The word ‘hoops’ brings basketball to mind. And in the realm of sportswear, horizontal bands are a flourish more common on rugby shirts than their football peers. However, delve into the history of the Champions League and you’ll find hooped socks aplenty.
Borussia Dortmund (1997) and Bayern München (2001) have both won the Champions League in such natty legwear. Alas, Dortmund wore similar gear over their shinpads at Wembley in the 2013 final, only for Bayern to end the game cock-a-hoop thanks to a late goal.
What’s more painful than an 89th-minute defeat in the big final? A 4-0 loss. Barcelona took to the pitch in Athens for the 1994 decider with horizontally striped socks, while opponents AC Milan kept it simple in their lucky all-white kit. An hour later, Milan were four goals up. But the Rossoneri have been put through the hoop themselves. As holders in 2007/08, they fell to a shock round of 16 defeat at the San Siro against an Arsenal team decked out in maroon-and-white-ringed calf-warmers.
The word ‘hoops’ brings basketball to mind. And in the realm of sportswear, horizontal bands are a flourish more common on rugby shirts than their football peers. However, delve into the history of the Champions League and you’ll find hooped socks aplenty.
Borussia Dortmund (1997) and Bayern München (2001) have both won the Champions League in such natty legwear. Alas, Dortmund wore similar gear over their shinpads at Wembley in the 2013 final, only for Bayern to end the game cock-a-hoop thanks to a late goal.
What’s more painful than an 89th-minute defeat in the big final? A 4-0 loss. Barcelona took to the pitch in Athens for the 1994 decider with horizontally striped socks, while opponents AC Milan kept it simple in their lucky all-white kit. An hour later, Milan were four goals up. But the Rossoneri have been put through the hoop themselves. As holders in 2007/08, they fell to a shock round of 16 defeat at the San Siro against an Arsenal team decked out in maroon-and-white-ringed calf-warmers.
Traditionally, Sporting CP have replicated their green-and-white shirt hoops on their socks. Celtic, the original Hoops and European Cup winners in 1967, also sport a similar look from time to time. But no run through the history of Europe’s top club competition is complete without a mention of 13-time winners Real Madrid, who got in on the act in 2012/13. Keepers Iker Casillas and Diego López donned curious socks with a vivid orange-and-white combination before bowing out in the semis.
The story continues: Barça have brought the design back, adding a dash of gold to their scarlet and blue. Will we witness the return of ringed socks on the winner’s podium this spring?
The word ‘hoops’ brings basketball to mind. And in the realm of sportswear, horizontal bands are a flourish more common on rugby shirts than their football peers. However, delve into the history of the Champions League and you’ll find hooped socks aplenty.
Borussia Dortmund (1997) and Bayern München (2001) have both won the Champions League in such natty legwear. Alas, Dortmund wore similar gear over their shinpads at Wembley in the 2013 final, only for Bayern to end the game cock-a-hoop thanks to a late goal.
What’s more painful than an 89th-minute defeat in the big final? A 4-0 loss. Barcelona took to the pitch in Athens for the 1994 decider with horizontally striped socks, while opponents AC Milan kept it simple in their lucky all-white kit. An hour later, Milan were four goals up. But the Rossoneri have been put through the hoop themselves. As holders in 2007/08, they fell to a shock round of 16 defeat at the San Siro against an Arsenal team decked out in maroon-and-white-ringed calf-warmers.
The word ‘hoops’ brings basketball to mind. And in the realm of sportswear, horizontal bands are a flourish more common on rugby shirts than their football peers. However, delve into the history of the Champions League and you’ll find hooped socks aplenty.
Borussia Dortmund (1997) and Bayern München (2001) have both won the Champions League in such natty legwear. Alas, Dortmund wore similar gear over their shinpads at Wembley in the 2013 final, only for Bayern to end the game cock-a-hoop thanks to a late goal.
What’s more painful than an 89th-minute defeat in the big final? A 4-0 loss. Barcelona took to the pitch in Athens for the 1994 decider with horizontally striped socks, while opponents AC Milan kept it simple in their lucky all-white kit. An hour later, Milan were four goals up. But the Rossoneri have been put through the hoop themselves. As holders in 2007/08, they fell to a shock round of 16 defeat at the San Siro against an Arsenal team decked out in maroon-and-white-ringed calf-warmers.
The word ‘hoops’ brings basketball to mind. And in the realm of sportswear, horizontal bands are a flourish more common on rugby shirts than their football peers. However, delve into the history of the Champions League and you’ll find hooped socks aplenty.
Borussia Dortmund (1997) and Bayern München (2001) have both won the Champions League in such natty legwear. Alas, Dortmund wore similar gear over their shinpads at Wembley in the 2013 final, only for Bayern to end the game cock-a-hoop thanks to a late goal.
What’s more painful than an 89th-minute defeat in the big final? A 4-0 loss. Barcelona took to the pitch in Athens for the 1994 decider with horizontally striped socks, while opponents AC Milan kept it simple in their lucky all-white kit. An hour later, Milan were four goals up. But the Rossoneri have been put through the hoop themselves. As holders in 2007/08, they fell to a shock round of 16 defeat at the San Siro against an Arsenal team decked out in maroon-and-white-ringed calf-warmers.
Traditionally, Sporting CP have replicated their green-and-white shirt hoops on their socks. Celtic, the original Hoops and European Cup winners in 1967, also sport a similar look from time to time. But no run through the history of Europe’s top club competition is complete without a mention of 13-time winners Real Madrid, who got in on the act in 2012/13. Keepers Iker Casillas and Diego López donned curious socks with a vivid orange-and-white combination before bowing out in the semis.
The story continues: Barça have brought the design back, adding a dash of gold to their scarlet and blue. Will we witness the return of ringed socks on the winner’s podium this spring?
The word ‘hoops’ brings basketball to mind. And in the realm of sportswear, horizontal bands are a flourish more common on rugby shirts than their football peers. However, delve into the history of the Champions League and you’ll find hooped socks aplenty.
Borussia Dortmund (1997) and Bayern München (2001) have both won the Champions League in such natty legwear. Alas, Dortmund wore similar gear over their shinpads at Wembley in the 2013 final, only for Bayern to end the game cock-a-hoop thanks to a late goal.
What’s more painful than an 89th-minute defeat in the big final? A 4-0 loss. Barcelona took to the pitch in Athens for the 1994 decider with horizontally striped socks, while opponents AC Milan kept it simple in their lucky all-white kit. An hour later, Milan were four goals up. But the Rossoneri have been put through the hoop themselves. As holders in 2007/08, they fell to a shock round of 16 defeat at the San Siro against an Arsenal team decked out in maroon-and-white-ringed calf-warmers.
