Football Shirt Size Guide: How Should a Football Shirt Fit?
A size Medium football shirt should fit like every other size Medium football shirt.
That would be convenient.
Unfortunately, it isn't true.
Football shirt sizing can vary enormously depending on the brand, year, version and style of the shirt.
An oversized Umbro shirt from the 1990s and a modern player-specification Nike shirt might both say “Medium” on the label while fitting like completely different sizes.
This is why measurements are so important when buying pre-owned football shirts.
Don't rely completely on the size label
Size labels are useful.
They're just not perfect.
A shirt can be labelled:
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Small
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Medium
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Large
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XL
but those labels only tell you how the manufacturer categorised the garment.
They don't tell you exactly how wide or long it is.
This becomes more important when buying older shirts because clothing fits and manufacturing have changed over time.
What does pit-to-pit mean?
If you buy vintage clothing regularly, you'll see this measurement everywhere.
Pit-to-pit simply means measuring the width of the shirt from one armpit to the other while it is lying flat.
It's one of the easiest ways to compare a football shirt with something you already own.
For example:
Take your favourite football shirt.
Lay it flat.
Measure straight across from armpit to armpit.
Now you've got a reference measurement.
When you're shopping online, you can compare that measurement with the shirt you're considering.
It's significantly more useful than saying, “I'm normally a Medium.”
Measure the length too
Width isn't the whole story.
Two shirts can have the same pit-to-pit measurement but very different lengths.
Measure from around the highest point of the shoulder down towards the bottom hem.
Again, compare it with a shirt you already know fits comfortably.
How did 1990s football shirts fit?
There's no universal rule, but many shirts from the 1990s have a noticeably different silhouette from modern football shirts.
The fashion of the era often favoured a roomier look.
Sleeves could be wider.
Bodies could be boxier.
Some shirts were extremely generous compared with today's fitted designs.
This is one reason you should never automatically buy the same labelled size across different eras.
What about early 2000s football shirts?
Things start to become more varied.
Some early-2000s shirts still have the relaxed feel associated with the previous decade.
Others move towards slimmer, more technical designs.
Different manufacturers also approached sizing differently.
Again: measurements beat assumptions.
Modern replica football shirt sizing
Modern supporter shirts are generally designed to provide a comfortable everyday fit.
That doesn't mean every manufacturer fits identically.
A Medium in one brand might feel noticeably different from a Medium in another.
If you're between sizes, check the actual size chart or garment measurements before ordering.
Authentic and player-version shirts can fit tighter
This is an important one.
Modern “authentic” or player-specification shirts are often designed around performance.
They can be:
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More fitted
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Lighter
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Stretchier
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More closely cut to the body
If you normally wear a Medium supporter shirt, don't assume a Medium player-specification shirt will feel identical.
Some customers prefer sizing up when buying performance versions for casual wear.
Oversized or fitted: which is right?
That's entirely personal.
Football shirts are now worn as much as fashion pieces as they are matchday clothing.
Some people want a shirt fitted closely to the body.
Others deliberately buy them oversized.
If you're layering a shirt over a hoodie or long-sleeve top, you'll obviously want more room than somebody wearing one directly against the skin.
Instead of asking “What size am I?”, think:
“How do I want this particular shirt to fit?”
Buying a football shirt as a gift
This is where things get tricky.
If possible, find out the recipient's usual football shirt size rather than their normal T-shirt size.
If that's impossible, measurements from a shirt they already own can help.
Buying vintage as a surprise is harder because older sizing is unpredictable.
Children's football shirt sizing
Children's shirts can vary considerably by manufacturer and age category.
Don't simply assume an age number will perfectly correspond with every child of that age.
Height and chest measurements are generally more useful.
Children grow quickly as well, so consider how much use you want them to get from the shirt.
What if the label has faded?
This happens frequently with older football shirts.
Years of washing and wear can make size information difficult or impossible to read.
In these situations, actual garment measurements become even more important.
A reputable pre-owned seller should be able to provide measurements where sizing is unclear.
Do football shirts shrink?
Most modern football shirts are predominantly polyester and generally don't behave like cotton garments.
That said, deliberately using heat to try to shrink a shirt is a bad idea.
Even if the body material survives, heat can damage:
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Sponsors
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Namesets
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Numbers
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Heat-applied badges
Buy the correct size rather than trying to modify it through washing.
Should you size up for a vintage football shirt?
Not automatically.
Some older shirts are already generously sized.
Others may have unusual proportions.
Always look at measurements.
That's really the recurring answer here.
The easiest way to find your football shirt size
Get a football shirt you already love wearing.
Lay it flat.
Measure:
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Pit to pit
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Length
Write the measurements down.
Next time you're shopping for a pre-owned football shirt, compare them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does pit-to-pit mean on a football shirt?
Pit-to-pit is the width of the shirt measured flat from one armpit to the other.
Do vintage football shirts fit bigger?
Many older shirts have a more relaxed cut, but sizing varies substantially by brand and season. Always check measurements.
Do authentic football shirts fit tighter?
Modern player-specification or “authentic” shirts are commonly more fitted than supporter replica versions.
Should I size up in a football shirt?
Only if the particular shirt runs small or you want a looser fit. Check the manufacturer's chart or actual garment measurements first.
Are football shirt sizes the same between Nike and Adidas?
Not exactly. Brands use their own sizing and individual shirt designs can also fit differently.