It’s quite something for a football club to sell the most jerseys in the world. Not only does it show that the team has a huge following, but also its ability to market brands.
For some time, clubs have looked at various factors when it comes to boosting their jersey sales. This includes signing big-name players and creating jersey designs that resonate with fans.
But nothing beats having a dedicated fanbase that will always buy jerseys and support the team regardless of who is in the lineup.
That said, these are the best-selling football jerseys of the past year. We’ve compiled this information from selling outlets, club announcements, and other sources.
1. Liverpool- 1,800,000 units
The top-selling Liverpool soccer jersey bore Mohamed Salah’s name for two previous seasons. Suddenly, fans bought more Dominik Szoboszlai number 8 jerseys, putting Salah in second place.
Fans also bought Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, and Virgil van Dijk jerseys. The Liverpool jersey that sold the least was the Alisson one.
That’s not a surprise since goalkeeper shirts typically sell poorly compared to outfield ones. Still, it is an achievement when fans are willing to buy your goalkeeper’s jersey.
Some soccer clubs’ sales drop drastically after players leave it. Thankfully, this has not been the case for Liverpool.
2. Manchester United- 1,750,000 units
When talking about Manchester United’s top-selling EPL jerseys, few people may think of Marcus Rashford. That is because fans tend to give him mixed reviews.
Despite what people think of him on the pitch, it’s still impressive that his jersey sales overtook those of his captain, Bruno Fernandes.
It’s possible that people bought Marcus’ number 10 jerseys more due to his activism. In 2019, he started the “In the Box Campaign,” a project that gave people without homes essentials on Christmas.
3. Real Madrid- 1,700,000 units
The best-selling soccer jerseys from Real Madrid were from Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior.
When Bellingham joined Real Madrid, he received the No. 5 shirt, which had previously belonged to Zinedine Zidane. Receiving Zidane’s shirt registered in fans’ minds that Jude is as good as the retired player.
Jude deserved the No.5 shirt because he plays like Zidane in his prime. During the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Zidane was a playmaker who created chances for his teammates to score.
With Jude becoming a great midfielder, it’s not hard to see why fans like buying his jerseys.
4. Barcelona- 1,600,000 units
Barcelona’s jersey sales increased significantly once Robert Lewandowski joined the club in 2022. In that season, the club confirmed a revenue of €100m from these sales. The trend has continued since then.
Robert Lewandoski is one of the top scorers in any league he plays. That is evident from the attacking dominance he consistently displays.
Other popular Barcelona jerseys that sell well include Gavi’s and Pedri’s.
5. Tottenham Hotspur- 1,600,000 units
Tottenham Hotspur is among the teams that sell the most jerseys. The most popular jerseys in this club are those belonging to Son Heung-min, Richarlison, and James Madison.
Initially, Harry Kane boosted shirt sales for this club, but that changed once he left the team for another one. Nonetheless, Son Heung-min’s strengths endear him to fans.
His Number 7 jersey is Tottenham Hotspur’s most-sold jersey.
6. Bayern Munich- 1,350,000 units
Harry Kane’s number 9 jersey is the most popular in the club. At 24, the talented English player scored 86 goals in 125 caps.
Bayern Munich sold 50,000 Harry Kane jerseys within a week of signing him. On the first day alone, Bayern Munich sold 15,000 jerseys, amounting to €1 million in sales.
7. Manchester City- 1,290,000 units
Manchester City is among the soccer teams with the best-selling jerseys. Their jerseys are retro-inspired and don’t rely on too many colours. During the opening day of the 2023 season, the club sold a shirt once every 12 seconds.
After signing Erling Haaland, the club enjoyed remarkable sales. His arrival also helped his No. 9 jerseys do well, especially in Scandinavia and the United States.
Other Manchester City players who boosted jersey and kit sales for the 2023 season are Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker.
8. PSG- 1,100,000 units
Kylian Mbappe is a big name responsible for most of the club’s jersey sales. After Lionel Messi and Neymar left the team, Mbappe became the centre of attention.
Interestingly, South Korean national Lee Kang-In is another player who drives almost as many sales as Mbappe.
According to the PSG Report, although Lee is second to Mbappe’s number 10 overall sales, Lee’s No 19 jerseys sell more than Mbappe’s.
The South Korean footballer is treated like royalty in his country, with fans buying his jerseys online to support him.
9. Arsenal- 850,000 units
Martin Odegaard, Saka, and Gabi are the top three players who generate the most jersey sales for Arsenal.
Typically, players influence jersey sales, but another factor that made Arsenal sell many jerseys that season was Adidas’s production of the club’s jerseys after taking over production.
The club’s away kit sales increased by 80% compared to the 2021-2022 season. The Arsenal away jerseys ran out shortly after the season began, with the club and Adidas straining to meet demand.
10. Everton- 465,000 units
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s No 9 drives many jersey sales for this club. Initially, he was battling some domestic issues, which made him less focused on his games. By this point, his fans nearly gave up on him.
Fortunately, Dominic overcame his issues and became the good player he has always been. Once again, he drove sales like before. There is yet to be another player on the team who can attract as many sales as him.
11. Newcastle United-460,000 units
Newcastle United always had good players who attracted jersey sales.
However, no one could have predicted that Bruno Guimaraes would drive the most sales after joining the club. This makes sense because he was named in the squad for the 2022 World Cup.
There are fans who love Bruno’s ability to score a goal from anywhere. Others love him for his sentimentality, which is apparent when he becomes just as sad as the fans after losing a game.
12. Juventus- 450,000 units
Juventus sold many jerseys thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s signing in 2018. 520,000 shirts bearing his name sold within 24 hours of signing.
In 2023, in association with Adidas, the club produced home and away kits for different demographics, such as children and women, thus earning more revenue.
However, these figures weren’t close to what they earned in the previous years.
13. West Ham United- 420,000 units
The best-selling soccer jerseys from West Ham United were from Declan Rice. Soon, he left for Arsenal, leaving a big hole. Thankfully, Jarrod Bowen won fans’ hearts, and his 20 jersey number drives sales for the team.
Jarrod’s strengths are his speed, strength, and good technique. Additionally, he is versatile, as he is a forward and a winger on the right flank.
14. AC Milan- 300,000 units
Christian Pulistic’s number 10 shirt has been the most popular, especially in the USA, with Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez emerging second and third, respectively.
The club has generated sales thanks to securing new partnerships that have exposed it worldwide. As a result, their shirts sell well in Italy, the United States, and France.
Back to partnerships, this club knew how to identify the right company to make its jerseys. Additionally, it enjoys sales thanks to choosing the right celebrity to endorse its shirts.
For instance, in 2023, its $180 cream-coloured jerseys sold well after it partnered with Vogue Italia and used Kylie Jenner as a model.
15. Fulham- 185,000 units
Joao Palhinha is the club’s top jersey seller. This is likely due to Aleksandr Mitrovic’s departure from the club.
Joao is a remarkable player who maximizes his radius by doing slide tackles. Also, he knows how to stop counterattacks by lunging into challenges.
As for his appearance, his tall height (6’2) enables him to dominate aerial duels.
