The tradition carries a weight that goes beyond fabric. The report traces its history through international football, from an early exchange between France and England to the famous embrace between Pelé and Bobby Moore after their 1970 World Cup meeting.
Other shirts have become part of football folklore. Steve Hodge kept Diego Maradona’s shirt after the 1986 World Cup clash between Argentina and England, a match remembered for two of the tournament’s most iconic goals. In 2022, the shirt became one of the sport’s most valuable memorabilia pieces.
More recently, Kylian Mbappé celebrating with Achraf Hakimi’s shirt offered a modern version of the gesture. The pair’s friendship added warmth to a contest defined by national rivalry.
For players, the exchange often marks a special opponent, a difficult match or a performance they want to remember. Collections can grow quietly over a career, then become prized personal archives.
Gerard Piqué has reportedly collected shirts connected to stars including Lionel Messi, Andrea Pirlo and David Beckham. Messi himself is said to preserve shirts from opponents and former teammates. Paulo Dybala, while showing part of his collection, asked: “Quantas são?”
For Vozinha, a shirt exchanged with Messi after a meeting between Cabo Verde and Argentina was described as a memory that would remain in his “coração para sempre”.
The practical side is less romantic. Players may need extra shirts, and requests can be arranged before matches through teammates and equipment staff. Clubs may also control or charge for additional kit.
That helps explain why a refusal is not necessarily personal. Gosens recalled Ronaldo declining his request, while Hans Hateboer later found another way to obtain the shirt for his teammate.
The ritual will endure because it makes football feel human. At the next major showdown, the most memorable image may come not during the match, but after it-when two rivals decide what they want to carry away.