Makita x Admiral Football Shirt: The Makita International Tournament

The Admiral x Makita collaboration celebrates a forgotten chapter, revisiting an era when some of Europe's biggest clubs travelled to England to compete in the iconic Makita International Tournament.

While Makita is recognised worldwide for its professional power tools, outdoor equipment and workwear, many football supporters may not realise the brand also has a unique place in football history. Between 1988 and 1994, Makita sponsored the prestigious pre-season tournament that welcomed some of Europe's elite clubs.

Originally held at Wembley Stadium before moving to other venues, the tournament featured footballing giants including Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Sampdoria. It offered supporters the rare opportunity to watch Europe's biggest clubs face one another long before international club competitions became common.

Throughout its seven-year history, the tournament became a fixture of the summer football calendar. Arsenal lifted the trophy three times, while Sampdoria also claimed three titles, with Chelsea completing the list of winners during the competition's final years. Although the tournament eventually came to an end in 1994, it remains a nostalgic chapter in football history for those who remember it.

In recent years, Makita has revisited original programmes and archive photography from the competition, celebrating the tournament's legacy and its place within the game. That appreciation for football heritage naturally led to a collaboration with Admiral.

The resulting shirt pays tribute to the era with a design inspired by classic late-1980s and early-1990s football aesthetics. A bold icy blue base is combined with darker blue zig-zag sublimated graphics, capturing the distinctive patterns synonymous with football shirts of the period, bringing together a contemporary yet nostalgic finish.