Which MLS Eastern Conference team is sporting the best jersey?
Major League Soccer revealed the 2024 jerseys for each of the 29 teams, beginning the true kickoff to the regular season. When teams hit the field this past week to open up the 2024 season, many unviewill be showing off these jerseys to their fans for the first time.
Overall, MLS and Adidas did a much better job with their jerseys, many tapping into their communities to design a jersey that fits their fanbase and the cities they represent. However, there are some who missed the mark and failed to capitalize on a chance to make a statement with their jersey. Let’s take a look at the 15 Eastern Conference teams and rank the 2024 jerseys from worst to first.
15. Toronto FC – The GTA Kit
The Global Toronto Area is one of the most diverse, vibrant communities in the world. This jersey was the worst way to represent it. It’s bland and without any true representation, the second straight Toronto FC away kit to miss the mark completely.
14. FC Cincinnati – The Canvas Kit
Some would call this a blank canvas, but this jersey does not emote any creative freedom. They’re best when they are in an orange jersey to complement their home blue. This jersey doesn’t give us any feelings that they wanted to push the envelope.
13. Inter Miami – The 2getherness Kit
This is probably the most disappointing kit in all of MLS. They get points for it being pink, but to just have a center crest and an oversized jersey sponsor with no real attempts to be bold in the design seems like a waste of the next two seasons of Lionel Messi at Chase Stadium.
12. Columbus Crew – The Home Kit
Sorry Columbus fans, the jersey of the defending MLS Cup champions reminds us of the world’s favorite Peanuts character. That imagery can’t be unseen, and feels like something that could have easily been avoided.
11. Orlando City – The Legacy Kit
Kudos to Orlando for bringing back red in their trim and the old school crest to celebrate their 10th anniversary in MLS. However, it feels like an unfinished tribute because it’s not fully in red. They would have easily moved up the list if they decided on the full red jersey tribute.
10. CF MontrĂ©al – La Main Kit
The jersey is pretty nice for a secondary jersey, with “La Main” representing the nickname for Montréal’s main boulevard that helps bring the city together. The team crest being in monochrome really takes away from the rest of the jersey. Keeping it in full color would have made this sizzle, and they get some points for opting for an “icy” light blue jersey.
9. Nashville SC – The 615 Kit
This is a nice option for Nashville, bringing more navy into the home jersey and adding navy shorts. It feels like this would have been better had they moved the blue banner down to where the sponsor is located to make it more central and tie the jersey together.
8. Charlotte FC – The Carolina Kit: Explore
This would have been an incredible secondary jersey for Carolina to complement a primary jersey in blue. However, having this as the home jersey leaves something to be desired, despite the jersey representing the seas and mountains that define the Carolinas. Like the club, this jersey feels like it represents a search for an identity that has so far eluded them.
7. New York City FC – The 24/7 Kit
A black jersey for The City That Never Sleeps is a very cool touch, with the orange and light blue trim splitting the kit in half. It looks discombobulated a bit with the trim on the shirt not matching that of the shorts, and adding something to the torso in the form of a design would have made this a bit better.
6. Philadelphia Union – The XV Kit
What the Philadelphia Union were going for with this kit should have made this an instant winner. The imperfect execution is what knocks this down the list a bit. While the intent was to make this similar to their first jersey, the center crest gets lost in the design and would have looked a lot better by the left chest. The snakeskin design reminds fans of a tire mark, but the colors in it still make this one of the better jerseys in the conference.
5. New York Red Bulls – The Legacy Kit
This is the closest to a NY/NJ Metrostars jersey that the New York Red Bulls have done in a very long time. Red Bull should always be in red, but bringing the design closer to their Metro beginnings is a complete winner.
4. DC United – The Icon Kit
D.C. United using the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge as the inspiration for this kit keeps their traditional look fun with the wavy design. By getting rid of the crypto network sponsor for a new one also boosts this jersey, and it has the perfect amount of trim for the team that they call the Black-and-Red.
3. Atlanta United – The Resurgens Kit
In taking the city flag and incorporating it into this design, Atlanta United has the best secondary jersey they’ve had in their history. The light blue and yellow should pop and become an instant hit with fans.
2. Chicago Fire – The Return to Red Kit
Finally, the Chicago Fire are back in red where they belong. They’ve recreated the jersey design that defined them for 20 years, and with the new crest and the light blue trim bringing it together, this jersey is just about as perfect as you can get.
1. New England Revolution – The Boston Tea Party Kit
The Revs have finally done it. They have an absolutely stunning beauty of a jersey to call their own. The red shoulders with the navy torso is terrific, and tying it together with the vertical dotted stripes in red and white create a classic look that they should have possessed all along.
