pass? Or to remove the advantage?
No, it makes it easier for you to spot the players while watching them on TV. Money talks and the Italian top division has listened. Armchair sports fans will no longer have to peer hopefully at the screen as they try to pick out their 6-foot-tall striker, cunningly hiding in plain sight.
| Team | Notable Information |
|---|---|
| Cameroon National Team | 8 World Cup finals; Quarter-final in 1990 |
| Real Betis | La Liga; 5th in 2022; Won Copa del Rey 2022 |
| SE Palmeiras | Big club in Brazil; Fierce rivalry w/ Corinthians |
| Nigeria National Team | Uses green; 3-time African Cup winners |
| Mexico National Team | Tricolor kit; Quarter-finals in 1986 WC |
| Ireland National Team | Green jersey; Strong 1990 World Cup |
| VfL Wolfsburg | Green jersey; Bundesliga title in 2009 |
| Sassuolo Calcio | Consistent in Serie A; Green jersey banned |
| AS Saint Etienne | 10 Ligue 1 titles; Plays in Ligue 2 |
But with the Serie A ban imminent, how many teams still proudly wear their green jerseys? Let’s take a look, shall we?
9. Cameroon National Team
Cameroon is the most consistent African soccer team in history, having qualified for no less than eight World Cup finals.
The Indomitable Lions, as the team is known, may only have made it out of the group stages once but were the first African team ever to reach a Quarter-final, where they lost to England in the 1990 World Cup.
It’s not hard to see why the national team plays in a green jersey, red shorts, and yellow socks; like many national teams, Cameroon took its colors from the national flag.
The five-time African Cup of nations winners wear their jerseys with pride, and the fans of Cameroon are some of the most colorful and vocal in world soccer.
8. Real Betis
Despite being a perennial yo-yo club, Real Betis are a team on the rise; the club has remained in La Liga from 2015-16 and finished in a lofty 5th place in the 2022 season. The club motto,
“Long live Betis even when they lose!” tells you all you need to know about the fan’s expectations. In reality, Betis are actually a La Liga stalwart, having accumulated 57 seasons in the top flight.
As well as an excellent league position, Real Betis won the Copa del Rey in 2022, their first trophy for over 17 years.
The club jersey is green with vertical white stripes, thanks to a club founder having studied in Scotland. After falling in love with Glasgow Celtic, the club adopted the same colors as their Scottish counterparts upon the founder’s return to Andalucia.
7. SE Palmeiras
Founded by Italian immigrants in 1914, Palmeiras have grown to become of the biggest soccer clubs in Brazil.
The Sao Paulo club has a large and passionate fan base that rivals that of many European clubs, and given the team’s recent successes, that’s likely only to increase. The club
plays in a dark green jersey, white shorts, and dark green socks, and its colors are instantly recognizable throughout Brazil.
Nicknamed “Big Green,” Palmeiras have a fierce rivalry with Corinthians, and the clubs hate each other with a passion.
Considered the biggest rivalry in Brazil and even one of the most aggressive in world soccer, the hatred is so ingrained that in 2021, Corinthians striker, Jo, was fined for wearing green boots simply because green is the color of hated rivals Palmeiras.
6. Nigeria National Team
Another famous African soccer team that uses the colors from its national flag is Nigeria; the Super Eagles, as they’re affectionately known, have used several variations of green on their jersey over the years.
From forest green and jade green to the office green color used today, Nigeria’s national team is one of the most recognizable in Africa.
The three-time African Cup of Nations winners has often overachieved on the world stage, ranking as high as 5th in the FIFA world rankings in 1994. While the Super Eagles currently rank 31st, failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will likely see that ranking drop even further.
5. Mexico National Team
The tricolor kit of the Mexican national soccer team is a nod to the national flag of the country and has been the de-facto jersey of Mexico since the 1950s. The green jersey, white shorts, and red socks of the Mexican kit have a rich history, with the team winning numerous titles over the years.
A notable mention has to go to the 1986 Mexico World Cup, where Mexico reached the quarter-finals, cheered on by passionate home fans.
The sea of green jerseys in the Estadio Azteca was an incredible sight, as over 100,000 fans saw Mexico bravely draw 0-0 with West Germany. While crushingly disappointing, losing on penalties showed just how good Mexico was as a soccer nation.
4. Ireland National Team
A team hailing from the Emerald Isle, with a nickname like “The Boys In Green,” would hardly stride out onto the field wearing a yellow jersey. So it’s no shock that the Republic of Ireland plays their international soccer in a green jersey.
The national team had its greatest period of success between 1986-1995 when the Boys in Green qualified for two World Cup finals and a European Championship.
Under World Cup-winning manager Jack Charlton, the Republic of Ireland had a strong 1990 World Cup, making it to the quarter-finals, where the team lost to Italy.
The nation stopped in its tracks for several days during the finals as the squad captured the hearts of not only Ireland supporters but also quickly became everyone else’s second team. The sheer excitement the players displayed and the excellent results they achieved quickly made the squad one of the most popular at the tournament.
The Republic’s fans were also well received, with an army of green jerseys swarming throughout Italy, making friends and generally enjoying themselves.
Unlike larger countries who went hoping to win the World Cup, the Republic of Ireland fans went to create memories and lots of them.
3. VfL Wolfsburg
Formed in the aftermath of World War Two, in a city that was itself only founded in 1938 to house workers at what would become Volkswagen, Wolfsburg is a Bundesliga team with an interesting history. The team has always played in a green jersey and has done so throughout all levels of German soccer.
Wolfsburg spent many years in the lower leagues before the early 1990s, then moved up to the 2. Bundesliga in 1993.
The team finally made it into the Bundesliga in 1997 and gradually built a foundation that has remained strong. Several flirtations with relegation made the clubs first, and then, Bundesliga title win in 2009.
Given that recent developments in the Serie A have meant that teams can no longer take to the field in green jerseys, it’s to be hoped, especially by Wolfsburg fans who have supported their team since its creation, that the German league allows the club to keep its iconic soccer jersey as it is.
Wolfsburg is a big, successful club with a great history, and a big part of that history has been played in green, and long may it remain so.
2. Sassuolo Calcio
Founded in 1920, Sassuolo Calcio is one of the smallest clubs in the Italian Serie A, yet also one of the most consistent.
Having been promoted to the top league in 2013, the club has constantly outperformed many expectations and is a deserved member of one of the greatest leagues in world soccer.
This makes it all the more tragic that soon, the club will no longer be playing in the green and black jersey that has been a part of the club since the beginning.
The club’s famous green and black kit first appeared in 1921, a year after they were founded, after an English club, Lancaster FC, had to cancel a pre-arranged friendly.
As an apology, the English side gifted their team jerseys to Sassuolo, and the club has played in the colors ever since. Sadly, from the 2022-2023 season, the Italian Soccer Federation has decided that no teams in the Serie A can play in a green jersey, as it makes it harder to see the players on television.
A travesty for Sassuolo, and doubtless an argument that will rage on for some time; Sassuolo fans are understandably heartbroken. It’s unlikely the decision will be reversed, and this will be the last time Sassuolo Calcio will ever be on a list such as this.
While non-soccer fans will be baffled by the uproar, true soccer fans know the importance of a club’s colors.
1. AS Saint Etienne
You may wonder why a team that plays its soccer in the second division of the French leagues is in the top spot on our list. It’s partly due to the team playing in green, of course, as well as the club’s nickname, “The Greens.” It’s also because AS Saint Etienne has won ten Ligue 1 titles, the joint record in French soccer.
Founded in 1920, Saint Etienne enjoyed their greatest success between 1956 and 1981, winning a record ten titles during that period. The Greens are one of the most successful sides in French soccer, so the club’s gradual decline has been a bitter pill for fans to swallow.
Now languishing in Ligue 2, Saint Etienne desperately hopes to return to the top flight this season. The club badge is bright green, as is the kit; the players wear a green jersey, shorts, and socks for home games and an all-white strip for away games.
Just like Wolfsburg in Germany, fans of Saint Etienne will be warily monitoring the situation in Sassuolo and desperately hoping the French Soccer Federation will allow teams that play in green to keep their jerseys as they are.
With Saint Etienne having an almost 90-year history, losing another iconic green club jersey would be too much to bear.
