Sport-Club Borussia Berlin 1905 e.V., commonly known as SC Borussia Berlin, Borussia Berlin or SCBB, is a German sports club founded in 1905. First founded as a pure men’s football team the club branched out into handball, table tennis, women’s football and also eSports in later decades. The name Borussia comes from the Latin name for Prussia. The men’s football team plays its games in the Olympiastadion, which it shares with their local rival Hertha BSC. The club has won 3 Bundesliga titles, 5 DFB-Cups and one UEFA Cup in its history. The three league titles mean that the Sportclub is allowed to wear one star above their badge. Borussia’s main rivals are the other two big clubs in the capital of Germany, Hertha and Union. However both rivalries aren’t as heated as other German derbies like the Ruhrderby between Dortmund and Schalke for example. There is also a quiet rivalry with the other two Borussias in the German top flight – Dortmund and Mönchengladbach.
Their badge is a shield consisting of the colors of the flag of Berlin and the Berliner Bär – the bear is a symbol of the city of Berlin and it also appears on the badge and flag of the city. The team played their first matches in plain red shirts, which were combined with white shorts and socks. Soon however, Borussia switched to black shorts and socks since they did not get as dirty and were easier to clean back then. The first away shirt was a blue top that also brought back the white shorts and socks. In later decades white and black jerseys also became common away options.
2009/10
Spoiler
Borussia Berlin was equipped by Nike for most of the 2000’s. This however would be the last season of the partnership as Borussia would make the switch to Adidas in the coming season. The German railroad company Deutsche Bahn, or DB for short was the main sponsor of Borussia as well as the local rival Hertha. The badges of the Bundesliga and the Bundesliga foundation are present on the sleeves of all jerseys.
Nike’s last home kit for die Bären(The Bears) is a simple effort. A black collar and sleeve cuffs with white details accompany the red shirt. As is tradition, black shorts and socks are first choice and white away shorts and socks are used to prevent color clashes. They evoke memories of the first uniform worn by SCBB. These initials also appear on the socks of the home and away kit.
The away jersey is based on the same template as the home. It's white from collar to toe.Light grey stripes run down the front, back and sleeves. Black and red are secondary colors.
Last season’s away kit was carried over as the new third. It is based on Nike’s template from the past season. It features a half and half design consisting of blue and black. White shorts are the primary choice, however the black set from last season’s home kit was also kept for another year.
The goalkeeper’s kits are yellow and green. They’re the same as worn by other Nike teams that season. The yellow shirt was worn with matching shorts, while the green one was worn with black teamwear shorts. The white away jersey was also worn by the goalkeeper if the need arose.
2010/11
Spoiler
Borussia Berlin was equipped multiple times by Adidas during the second half of the 20th century, so their return was well welcomed. A new Bundesliga badge appeared on the right sleeve, while the badge of the Bundesliga foundation was gone.
The first Adidas Borussia Berlin home shirt of the 21st century was based on the Stricon template. Black three stripes and black seams grace the red base of the shirt. White is not present except for the manufacturer logo which is placed in the middle of the chest. Black shorts and socks with red stripes were the primary choice, while the white away set was used in color clashes. The founding year on the front of the socks is a nice detail.
The away shirt is white and based on the popular Condivo 10 template. The sleeves are black with red Adidas stripes. The black home shorts were worn when it was needed.
The third is straight out of the teamwear catalogue. It’s the blue Condivo 10 version and that’s basically it. Against Hamburger SV the away socks were worn to prevent a socks clash(This will be a regular occurrence in future seasons.)
Adidas delivered three shirts from the goalkeeper version of the Condivo 10 template in white, yellow and black. They were worn in different combinations with white and black shorts and socks. Back in the days goalkeeper kits weren’t as streamlined in color as they are today. The blue third kit was also used by the man in the goal.
2011/12
Spoiler
Back then Adidas and their Bundesliga teams liked to keep jerseys for two season instead of just one. That meant that teams like Schalke or Bayer Leverkusen changed their home kit one year while keeping the away and third, and then doing the opposite the next year. It’s basically what the MLS is doing right now. And SCBB would be doing the same. This season they would only get a new home, while keeping both away kits.
The new home kit was based on the Campeon 11 template that was also used by teams like Chelsea and Bayern. Black pinstripes grace the front of the shirt. White is not present on the jersey and the socks weren’t black but red. They worked well with the shirt however since they shared the pinstripe design. The SCBB wordmark returned to the socks. The away shorts were again equipped against team with black short.
As already mentioned the away shirt stayed the same. It was worn with the red home socks on one occasion to prevent a color clash against Hannover 96
The third kit also didn’t change and once again the white socks were used against the HSV.
Adidas delivered four new goalkeeper shirts in macaw, light blue, white and black. This time based on the Campeon 11 template the kits came with matching shorts and socks. The white shirt was once worn with the black home shorts.
2012/13
Spoiler
This season the away and third kits were in line for a make-over. As this was the anniversary 50th season of the Bundesliga, all clubs wore a special sleeve badge celebrating the occasion. In the middle of the season the Bundesliga struck a sponsoring deal with the delivery company Hermes. From then on their logo would be present on the left sleeve of all Bundesliga teams.
The home kit stayed the same. Shorts from the new away kit were also used with the home shirt.
The new away kit is a throwback to the kit SCBB wore when they won their first DFB-Cup. White with a red sash. The three stripes and details are held in black. A red stripe is also featured on the socks. The new third socks were worn with the away against Hannover 96.
After the last third kit which was just teamwear Adidas managed to give Borussia a bespoken third kit. It’s an impressive effort completely in black and red. Reflective black pinstripes grace the front of the shirt.
The new goalkeeper kits based on the Condivo 12 template come in light blue, onyx, white and green.
In the third round of the Bundesliga season all teams replaced their shirt sponsors with the logo of the initiative Geh’ Deinen Weg (Go Your Way) of the German-Foundation Integration. The goal of the initiative is to achieve equal opportunities for people with a migratory background. Hermes wasn’t yet a sponsor of the Bundesliga at that time so their logo isn’t present on the shirts.
2013/14
Spoiler
The home kit was next in line to be changed. The normal Bundesliga patch returned to the sleeves.
The new home kit features stripes in a lighter red. The v-collar and the black patches under the sleeves link the kit to the Tiro 13 template. Once again the color white isn’t featured on the jersey. The socks feature black and red hoops, which is unusual for die Bären. The away shorts and socks were always ready for when a clash occurred.
The away kit stayed the same. There was no clash with Hannover 96 this season so there was also no need for black socks.
The third kit is as good looking as last season. White socks were again used against the HSV and in one game the shirt was worn with the home shorts for no known reason.
Revigo 13 was the name of the new Adidas goalkeeper template. SCBB's goalkeeper wore a macaw, a white, a light blue and a navy version of it.
2014/15
Spoiler
This would be the last season with the logo of Deutsche Bahn on the front of the shirts as the company slowed down their sponsorship for the two biggest football clubs in Berlin. The Bundesliga badge received slight changes. Die Bären would get new away and third kits.
The home kit remained unchanged. It was often combined with the away shorts and socks.
The away kit is white once again. It is based on a premium template that was the base for a lot of Adidas kits that season. It features one big red hoop on the chest and thinner black hoops bellow. The classy Henley collar and the sleeve cuffs are black while the three stripes are red this time. The socks mimic the design of the shirt. Black third socks were worn against Hannover.
The new third is based on the Condivo 14 template. It’s black again. The colors white and red grace the collar, sleeve cuffs and the ends of the white three stripes. The socks are plain and only feature the Adidas stripes and the club’s initials. At the game in Hamburg white socks from the teamwear catalogue were worn.
The new goalkeeper kit is an absolute beauty. It features a spider-man like design on the chest and sleeves. Unlike the last couple of seasons it wasn’t a design from the teamwear catalogue, but was reserved for the pro teams. Borussia Berlin used the green, blue, white and yellow colorways.
2015/16
Spoiler
Borussia Berlin already announced during the previous season that the new shirt sponsor would be Ergo. They are one of the largest insurance companies operating in Germany and Europe. The club would get a new home kit this season.
The new home kit featured thin hoops held in a lighter red than the rest of the shirt. The crew neck collar and the Adidas stripes were black. The color white made a return to the home kit in the form of a hoop on the bottom of the shirt that is part of the template. Black socks were back on the menu as well. One thing that turned heads was when the first kit clash of the season occured and the Berlin players entered the pitch in red shorts and socks. It was a weird decision by Adidas and the club, since that was a completely new look for die Bären and until now white away shorts were always enough to prevent a clash. And then there was also the historic reason for white shorts. The red set wasn’t up for sale in the club shop. During the season rumours appeared that the red shorts were meant to be the first choice, but that in the end the club backed off from the idea, fearing backlash from fans. The black shorts and red socks combination was worn against Schalke.
The away kit received the logo of the new sponsor Ergo. Black socks were again worn against Hannover.
The only thing changing with the third kit was the new sponsor logo. The mess that is the Hamburger SV was somehow still not relegated at that point so a socks clash happened again. This time the away socks were worn instead of the teamwear option from last season.
The new goalkeeper kits are based on the Top 15 template. Adidas delivered shirts in the colors green, yellow, blue and white.
2016/17
Spoiler
This would be the last season of the deal with Adidas. The kitmaker switched its priorities to sponsoring only the top teams and players in the football world. At that point they already ended long term deals with Nürnberg, Bayer Leverkusen and announced the end of their Schalke sponsorship. In general the fans were mostly satisfied with the 7 years of Adidas. Most of the critical opinions were about the lack of white on the home kits and the lack number of good looking blue away kits. The away and third kits were to be changed.
The home kit stayed the same. The infamous red shorts went nowhere and were still used.
Adidas started changing up the placement of their trademark three stripes on their kits for the Euro 2016 and they kept that for the new season. The new away kit is white and features the three stripes on the sides of the shirt in red color. The Berlin Bear subtly graces the front and the sleeves of the shirt. The socks also feature a new way of incorporating the three stripes. The kit was marketed under the motto “Berlin zu Gast” (Berlin Away) and it was worn in every away match where that was possible. That meant a lot of short and sock clashes. Therefore Adidas also delivered an alternate red set. The red shorts were worn against Schalke and they were accompanied by the red socks against Darmstadt. The combination of white shorts and red socks was worn against… not Hannover actually, but against Werder Bremen.
The third shirt marked a return to the color blue but sadly it was again completely blue. Three blocks in different shades create a gradient on the front. The Adidas stripes on this shirt are only present on the upper part of the shoulders. Hamburger SV was still clinging on to their record of being the only Bundesliga founding club never to get relegated, so the away socks had to be combined with the third kit once again.
The new goalkeeper template is called the Onore 16. It features the three stripes on the side and a graphic pattern on the shoulders. It was used in the colors solar yellow, green, white, red and black. You might think that a goalkeeper kit in the same colors as the home kit doesn’t make a lot of sense and you’d probably be right. However since the away kit was always worn in away matches, even against teams that don’t have red kits, the red goalkeeper kit was able to carelessly accompany it. One question that remains is why wouldn’t the goalkeeper just wear the home kit?
2017/18
Spoiler
Adidas got replaced by the US company New Balance as Borussia Berlin’s kitmaker. This would be New Balance’s first team in the German league. It also means that die Bären would get a whole new set of kits instead of just changing one or two of them.The Bundesliga went through a rebrand and the sleeve patch was part of it. The sponsoring deal between the league and Hermes also ended and from now on every team is allowed to have their own sponsor on the left sleeve. Therefore Borussia Berlin signed a 3 year deal with Alba, which is a waste management and recycling company headquartered in Berlin.
The first ever New Balance home kit is a simple but smart effort. They utilized a brighter red than Adidas and Nike. The collar and sleeve cuffs feature black and white details. On the front vertical stripes are running down the shirt representing a sash. Both black and white shorts and socks are available with the black set being the main option.
With the new away kit Borussia Berlin returns to tradition. It’s a plain blue shirt with a black v-collar and sleeve cuffs. The shorts are interchangeable with the home kit with the white set being the primary choice. Interestingly, in the online shop the shorts weren’t sold as “home” and “away shorts” but they were simply called “black shorts” and “white shorts”.
The third kit is a throwback to a neon yellow Nike kit that Borussia wore when they defeated CSKA Moscow in the final of the 2004/05 UEFA Cup. It features similar stripes to the home shirt.
New Balance delivered three goalkeeper kits to the club. One in light green, one in dark green and one in black. When Borussia played away to Werder Bremen, a problem arose. Since Werder’s home kit consisted of a dark green shirt and shorts and bright green socks, no goalkeeper kit could be used. A plain white shirt was delivered from New Balance for that occasion. It was combined with the white shorts and socks that were also worn by the outfield players in that match.
2018/19
Spoiler
New Balance would again provide a whole new set of kits.
The new home kit is a stunner. It features white shorts and socks as primary choice, with the black ones being the secondary option – a callback to the first ever Borussia Berlin uniform. In the front, vertical pinstripes portray the multiple Berlin Bears. The collar gives the shirt a classy vibe. White is the primary accent color with black only being present in the seams on the sides of the jersey. The combination of black shorts and white socks was worn against Schalke.
The new away kit is completely blue. It features the same graphic as the home kit. The sleeves are colored in a darker blue than the base of the shirt and red details break up the blue monotony.
The new third uses a colorway completely unknown in the history of the SCBB. It’s a plain light grey base with bright orange accents. It is also the first time that a monochromatic version of the club badge appeared on the chest. It was marketed as a tribute to the urban architecture of Berlin and the young and vibrant people passing through it. In contrast, most of the fanbase thought that it looked like a pyjama. Black home socks were worn for the clash against Hannover 96.
The goalkeeper kits were yellow, green and black. The grey third kit was also worn between the sticks.
2019/20
Spoiler
A new season, a new New Balance template and a new set of jerseys.
The color black made a big return to the home kit this season. The new template became infamous for the block taking over all the place on the shoulders. On the sleeve cuffs the New Balance MegaSpeed branding makes its first appearance. Two sets of shorts and socks were used, one in black and one in white. The socks are made of almost two halves. More on that later.
After two seasons the away kit is white once again. On the front the border of the club crest creates a repeating pattern. Logos are black and the MegaSpeed branding on the sleeves is red. The socks proved to be a bit of a problem. Since they’re half white and half red they clash with normal red socks. New Balance had to deliver another pair of socks purely in white. Liverpool, another NB team that season, had the same problem with their home and third socks. Black shorts were worn in the away game against Schalke 04.
New Balance decided to experiment with the third kit once again. It’s black this time but it features a pink and grey graphic on the front representing cracks as the Berlin wall was being teared down. All logos are white. Problems with the two tone socks appeared again so a set of completely black socks was also used.
New Balance delivered four different goalkeeper kits this season. The primary one was a colorway exclusive to Borussia Berlin. A stealthy look in black and red. The secondary one was grey with black details. And then there was also a green and a cyan one, both with pink accents.
2020/21
Spoiler
The sleeve sponsorship deal with Alba ended and a german property company called TAG Immobilien took its place.
The new home shirt doesn’t feature any black or white accents. Instead the collar and the MegaSpeed band on the sleeve cuffs are painted in a darker red than the rest of the jersey. A melange effect runs through the whole shirt. Black shorts and socks were the primary choice but a white option was also present.
The new away is a plain white top with dark cyan logos. The shorts are also cyan while the socks are white. White shorts were also available.
Navy and bright cyan are the colors used on the third kit. A stardust pattern graces the front of the shirt. The Hamburger SV was out of the Bundesliga for good by now, however the two clubs still met in the DFB-Cup, so the white away socks were used to prevent a clash.
This season the goalkeeper kits were green, blue, grey and black. They featured a triangle pattern on the sleeves.
In spring, die Bären wore a special version of their home kit, called the Diversity shirt. The logo of the club and the sponsor Ergo were painted in rainbow colors for this occasion. The match-worn shirts were auctioned off and a limited number of replica shirts was sold in the online shop. All the revenue was donated to foundations fighting for LGBTQ+ and refugee rights. Dortmund, Köln and Stuttgart were clubs that also wore special diversity kits that season.
2021/22
Spoiler
Borussia Berlin would once again get a new set of kits based on the new New Balance template.
The new home shirt returns to black and white accents. The white hoops on the sleeves are meant to represent the flag of Berlin. The MegaSpeed branding is still present on the sleeves, but it got a lot smaller. Black and white shorts and socks were available and the black set was once again the primary choice.
The purple away shirt was inspired by the crazy kit designs of the 80’s and 90’s. It features a graphic pattern on the front. Red and white accents shake up the kit.
New Balance returns to a neon yellow color for the third kit. The shirt features a graphic print made out of black dots. Unlike the yellow 2017/18 kit, this one features a monochrome badge.
New Balance delivered three version of their goalkeeper template in blue, orange and dark grey. The green goalkeeper kit from last season was also carried over.
Borussia Berlin and Ergo agreed to a special version of the sponsor logo colored in the colors of the flag of Ukraine. The motivation was to support the country, which is fighting an illegal occupation from the Russian Federation. “#PeaceForUkraine” was written between the manufacturer logo and the club badge. The matchworn shirts were auctioned off and a limited number of them appeared in the online shop. All proceeds were donated to humanitarian organizations operating in Ukraine and their bordering countries.
A few words from the author:
So this was a project I was working on on-off for the past 4 years. The idea for the club and the badge first appeared in my head somewhere around 2014 actually. And I always wanted to do a fictional kit history. Designing multiple kit sets for one club is a fun experience since you really have to stretch to the edge of your creativity. I also wanted to make everything as realistic as possible. So if you think that on some kits the sponsor logo doesn’t fit well or if you’re asking yourself why I’m sometimes criticising my own kits, that’s actually done deliberately.
I would love to hear your opinions! What are your favourite kits from this project? Any season that stood out to you in particular?
SC Borussia Berlin - Kit History of an Imaginary Soccer Club
in Concepts
Posted
Sport-Club Borussia Berlin 1905 e.V., commonly known as SC Borussia Berlin, Borussia Berlin or SCBB, is a German sports club founded in 1905. First founded as a pure men’s football team the club branched out into handball, table tennis, women’s football and also eSports in later decades. The name Borussia comes from the Latin name for Prussia. The men’s football team plays its games in the Olympiastadion, which it shares with their local rival Hertha BSC. The club has won 3 Bundesliga titles, 5 DFB-Cups and one UEFA Cup in its history. The three league titles mean that the Sportclub is allowed to wear one star above their badge. Borussia’s main rivals are the other two big clubs in the capital of Germany, Hertha and Union. However both rivalries aren’t as heated as other German derbies like the Ruhrderby between Dortmund and Schalke for example. There is also a quiet rivalry with the other two Borussias in the German top flight – Dortmund and Mönchengladbach.
Their badge is a shield consisting of the colors of the flag of Berlin and the Berliner Bär – the bear is a symbol of the city of Berlin and it also appears on the badge and flag of the city. The team played their first matches in plain red shirts, which were combined with white shorts and socks. Soon however, Borussia switched to black shorts and socks since they did not get as dirty and were easier to clean back then. The first away shirt was a blue top that also brought back the white shorts and socks. In later decades white and black jerseys also became common away options.
2009/10
Borussia Berlin was equipped by Nike for most of the 2000’s. This however would be the last season of the partnership as Borussia would make the switch to Adidas in the coming season. The German railroad company Deutsche Bahn, or DB for short was the main sponsor of Borussia as well as the local rival Hertha. The badges of the Bundesliga and the Bundesliga foundation are present on the sleeves of all jerseys.
Nike’s last home kit for die Bären(The Bears) is a simple effort. A black collar and sleeve cuffs with white details accompany the red shirt. As is tradition, black shorts and socks are first choice and white away shorts and socks are used to prevent color clashes. They evoke memories of the first uniform worn by SCBB. These initials also appear on the socks of the home and away kit.
The away jersey is based on the same template as the home. It's white from collar to toe. Light grey stripes run down the front, back and sleeves. Black and red are secondary colors.
Last season’s away kit was carried over as the new third. It is based on Nike’s template from the past season. It features a half and half design consisting of blue and black. White shorts are the primary choice, however the black set from last season’s home kit was also kept for another year.
The goalkeeper’s kits are yellow and green. They’re the same as worn by other Nike teams that season. The yellow shirt was worn with matching shorts, while the green one was worn with black teamwear shorts. The white away jersey was also worn by the goalkeeper if the need arose.
2010/11
Borussia Berlin was equipped multiple times by Adidas during the second half of the 20th century, so their return was well welcomed. A new Bundesliga badge appeared on the right sleeve, while the badge of the Bundesliga foundation was gone.
The first Adidas Borussia Berlin home shirt of the 21st century was based on the Stricon template. Black three stripes and black seams grace the red base of the shirt. White is not present except for the manufacturer logo which is placed in the middle of the chest. Black shorts and socks with red stripes were the primary choice, while the white away set was used in color clashes. The founding year on the front of the socks is a nice detail.
The away shirt is white and based on the popular Condivo 10 template. The sleeves are black with red Adidas stripes. The black home shorts were worn when it was needed.
The third is straight out of the teamwear catalogue. It’s the blue Condivo 10 version and that’s basically it. Against Hamburger SV the away socks were worn to prevent a socks clash(This will be a regular occurrence in future seasons.)
Adidas delivered three shirts from the goalkeeper version of the Condivo 10 template in white, yellow and black. They were worn in different combinations with white and black shorts and socks. Back in the days goalkeeper kits weren’t as streamlined in color as they are today. The blue third kit was also used by the man in the goal.
2011/12
Back then Adidas and their Bundesliga teams liked to keep jerseys for two season instead of just one. That meant that teams like Schalke or Bayer Leverkusen changed their home kit one year while keeping the away and third, and then doing the opposite the next year. It’s basically what the MLS is doing right now. And SCBB would be doing the same. This season they would only get a new home, while keeping both away kits.
The new home kit was based on the Campeon 11 template that was also used by teams like Chelsea and Bayern. Black pinstripes grace the front of the shirt. White is not present on the jersey and the socks weren’t black but red. They worked well with the shirt however since they shared the pinstripe design. The SCBB wordmark returned to the socks. The away shorts were again equipped against team with black short.
As already mentioned the away shirt stayed the same. It was worn with the red home socks on one occasion to prevent a color clash against Hannover 96
The third kit also didn’t change and once again the white socks were used against the HSV.
Adidas delivered four new goalkeeper shirts in macaw, light blue, white and black. This time based on the Campeon 11 template the kits came with matching shorts and socks. The white shirt was once worn with the black home shorts.
2012/13
This season the away and third kits were in line for a make-over. As this was the anniversary 50th season of the Bundesliga, all clubs wore a special sleeve badge celebrating the occasion. In the middle of the season the Bundesliga struck a sponsoring deal with the delivery company Hermes. From then on their logo would be present on the left sleeve of all Bundesliga teams.
The home kit stayed the same. Shorts from the new away kit were also used with the home shirt.
The new away kit is a throwback to the kit SCBB wore when they won their first DFB-Cup. White with a red sash. The three stripes and details are held in black. A red stripe is also featured on the socks. The new third socks were worn with the away against Hannover 96.
After the last third kit which was just teamwear Adidas managed to give Borussia a bespoken third kit. It’s an impressive effort completely in black and red. Reflective black pinstripes grace the front of the shirt.
The new goalkeeper kits based on the Condivo 12 template come in light blue, onyx, white and green.
In the third round of the Bundesliga season all teams replaced their shirt sponsors with the logo of the initiative Geh’ Deinen Weg (Go Your Way) of the German-Foundation Integration. The goal of the initiative is to achieve equal opportunities for people with a migratory background. Hermes wasn’t yet a sponsor of the Bundesliga at that time so their logo isn’t present on the shirts.
2013/14
The home kit was next in line to be changed. The normal Bundesliga patch returned to the sleeves.
The new home kit features stripes in a lighter red. The v-collar and the black patches under the sleeves link the kit to the Tiro 13 template. Once again the color white isn’t featured on the jersey. The socks feature black and red hoops, which is unusual for die Bären. The away shorts and socks were always ready for when a clash occurred.
The away kit stayed the same. There was no clash with Hannover 96 this season so there was also no need for black socks.
The third kit is as good looking as last season. White socks were again used against the HSV and in one game the shirt was worn with the home shorts for no known reason.
Revigo 13 was the name of the new Adidas goalkeeper template. SCBB's goalkeeper wore a macaw, a white, a light blue and a navy version of it.
2014/15
This would be the last season with the logo of Deutsche Bahn on the front of the shirts as the company slowed down their sponsorship for the two biggest football clubs in Berlin. The Bundesliga badge received slight changes. Die Bären would get new away and third kits.
The home kit remained unchanged. It was often combined with the away shorts and socks.
The away kit is white once again. It is based on a premium template that was the base for a lot of Adidas kits that season. It features one big red hoop on the chest and thinner black hoops bellow. The classy Henley collar and the sleeve cuffs are black while the three stripes are red this time. The socks mimic the design of the shirt. Black third socks were worn against Hannover.
The new third is based on the Condivo 14 template. It’s black again. The colors white and red grace the collar, sleeve cuffs and the ends of the white three stripes. The socks are plain and only feature the Adidas stripes and the club’s initials. At the game in Hamburg white socks from the teamwear catalogue were worn.
The new goalkeeper kit is an absolute beauty. It features a spider-man like design on the chest and sleeves. Unlike the last couple of seasons it wasn’t a design from the teamwear catalogue, but was reserved for the pro teams. Borussia Berlin used the green, blue, white and yellow colorways.2015/16
Borussia Berlin already announced during the previous season that the new shirt sponsor would be Ergo. They are one of the largest insurance companies operating in Germany and Europe. The club would get a new home kit this season.
The new home kit featured thin hoops held in a lighter red than the rest of the shirt. The crew neck collar and the Adidas stripes were black. The color white made a return to the home kit in the form of a hoop on the bottom of the shirt that is part of the template. Black socks were back on the menu as well. One thing that turned heads was when the first kit clash of the season occured and the Berlin players entered the pitch in red shorts and socks. It was a weird decision by Adidas and the club, since that was a completely new look for die Bären and until now white away shorts were always enough to prevent a clash. And then there was also the historic reason for white shorts. The red set wasn’t up for sale in the club shop. During the season rumours appeared that the red shorts were meant to be the first choice, but that in the end the club backed off from the idea, fearing backlash from fans. The black shorts and red socks combination was worn against Schalke.
The away kit received the logo of the new sponsor Ergo. Black socks were again worn against Hannover.
The only thing changing with the third kit was the new sponsor logo. The mess that is the Hamburger SV was somehow still not relegated at that point so a socks clash happened again. This time the away socks were worn instead of the teamwear option from last season.
The new goalkeeper kits are based on the Top 15 template. Adidas delivered shirts in the colors green, yellow, blue and white.
2016/17
This would be the last season of the deal with Adidas. The kitmaker switched its priorities to sponsoring only the top teams and players in the football world. At that point they already ended long term deals with Nürnberg, Bayer Leverkusen and announced the end of their Schalke sponsorship. In general the fans were mostly satisfied with the 7 years of Adidas. Most of the critical opinions were about the lack of white on the home kits and the lack number of good looking blue away kits. The away and third kits were to be changed.
The home kit stayed the same. The infamous red shorts went nowhere and were still used.
Adidas started changing up the placement of their trademark three stripes on their kits for the Euro 2016 and they kept that for the new season. The new away kit is white and features the three stripes on the sides of the shirt in red color. The Berlin Bear subtly graces the front and the sleeves of the shirt. The socks also feature a new way of incorporating the three stripes. The kit was marketed under the motto “Berlin zu Gast” (Berlin Away) and it was worn in every away match where that was possible. That meant a lot of short and sock clashes. Therefore Adidas also delivered an alternate red set. The red shorts were worn against Schalke and they were accompanied by the red socks against Darmstadt. The combination of white shorts and red socks was worn against… not Hannover actually, but against Werder Bremen.
The third shirt marked a return to the color blue but sadly it was again completely blue. Three blocks in different shades create a gradient on the front. The Adidas stripes on this shirt are only present on the upper part of the shoulders. Hamburger SV was still clinging on to their record of being the only Bundesliga founding club never to get relegated, so the away socks had to be combined with the third kit once again.
The new goalkeeper template is called the Onore 16. It features the three stripes on the side and a graphic pattern on the shoulders. It was used in the colors solar yellow, green, white, red and black. You might think that a goalkeeper kit in the same colors as the home kit doesn’t make a lot of sense and you’d probably be right. However since the away kit was always worn in away matches, even against teams that don’t have red kits, the red goalkeeper kit was able to carelessly accompany it. One question that remains is why wouldn’t the goalkeeper just wear the home kit?
2017/18
Adidas got replaced by the US company New Balance as Borussia Berlin’s kitmaker. This would be New Balance’s first team in the German league. It also means that die Bären would get a whole new set of kits instead of just changing one or two of them. The Bundesliga went through a rebrand and the sleeve patch was part of it. The sponsoring deal between the league and Hermes also ended and from now on every team is allowed to have their own sponsor on the left sleeve. Therefore Borussia Berlin signed a 3 year deal with Alba, which is a waste management and recycling company headquartered in Berlin.
The first ever New Balance home kit is a simple but smart effort. They utilized a brighter red than Adidas and Nike. The collar and sleeve cuffs feature black and white details. On the front vertical stripes are running down the shirt representing a sash. Both black and white shorts and socks are available with the black set being the main option.
With the new away kit Borussia Berlin returns to tradition. It’s a plain blue shirt with a black v-collar and sleeve cuffs. The shorts are interchangeable with the home kit with the white set being the primary choice. Interestingly, in the online shop the shorts weren’t sold as “home” and “away shorts” but they were simply called “black shorts” and “white shorts”.
The third kit is a throwback to a neon yellow Nike kit that Borussia wore when they defeated CSKA Moscow in the final of the 2004/05 UEFA Cup. It features similar stripes to the home shirt.
New Balance delivered three goalkeeper kits to the club. One in light green, one in dark green and one in black. When Borussia played away to Werder Bremen, a problem arose. Since Werder’s home kit consisted of a dark green shirt and shorts and bright green socks, no goalkeeper kit could be used. A plain white shirt was delivered from New Balance for that occasion. It was combined with the white shorts and socks that were also worn by the outfield players in that match.
2018/19
New Balance would again provide a whole new set of kits.
The new home kit is a stunner. It features white shorts and socks as primary choice, with the black ones being the secondary option – a callback to the first ever Borussia Berlin uniform. In the front, vertical pinstripes portray the multiple Berlin Bears. The collar gives the shirt a classy vibe. White is the primary accent color with black only being present in the seams on the sides of the jersey. The combination of black shorts and white socks was worn against Schalke.
The new away kit is completely blue. It features the same graphic as the home kit. The sleeves are colored in a darker blue than the base of the shirt and red details break up the blue monotony.
The new third uses a colorway completely unknown in the history of the SCBB. It’s a plain light grey base with bright orange accents. It is also the first time that a monochromatic version of the club badge appeared on the chest. It was marketed as a tribute to the urban architecture of Berlin and the young and vibrant people passing through it. In contrast, most of the fanbase thought that it looked like a pyjama. Black home socks were worn for the clash against Hannover 96.
The goalkeeper kits were yellow, green and black. The grey third kit was also worn between the sticks.
2019/20
A new season, a new New Balance template and a new set of jerseys.
The color black made a big return to the home kit this season. The new template became infamous for the block taking over all the place on the shoulders. On the sleeve cuffs the New Balance MegaSpeed branding makes its first appearance. Two sets of shorts and socks were used, one in black and one in white. The socks are made of almost two halves. More on that later.
After two seasons the away kit is white once again. On the front the border of the club crest creates a repeating pattern. Logos are black and the MegaSpeed branding on the sleeves is red. The socks proved to be a bit of a problem. Since they’re half white and half red they clash with normal red socks. New Balance had to deliver another pair of socks purely in white. Liverpool, another NB team that season, had the same problem with their home and third socks. Black shorts were worn in the away game against Schalke 04.
New Balance decided to experiment with the third kit once again. It’s black this time but it features a pink and grey graphic on the front representing cracks as the Berlin wall was being teared down. All logos are white. Problems with the two tone socks appeared again so a set of completely black socks was also used.
New Balance delivered four different goalkeeper kits this season. The primary one was a colorway exclusive to Borussia Berlin. A stealthy look in black and red. The secondary one was grey with black details. And then there was also a green and a cyan one, both with pink accents.
2020/21
The sleeve sponsorship deal with Alba ended and a german property company called TAG Immobilien took its place.
The new home shirt doesn’t feature any black or white accents. Instead the collar and the MegaSpeed band on the sleeve cuffs are painted in a darker red than the rest of the jersey. A melange effect runs through the whole shirt. Black shorts and socks were the primary choice but a white option was also present.
The new away is a plain white top with dark cyan logos. The shorts are also cyan while the socks are white. White shorts were also available.
Navy and bright cyan are the colors used on the third kit. A stardust pattern graces the front of the shirt. The Hamburger SV was out of the Bundesliga for good by now, however the two clubs still met in the DFB-Cup, so the white away socks were used to prevent a clash.
This season the goalkeeper kits were green, blue, grey and black. They featured a triangle pattern on the sleeves.
In spring, die Bären wore a special version of their home kit, called the Diversity shirt. The logo of the club and the sponsor Ergo were painted in rainbow colors for this occasion. The match-worn shirts were auctioned off and a limited number of replica shirts was sold in the online shop. All the revenue was donated to foundations fighting for LGBTQ+ and refugee rights. Dortmund, Köln and Stuttgart were clubs that also wore special diversity kits that season.
2021/22
Borussia Berlin would once again get a new set of kits based on the new New Balance template.
The new home shirt returns to black and white accents. The white hoops on the sleeves are meant to represent the flag of Berlin. The MegaSpeed branding is still present on the sleeves, but it got a lot smaller. Black and white shorts and socks were available and the black set was once again the primary choice.
The purple away shirt was inspired by the crazy kit designs of the 80’s and 90’s. It features a graphic pattern on the front. Red and white accents shake up the kit.
New Balance returns to a neon yellow color for the third kit. The shirt features a graphic print made out of black dots. Unlike the yellow 2017/18 kit, this one features a monochrome badge.
New Balance delivered three version of their goalkeeper template in blue, orange and dark grey. The green goalkeeper kit from last season was also carried over.
Borussia Berlin and Ergo agreed to a special version of the sponsor logo colored in the colors of the flag of Ukraine. The motivation was to support the country, which is fighting an illegal occupation from the Russian Federation. “#PeaceForUkraine” was written between the manufacturer logo and the club badge. The matchworn shirts were auctioned off and a limited number of them appeared in the online shop. All proceeds were donated to humanitarian organizations operating in Ukraine and their bordering countries.
A few words from the author:
So this was a project I was working on on-off for the past 4 years. The idea for the club and the badge first appeared in my head somewhere around 2014 actually. And I always wanted to do a fictional kit history. Designing multiple kit sets for one club is a fun experience since you really have to stretch to the edge of your creativity. I also wanted to make everything as realistic as possible. So if you think that on some kits the sponsor logo doesn’t fit well or if you’re asking yourself why I’m sometimes criticising my own kits, that’s actually done deliberately.
I would love to hear your opinions! What are your favourite kits from this project? Any season that stood out to you in particular?