Five football kits that were banned including sleeveless Cameroon top and Nazi shirt

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Everyone loves a good football kit - it is the best way a team can express themselves on the pitch away from their style of play.

While many may stick to their traditional roots or even jostle with their colours - some have taken it even a step further.

These mavericks of footy fashion have usually only gone so far before being knocked back, preventing some potentially iconic strips from going mainstream.

One day, this world might be ready to welcome these pioneers on the pitch but until then we can readily ask ourselves ‘what might have been’ had we pushed the boat out.

Here, the Daily Star presents five of those contraband kits that dared to dream.

Cameroon Cavaliers

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It is impossible to think of legendary football tops that were shackled without naming Cameroon’s iconic sleeveless shirt.

In 2002, they handed into the Africa Cup of Nations as the hot favourites - boasting a side that just oozed talent - Samuel Eto’o, Rigobert Song, Geremi, Lauren and Patrick M'Boma.

And the Indomitable Lions made their mark in an incredible way by shaving the sleeves off their green kit and going on to win the tournament.

FIFA, though, were not impressed and demanded that the basketball-like shirt be binned and Cameroon went into the World Cup later that year with black sleeves while the federation’s spokesperson Keith Cooper candidly said: “They’re not shirts, they’re vests.”

Yes, well done.

Barca’s blanco

If there are two clubs that patently hate each other, it is Barcelona and Real Madrid - so it would not be a stretch to assume that *maybe* copying the other side’s colours will not go down well.

Alas, shirtmakers Nike ploughed ahead with their design for the 2020/21 season that incorporated the patron saint of the Catalan city St George with a kit that planted a red cross on a white background.

But the blanco infuriated the Blaugrana, who were disgusted that any kit of theirs could resemble something that their arch-nemesis Real Madrid would wear.

As a result, the shirt never left the factory floor and Nike’s plans were halted to prevent all-out war from Barca fans - who kicked off back in the 90s when a white strip was added to the sleeve.

Imagine dragons

China have always been renowned for their red kits but in 2018, Nike decided to splash out an all black shirt that also adopted a ‘dragon’ theme.

The mythical creatures are synonymous with the Asian country and the design was quite snazzy, with the dragons printed all over on the front, but it was never seen on the pitch.

The Chinese government reportedly intervened and blocked it from reaching the shops at the last minute while failing to give a reason.

However, it has been theorised that the dragons caused offence as they did not want to see their national symbol disgraced on a football shirt.

Fiorentina’s unfortunate fail

During the 1992/93 campaign in Italy, Fiorentina were relegated to Serie B after a tough season while their kit caused a stir too, for all the wrong reasons.

Shirt manufacturers Lotto unleashed a striking away shirt, exhibiting a white background with geometric patterns on the arms and shoulders with various shades of purple.

However, during the season it was noticed that among the patterns was a prominent Nazi symbol which caused outrage and put pressure on the Violi board.

By the end of November, the kit was withdrawn from circulation and the jersey was replaced midway through the season - causing further embarrassment as Fiorentina eventually went on to drop a division.

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Cameroon’s onesie

We return to Cameroon, who just will not rest while their commitment to pushing the boundaries must be commended, not lampooned.

In 2004, just two years after their sleeveless affair, the country decided to one-up themselves by donning the first-ever onesie kit.

As they looked to defend their Africa Cup of Nations title, they infuriated FIFA with their design who were left writhing as Cameroon defied the organisation by playing the entire tournament - in onesies.

They did not go without punishment, though, after the west African country were handed a $154,000 fine and docked six points from their 2006 World Cup qualifying group.

Where’s your sense of fashion, Sepp Blatter?

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