Badge, Football, Football Culture, Football History, Shirts
Which Football Teams Wear Green Football Shirts?
Jun
Green football shirts are special. Many teams choose green not just for looks but because the color has deep meaning. Here, we explain why some famous clubs and national teams wear green, with detailed stories behind their choices.
Celtic: Green for Irish Heritage and Hope
Celtic Football Club, founded in 1887 in Glasgow, Scotland, has a strong Irish background. The club was created by Irish immigrants to support their community. Green is Ireland’s national color, symbolizing the country’s lush landscapes and deep cultural roots. Ireland is often called the “Emerald Isle” because of its green fields.
Green also connects to Irish nationalism and pride. During Ireland’s fight for independence, green became a symbol of hope and freedom. Celtic’s green shirts express this heritage and identity. The club’s famous green and white hoops are a proud badge of Irish culture in Scotland.
Celtic Home Shirt 2025/26
Furthermore, the shamrock, a green three-leaf plant, is linked to St. Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint. It symbolizes faith and unity. Celtic’s use of green reflects all these layers—nature, culture, religion, and hope—making Celtic green kit much more than just a color.
Palmeiras: Green for Italian Roots and Renewal
Palmeiras, one of Brazil’s biggest clubs, was founded in 1914 as “Palestra Italia” by Italian immigrants. The club’s original colors—green, white, and red—come from the Italian flag. Green here symbolizes Italy’s natural beauty and the immigrants’ pride in their homeland.
During World War II, Brazil required clubs to remove Axis-associated names and symbols. The club changed its name to Palmeiras in 1942 but kept green as the main color. This choice honored the club’s origins while embracing a new identity.
Green also represents hope, growth, and renewal. Palmeiras’ green shirts symbolize the club’s resilience and vitality. Over the years, the club has worn green to show strength and connection to both its Italian heritage and Brazilian roots.
In recent years, Palmeiras has also used green to promote environmental awareness. For example, in 2024, they released a special eco-friendly green kit to support sustainability, showing green’s modern symbolic power beyond tradition.
Panathinaikos: Green for Unity and Luck
Panathinaikos, a major Greek club, adopted green in 1918. The choice was inspired by the Irish shamrock, a symbol of luck and unity. The shamrock constitutes an ancient spiritual symbol for good luck and balance between the body, the soul and the spirit. Panathinaikos adopts the shamrock as its emblem in 1918.
The shamrock was proposed by Michalis Papazoglou and was designed by George Hatzopoulos, director of the National Museum of Art and member of Panathinaikos. Panathinaikos’ green shirts carry this symbolism, making green a key part of their tradition.
Real Betis: Green from Celtic Influence and Andalusian Pride
Real Betis, a Spanish club, started wearing green and white stripes in 1911. The green was inspired by Celtic’s kit. Manuel Ramos Asensio, one of the founders of Betis and the first head coach, grew up in Scotland and regularly watched Celtic games and fell in love with their green and white striped jerseys. Later, when he returned to his country, he brought this color scheme to Betis, but Betis used vertical green and white stripes, which is different from Celtic’s horizontal stripes.
Green also matches the Andalusian flag’s colors, symbolizing regional pride and identity. For Betis, green means hope and connection to their local culture in Seville.
Real Betis green shirts stand out in La Liga and represent both international inspiration and local roots, blending Celtic influence with Andalusian spirit.
Saint-Étienne: Green for Casino
Saint-Étienne’s green is the symbol of the club’s founding company, Casino, and is also the colour of the exterior shutters of the first store.
Because they wore green shirts, they were also called “Les Verts” (French: The Greens).
Sassuolo: Green for Growth and Freshness
Sassuolo, an Italian club, adopted green in 1921 after receiving kits from an England team Lancaster Rovers FC. Green symbolizes growth, freshness, and new beginnings.
For a club climbing the ranks in Italian football, green represents ambition and renewal. Sassuolo’s green shirts reflect their journey from a small club to Serie A regulars.
Sporting Lisbon: Green for Hope and Youth Development
Sporting Lisbon has worn green and white since 1906. Green symbolizes hope, youth, and renewal, fitting the club’s focus on developing young talent. Just like Sporting Lisbon’s first badge, it featured a green background that is still used today.
Sporting’s green shirts represent tradition and pride in Portuguese football. The color connects the club’s past with its future ambitions.
Sporting Lisbon Home Shirt 2024/25
Sporting Lisbon Home Shirt 2001/03
Werder Bremen: Green for Tradition and Local Identity
Werder Bremen’s green shirts reflect the city’s colors and the club’s long tradition. The green shirt symbolizes strength, loyalty, and community connection.
Werder Bremen Home Shirt 2025/26
For Bremen, green is a symbol of identity and continuity, worn proudly by players and fans alike.
Wolfsburg: Bright Green for Innovation and Energy
Wolfsburg’s bright green kits come from the Volkswagen logo and the city’s automotive heritage. Green here stands for energy, innovation, and modernity.
AfL Wolfsburg Home Shirt 2025/26
The bold green reflects Wolfsburg’s forward-looking spirit and connection to its industrial roots.
Ireland: Green for Nature, Nationalism, and St. Patrick’s Shamrock
Ireland’s green football shirts carry deep meaning. The country is called the “Emerald Isle” due to its lush green landscapes.
Green became a symbol of Irish nationalism during the struggle for independence from Britain. It represents hope, pride, and freedom.
Green also links to St. Patrick, who used the shamrock to explain the Christian Holy Trinity. The shamrock became a national symbol, and green became the color of Irish identity and culture.
When Ireland wears green, they wear their history, land, and spirit.
Other National Teams Wearing Green
- Mexico shirts: Green from the flag, symbolizing hope and independence.
- Nigeria shirts: Green reflects rich vegetation and national pride post-independence.
- Cameroon shirts: Green represents forests and strength.
- Northern Ireland shirts: Green symbolizes unity and tradition since 1882.
Final Thoughts on Green Football Shirts
Green football shirts carry deep meaning. From Celtic’s Irish heritage to Saint-Étienne’s Casino roots, green connects teams to culture, history, and hope. Sometimes it means renewal, other times pride or nature. Next time you see a green shirt on the pitch, remember the rich stories behind the color.
