The meaning and history behind football players swapping shirts

Often hailed as the ‘beautiful game’, football represents the best in the world of sports and some of the traditions of the game will warm your heart. The tradition of swapping shirts is one such tradition that is seen frequently and often becomes a topic of conversation among fans. So why do football players swap shirts? Let’s find out and explain the reasons why football players swapping shirts through the following article with Kingsoccertips.com!

Why do football players swapping shirts?

The first recorded exchange of shirts took place during a match between France and England in 1931. France and England have a historic rivalry that extends far beyond football. The French team were the underdogs in that match and when they won, they were so excited that they wanted a memento and asked the England players for their shirts. The English agreed and thus began one of the most cherished traditions in the game.

What does this mean?

When it comes to swapping shirts, the tradition is quite sacred. Soccer shirts are intimate objects. They carry the player’s name and number. They carry the team’s badge and are essentially mementos of that particular version of the player. When two players swap shirts, it is a sign of mutual respect and recognition.

This is why you will notice that players will often swap shirts with their counterparts from other teams; players they recognise as being of the same level as themselves. Unless they are asked to swap shirts by another player first.

Are players obliged to swap shirts?

Of course not! Normally, players don’t bother swapping shirts with each other. However, it can often be an emotional moment for footballers, especially those who play with their idols, as was the case with young centre-back Jon Ashton in the early 2000s.

Players rarely swap shirts, but it’s emotional when facing idols, like Jon Ashton did

“We played Manchester United when Micky Adams was manager and it was the day we got relegated from the Premier League,” former Leicester City kit man Paul McAndrew told The Athletic. “The French captain Laurent Blanc played for them and we had a young boy, John Ashton, playing for us.

“After the game, John asked for Laurent’s shirt. Blanc was a nice guy and took it off. John said thank you and kept the shirt on. Laurent looked at him as if to say, ‘Okay, now it’s your turn’. John looked embarrassed and said, ‘What, you want my shirt?’ Blanc replied: ‘Of course!’.

“I like to think that somewhere, Laurent Blanc has a John Ashton shirt hanging in his house”.

Players as Fans

This may come as no surprise, but soccer players are the biggest fans of the game. Many players grow up idolizing another great player; many admire another player so much that they ask for his shirt. This is a big part of the shirt swap — asking for a shirt.

It’s also worth noting that asking for a shirt and swapping a shirt are a little different than you might imagine. When one player asks for another player, it means that the player is clearly admired by the other player. Lionel Messi, one of the greatest players to ever grace the game, didn’t ask for a shirt. Except for one thing. He asked for Zinedine Zidane’s shirt.

Eduardo Camavinga, the rising French midfielder, grew up idolizing Cristiano Ronaldo and asked for CR7’s shirt as soon as he got the chance. The swap was followed by a snapchat post saying “I won’t wash it.”

What do they do with these jerseys?

As mentioned earlier, players are also football fans and they love to collect jerseys from different matches. Most players keep these jerseys as a memento of that particular match and player. It is also a representation of their own illustrious career. Some players maintain their collection with passion and often brag about it.

Sometimes there are arguments between players when two players want to have the jersey of the same opponent. While jerseys are usually swapped after the end of the game, sometimes there are also jersey swaps in the middle of the game. This tradition is a great example of sportsmanship that we hope will forever adorn football and spread to all sports.

Messi and Ronaldo have never swapped shirts with each other!

So, here’s the big question — if swapping shirts is a sign of mutual respect and players often like to swap shirts with players of the same level, then why haven’t Messi and Ronaldo swapped shirts? They clearly respect each other and have faced each other quite a few times, so why haven’t they swapped shirts? Is it because of their rivalry?

Regardless of what the average or argumentative fan would have you believe, that’s not the case. Neither Messi nor Ronaldo likes to ask for other players’ shirts. They’re used to being asked for their own. On the other hand, whenever Messi and Ronaldo go head-to-head, it’s quite common for other players from opposing teams to ask for their shirts before the game.

Will we ever see these legends swap their shirts? I certainly hope so.

Conclusion

The tradition of exchanging shirts in football is not only a symbol of respect and solidarity between players, but also a way for them to preserve precious memories from matches. Starting in 1931 during a match between France and England, the act has become a symbol of sportsmanship and mutual admiration. Although not mandatory, many players see the shirt exchange as a way to show recognition for their talents or idols. The shirts become meaningful mementos, representing their careers and memorable moments. This tradition, celebrated around the world, continues to be an integral part of the “beautiful game”, demonstrating the core values of football far beyond the pitch.