Eagle on the chest: Germany football kits over the years

Germany's home kit for Euro 2024 has a very traditional look of mainly white with a touch of black, gold and red on the sleeves. The pink and purple away kit is a complete departure from the dark green often used by Germany. In a statement the German FA (DFB) said the new color scheme is "intended to represent the new generation of German football fans and the diversity of the country."

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar was a similar disaster for the German men to four years earlier in Russia. The design, with its wide black stripe down the middle was inspired by the original German jersey from 1908. This was also the first time that an identical jersey would be worn by the men and women. Germany's women wore this jersey in a similarly unsuccessful World Cup down under in 2023.

This one won't go down as one of the favorites, but that has nothing to do with the aesthetics of the garment. This was the kit Germany wore in their disastrous bid to defend their World Cup in Russia in 2018. Toni Kroos, Mesut Özil and Mats Hummels were part of a team that disappointed an entire nation. It would also turn out to be Özil's last tournament before he ended his national team career.

The 2014 jersey was inspired by the one Germany wore in in the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Apparently the three shades of red are meant to represent the black red and gold of the German flag. Instead of the traditional black shorts Germany went with white. Mario Götze will be forever held dearly in German fans' hearts for his winning goal in extra time of the final against Argentina.

The 2006 World Cup in Germany is remembered in the host nation as the "summer fairy tale." With Michael Ballack in midfield, Germany played more attractive football than they had in years. Italy proved to be Germany's nemesis though, knocking them out with two goals late in extra time of their semifinal. As for the jersey, just a splash of gold and red broke up the white - plus the black trim.

While keeping the traditional mainly white home kit, the jersey Jürgen Klinsmann and Co. wore next door in France in 1998 featured the horizontal black, red and gold stripes of Germany's flag across the chest. Another new element was the three stars above the eagle for Germany's three World Cup titles. It didn't end well for Germany though, as they fell to Croatia in the quarterfinals.

Oliver Bierhoff's golden goal against the Czech Republic sealed the Euro 96 title for Germany at Wembley. The jersey Germany wore when "football came home" to England differed from its predecessors because it featured a white eagle on a black crest.

Lothar Matthäus and coach Berti Vogts didn't really have a good time in the United States in 1994. The tournament, which saw Steffen Effenberg sent home early, was largely one to forget, with Germany losing to Bulgaria in the quarterfinals.. As for the jersey, one can only wonder who decided it was a good idea to turn the colors of the German flag upside down…

West Germany started wearing this jersey in the 1988 European Championship, which the still divided country hosted. Two years later, West and East Germany were just months from becoming one country, and players from both sides featured in the national team that won the 1990 World Cup in Italy.

West Germany and Germany have often worn green as their alternate kit. Captain Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and his teammates made it to the final against Argentina in Mexico City's Azteka Stadium in 1986. Rummenigge scored, but his side were second-best to an Argentine team led by a Diego Maradona at the height of his powers. Argentina won 3-2 to hoist the World Cup for a second time.

In the 1970s West Germany jerseys were an all-but all-white affair. One notable feature of the jersey worn here by Gerd Müller and Wolfgang Overrath was an eagle that is somewhat bigger than the one on more recent kits. This classic jersey is remembered fondly for the fact that Müller and the rest of the Nationalmannschaft earned the right to lift the World Cup in 1974 in Munich.

The 1954 jersey worn by captain Fritz Walter, Horst Eckel and the rest of West Germany was very similar to those worn for the second World Cup triumph 20 years later. West Germany upset the magic Magyars led by the legendary Ferenc Puskas in the World Cup final 3-2. The match was played on a waterlogged pitch in the Swiss capital. This would become known in Germany as "the miracle of Bern."