UMBRO FOOTBALL
For those who are not yet familiar with it, Umbro is one of the most iconic and long-established sports brands in the world of football and futsal. Throughout its history, it has played a key role in the evolution of the sport, becoming a benchmark for clubs, national teams and fans across several generations. With over a century of history, the British brand has successfully reinvented itself through various phases, whilst keeping its identity – deeply rooted in football – intact.
- History
- Presence in football
- Sports sponsorship
1. History
To understand the origins of this historic brand, we must go back to 1924. In those years, football was experiencing unprecedented growth and had already established itself as a professional sport in several European countries, whilst beginning to spread rapidly across other continents. The growing demand for match and training kits exceeded the production capacity of many textile companies of the time, opening the door to new business opportunities. It was against this backdrop that the Humphreys brothers founded Umbro, a name derived from the contraction of ‘Humphreys Brothers’. The company was officially established on the 23rd of May 1924 in Cheadle, a small town on the outskirts of Manchester, in the north of England.
The brand began to gain recognition when it became the kit supplier for the finalists of the FA Cup, the world’s oldest club competition. Years later, during the Second World War, its factories temporarily ceased sportswear production to manufacture uniforms for the British army and various textile components for the Allied air forces. Umbro’s major breakthrough came in the 1960s, driven by the creation of competitions such as the European Cup Winners’ Cup and the growing popularity of televised football matches. At that time, the brand kitted out around 85 per cent of the leading English clubs and sponsored some of the most prominent national teams in the English-speaking world, establishing itself as one of the leading brands in international football. As the crowning glory of a decade of tremendous growth, in 1961 Umbro reached a strategic agreement with adidas to become the official distributor of its football boots throughout the United Kingdom. This partnership further strengthened its position within the industry and helped to cement the prestige of both brands in the British market.
2. Presence in football
For more than three decades, from the 1960s to the mid-1990s, Umbro was one of the most prominent brands in English and international football. Its logo featured in some of the sport’s greatest successes, kitting out league champions, European champions and national teams that achieved glory at the World Cup. Among the clubs and national teams that placed their trust in the British brand were the Brazilian national team, world champions in 1994; the England national team, world champions in 1966; Celtic, European champions in 1967; and Manchester United, protagonists of some of the greatest successes in English and European football. Over the years, and particularly following its acquisition by Nike, Umbro gradually lost its prominence in the market. Its gradual disappearance from the major stages of football ultimately relegated Umbro to the sidelines within the industry. However, in recent years the British firm has begun a period of recovery. Its focus on futsal, alongside the development of new football collections, has enabled it to regain a foothold in various markets. Although it is still a long way from the prominence it enjoyed during its heyday, Umbro continues to reinforce its identity as a brand closely linked to the history of football, particularly in countries such as England and Brazil.
3. Sports sponsorship
During its heyday, Umbro sponsored some of the most outstanding footballers of their generation, such as Michael Owen, David Beckham, Alan Shearer and John Terry. It also kitted out top-tier national teams such as England, Brazil, Colombia, Scotland and Sweden, as well as historic clubs such as Chelsea FC, Inter Milan, Aston Villa and Rangers FC. Today, the brand maintains a strong presence in Brazilian football, where it supplies kits to numerous professional clubs. One of its most iconic partnerships is with Athletico Paranaense, considered one of the longest-running sponsorship deals in the history of Brazilian football. The partnership began in 1997 and remains in place to this day. In the Premier League, Everton remains one of Umbro’s key partners and represents the brand’s link to one of the most prestigious competitions in world football.
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