The best pre-match jackets seen this season There are countless ones, all used on different occasions and at different times

The cold has officially arrived, and so have the pre-match jackets, the items that footballers wear in the moments leading up to matches: during pitch inspections, while traveling, and in the famous tunnels leading to the locker rooms, on Champions League trips or domestic league matches. A pre-match jacket is therefore a garment that can be signed either by the technical sponsor or the formalwear partner: in this article, you will read about and see very different examples, from the Milan and Bologna jackets designed by formalwear partners, to those of other clubs made by technical sponsors, but all united by having been worn in the moments preceding the matches. We have selected the best seen so far, but the icy moments, the freezing away games in the coldest leagues, and even in the Champions League, with challenging trips to locations like Bodø, Midtjylland, and Almaty, will surely still offer us many surprises.

Chelsea, the Nike Tech customized by Maxime Black

The designer behind the Nike Tech worn by Chelsea on Sunday, November 30, for the London derby against Arsenal, which ended 1-1, is named Maxime Black. The jacket features asymmetric zippers crossing both the upper and lower parts, while the color palette includes various shades of blue, similar to those used in the collection designed by Jordan Vickors for the Blues just a few months ago.

Venezia and Barcelona, when the choice falls on rain jackets

The Italian club, together with NOCTA, showed us a pre-match jacket that, along with Chelsea's, undoubtedly deserves a spot in the top three. Designed by Diego Moscosoni, founder of Fly Nowhere, it represents a breath of fresh air, especially for Italian football—a choice that is even more striking considering it comes from a second-division club. As for the Blaugrana, they also opted for a lightweight waterproof jacket, enhanced by the Kobe Bryant logo already present on the club's Third kit.

Vicenza and West Ham, vests on vests

Certainly not the best pre-match uniforms aesthetically, but a stylistic choice that deserves consideration in the pre-match jackets scene: Vicenza and West Ham, with prominently displayed Lanerossi and Umbro logos respectively, appear at the stadium in vests—a trend that seems more widespread in the Premier League than one might think. Aston Villa, for example, also opts for this solution with adidas.

Juventus, staying warm with adidas and MOON BOOT

Functionality aside, Juventus did not compromise on style to protect themselves from the freezing wind during their Champions League trip to Bodø. This is demonstrated by the adidas x MOON BOOT collection, a line of reflective padded jackets presented in two versions, black and silver. A futuristic line inspired by a space aesthetic, due to the soft shapes of the jacket and especially the hood, reminiscent of astronaut suits, turning Juventus players into a kind of explorer. After all, no team had ever ventured so far north for a Champions League match before this season, and the occasion called for a special garment.

Although coach Luciano Spalletti stated at the pre-match press conference that he was not afraid of Norway’s freezing cold due to his experience in Russia with Zenit Saint Petersburg, the same cannot be said for his players, who appreciated the collection, wearing it outdoors at all times to protect against temperatures ranging from -7°C to -16°C over the two days of the trip. Completing the look were a pair of silver adidas x MOON BOOT Ultraboost 1.0.

BVB, Liverpool, Arsenal, Fiorentina, Genoa, and Villarreal

Arsenal almost deserves a separate mention in this article: it is by far the club that releases the most lifestyle collections in Europe, and consequently, players almost always wear a different one. Most are signed by adidas, and among those worn so far, the collaboration with NTS is arguably the best. Liverpool, in its first year of adidas sponsorship, has not yet adopted particularly elaborate lines, choosing a lowkey style instead.

Fiorentina and Genoa have both revived the Kappa KOMBAT on their playing kits. Unlike Fiorentina, Genoa also wore a special jacket in the home match against Hellas Verona, designed specifically to match the Kappa KOMBAT.

Finally, Villarreal remains a noteworthy example, especially since it is not a given that a technical sponsor of Joma's caliber produces a particularly interesting piece, like the hoodie the Amarillos wear on their away trips.

Bologna, Manchester City, and Milan, formalwear partners

Bologna and Manchester City are the two clubs most under the spotlight when it comes to formalwear. The partnership with C.P. Company clearly represents one of the most significant in football, marking the brand's official entry into the football world—an "official" entry, as prior to last season, C.P. Company was limited to terrace culture. The situation is different for Milan, which renewed its partnership with Off-White: for this season as well, Rossoneri players will sport blazers and t-shirts.

Olympiacos x Aimé Leon Dore