During four days of games, valid for the 31st round of LaLiga and the 35th round of LaLiga Hypermotion (Spain’s second division), 38 of the 42 teams that make up the two divisions will take to the field with uniforms inspired by iconic models from the teams’ history.
According to Jaime Blanco, director of the LaLiga club office, the action is a way of connecting new generations of fans with the teams’ glorious past and also boosting the Spanish competition’s fan base.
“This initiative allows us to connect with young people, with older people, with middle-aged people and with people who are not so involved with football. After all, retro fashion transcends the traditional football fan base. I think retro fashion helps connect both with this traditional fan and with the fan who is not as involved,” Blanco told Sheet.
To create a connection between fashion fans and fans, the league unveiled the kits for action during Madrid Fashion Week in the second half of last month.
Four teams, two of which are the giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, as well as Getafe and Rayo Vallecano, did not agree to wear different uniforms in the matches taking place from this Friday (10).
According to the newspaper Marca, despite not adhering to the shirt change, Barcelona, Getafe and Vallecano will not use special shirts for various logistical reasons. Real Madrid would have refused the action.
The Madrid team often refuses LaLiga action. In 2023, for example, it was the only club to bar the presence of TV cameras behind the scenes during its matches, as part of a league action.
“The initiative is so big, so powerful and has such a profound impact that we will not have any negative impact [com as ausências]. It’s always an advantage to have Real Madrid and Barcelona involved, but Barcelona is supporting the initiative in other ways and will participate next season, and we’re really rooting for Real Madrid to join in,” said the LaLiga director.
In addition to clubs, referees will also wear special uniforms. The TV graphics and broadcast of each match will have a retro aesthetic.
The idea of using uniforms inspired by the clubs’ past does not occur at random. The global football shirt market was valued at around US$6.8 billion (R$34.6 billion) in 2025 and is projected to grow another 5% this year, according to consultancy Business Research Insights.
According to The New York Times, retro shirts are also riding this wave. In 2024, according to the newspaper, the British company Classic Football Shirts received an investment of US$38.5 million (R$196.2 million) in capital from the American fund company The Chernin Group.
Football club stores around the world are betting on this market, also explored in the USA by leagues such as the NBA and the NFL.
In Europe, LaLiga is the first major national league to adopt a coordinated initiative with the clubs competing in the tournament.
According to Jaime Blanco, despite being common around the world, the adoption of retro shirts in a coordinated manner with almost all clubs in the same round brings a unique character to the LaLiga action.
“Honestly, we weren’t inspired by the NBA or the American leagues. We wanted to create a retro-themed game day, and as we were researching to see if anyone had come up with this idea, we realized that no one had considered this concept globally, where everything was retro. And we said, ‘There’s a huge potential here,'” he said.
