Last Updated: 12 October 2026
Key Takeaways
- The Collaboration: Washington DC-based creative collective Guerrilla FC linking up with legendary kit manufacturer Umbro.
- The Design: A stunning untraditional camouflage featuring tone-on-tone white, chrome, and holographic vinyl leaves.
- The Details: Cyrillic font on the back to pay tribute to the 2018 World Cup in Russia, alongside a sleeve homage to philosopher Antonio Gramsci.
- The Legacy: A pioneering drop that helped cement the modern crossover between football culture and premium streetwear.
As we move through March 2026, football fashion is absolutely everywhere. You can barely walk down the street without seeing someone rocking a vintage jersey or a bespoke streetwear collaboration. But if we want to talk about the brands that really helped bridge the gap between fashion and the beautiful game, I have to look back at an absolute classic: the 2018 Home Kit from Guerrilla FC and Umbro.
Founded in 2016, Guerrilla FC started as a creative collective, a fashion brand, and a football squad with an underlying belief in starting a revolution both on and off the pitch. They emerged from Washington DC but quickly established bases in London, Milan, and Los Angeles.
When they announced their partnership with legendary English kit manufacturer Umbro, I knew we were in for something special. Looking back, it remains one of my favourite kit drops of the last decade.
A Masterclass in Kit Design
Guerrilla FC has always had a long-standing attention to aesthetics, and that is perfectly encapsulated in this jersey.
Instead of a standard block colour, they went with an untraditional camouflage. Tri-coloured leaves in tone-on-tone white, chrome, and holographic vinyl climb up the front of the shirt. It is subtle but incredibly striking when the light catches it. If you are prepping your summer fashion trends and want a kit that looks just as good in the pub as it does on a five-a-side pitch, this is the ultimate blueprint.
The Finer Details
What really set this shirt apart for me were the finer details and the deep cultural references.
First, the hash marks on the left sleeve are a direct homage to the Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci, who spent years in prison and wrote extensively about changing the world through culture.
Secondly, the back of the shirt is decorated with a Cyrillic font (which reads phonetically as ‘Guerrilla’). This was a brilliant, timely tribute to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. It gave the shirt a global, international feel that perfectly matched the diverse nature of the collective itself.
The Start of a Revolution
This kit was the first of several collections planned under the banner of the Umbro x Guerrilla FC collaboration. Their motto at the time was brilliant: “The revolution will not be televised but it will adorn Umbro gear in 2018.”
They absolutely delivered. Today, it is incredibly common to see independent collectives teaming up with massive sportswear giants, but Guerrilla FC were truly ahead of the curve. It is the perfect shirt to wear while enjoying a pint of The Kernel Pale Ale and watching the weekend fixtures.
If you are lucky enough to own one of these original 2018 shirts, hold onto it tightly!
FAQ: Guerrilla FC and Football Fashion
What is Guerrilla FC?
Guerrilla FC is a Washington DC-based creative collective and football squad founded in 2016. They merge football culture with premium streetwear and have built a global community with hubs in cities like London and Milan.
Why did the 2018 Guerrilla FC kit feature Cyrillic text?
The Cyrillic font on the back of the jersey, which phonetically spells out “Guerrilla”, was included as a specific tribute to the 2018 FIFA World Cup being hosted in Russia.
Can I still buy the Guerrilla FC x Umbro 2018 Home Kit?
Because it was an exclusive, limited-edition drop back in 2017/2018, it is no longer available directly from their store. However, you can occasionally find them popping up on specialist classic football shirt resale sites.
