There’s something unique about teams that play their soccer in yellow jerseys, regardless of the talent of the players, or the importance of the competition, playing in yellow says “look at me”. Teams that choose yellow as their color are often, Brazil aside, the underdogs, the also-rans, and their fans seem to thrive on that.
Not for these teams is the power-red, or the elegant white; wearing yellow makes a team stand out, and they immediately give the feeling that they are different somehow.
With that in mind, let’s look at some of the stand-out teams in world soccer that play in yellow jerseys.
7. Club America
Club America is one of the most successful, and most popular, soccer clubs in Mexico, which is handy, as they play their home games at the Estadio Azteca, the largest soccer stadium in Latin America. With an 87,523-seater stadium to fill, not many teams can boast a domestic record that would warrant that many fans.
Club America was founded in 1916 and immediately began to play in their now much-beloved yellow jersey, winning a record 13 top division titles, one more than their fierce rivals Guadalajara.
A huge fanbase and a massive stadium don’t guarantee success though, but Club America has always risen to the challenge, winning a record 7 CONCACAF Champions Leagues in their history.
6. FC BATE Borisov
- League: Belarusian Premier League (Belarus)
Wearing their all-yellow soccer kit with pride, BATE Borisov is the most successful Belarusian soccer club in history and the only club from this small country to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League. 15 league titles and multiple domestic honors mark out this great club as one of the most consistent in Europe.
A relatively young club, BATE has only been playing soccer since 1973 but has quickly climbed the ladder to sit proudly at the top of the league. Domestically dominant, BATE may not be winning the Champions League any time soon, but with the limited resources available, can be extremely proud of their consistency in European competition.
5. FC Nantes
It is in 1943 that we first see FC Nantes appear, despite the nation being under the occupation of the German Army, one of the few things to happen during a dark time in European history that can lift the spirits.
A bright yellow jersey seeming to state a new beginning and optimism for the future, Nantes certainly held up their side of the bargain, winning eight Ligue 1 titles and four Coupe de France victories in their short history.
A team playing in all-yellow, Nantes became known as “The Yellow House” amongst fans, and has a rich history of youth development, with French greats such as Didier Deschamps and Claude Makelele rising through their illustrious ranks. A proposed move to a new stadium, dubbed the YelloPark, was abandoned in 2019 due to planning permission issues.
4. Villarreal CF
Villarreal is one of the most famous clubs ever to wear the yellow jersey, and with a nickname like “The Yellow Submarine,” it’s not hard to see why. Playing in a bright yellow strip, Villarreal has been a strong force in Spanish soccer for several years, and even more impressive, been very competitive in European competition too.
A run to the 2024 UEFA Europa League Final saw the Spanish team emerge victorious against a solid Manchester United team, and with several semi-final appearances recently in the Champions League, the yellow submarine looks set for a great future.
A perennial underachiever until the turn of the century, Villarreal spent much of their early history in the lower leagues, only really cementing their place in La Liga after their return in 2001.
3. Norwich City
- League: Premier League (England)
From the yellow submarine, we now head to the English Premier League with the canaries, as Norwich City is known, due to the history of breeding the brightly colored bird in the local area.
Norwich isn’t the most successful team on our list by any stretch of the imagination, but their club crest and distinctive yellow jersey are one of the most readily identifiable kits around.
With two League cup wins to their name, Norwich has been a team that can’t quite make the grade in recent seasons, with several promotions to the top division followed by immediate relegation.
Another relegation in the 2022 season now means that Norwich will have to again bounce back, hopefully with a stronger squad that can achieve safety in the Premier League.
2. Borussia Dortmund
- League: Bundesliga (Germany)
Borussia Dortmund is easily the most successful club team to play in a yellow jersey, with eight Bundesliga titles and a UEFA Champions League to their name, as well as numerous German cup wins in their long history.
Dortmund has the highest average attendance of any club team in the world, and their distinctive yellow jersey and the wall of yellow that the fans display during home games is a sight to behold.
While Borussia Dortmund seems unable to take the next step and dethrone Bayern Munich from the top of the table, they have consistently been one of the best teams in the German league for some time. With a reputation for finding and developing some of the best talents in European soccer, Dortmund has quickly recovered from its financial difficulties.
Finding young stars before selling them on at huge profit has allowed the club to build a sound base and with arguably the greatest fanbase in soccer, Dortmund is set for a strong future in the Bundesliga. Having donned their famous yellow jersey for the first time in 1913, Dortmund became one of the founding members of the Bundesliga and scored the first-ever goal in the competition in 1963.
1. Brazil National Team
Okay, so Brazil coming in at number one on the list of teams that play in yellow jerseys may seem like a bit of a cheat, but bear with it. Being able to cherry-pick the best talent from a nation of some of the most exceptional players on earth does have its advantages.
Over the years the Brazil national team has shown itself to be one of the most entertaining teams ever to don a yellow jersey.
Five times winners of the FIFA World Cup, and home to some of the most gifted soccer players ever, Brazil have a history and magic to them that no other team or nation can get near. From players such as Pele, Garrincha, Zico, and Socrates, the world has been blessed to witness some of the greatest soccer ever seen, at some of the greatest tournaments ever seen.
The 1970 Brazil squad alone reads like a who’s who of talent and is widely regarded as the greatest World Cup squad of all time. It’s hard to argue with that assumption too, with Pele playing in his last ever finals, Brazil went on to lift the trophy playing soccer that simply took the breath away.
The 1982 Brazil team was equally excellent and after a shock loss to Italy, quickly became known as the best team ever to not win the World Cup.
Final Thoughts
Unlike many teams that have played in red jerseys, who have always been historically associated with the best teams around, the teams that play in yellow have a different vibe to them.
Often more unique and quirky than other teams, with fans that are often passionate beyond belief, the teams on our list that play in yellow are all well-supported teams with unique histories and stories.
Ask any soccer fan to quickly name three teams that play in yellow, and you’ll not find many that don’t immediately reply with Brazil or Borussia Dortmund, even the Yellow Submarine, or the Canaries.
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