European kit rankings: The 10 best away shirts
As Europe's biggest sides partake in inconsequential fixtures in footballing hotspots like Regina and Nashville, clubs unveil flashy new kits in hopes of boosting sales in emerging markets previously untapped.
Like a strike from 40 yards, these new strips can be hit or miss, with the latter more prevalent as the continent's biggest clubs struggle to find a utopian nexus between tradition and modernity.
Related - European kit rankings: The 10 best home shirts
When it comes to designing a trendy tunic, restraint governs fashion, and with that in mind, here's an unscientific look at 10 of European football's best new away kits for the 2017-18 term:
10) Schalke
Sharper than a serpent's tooth, Schalke's travel threads pay homage to the Gelsenkirchen lot's home kit from '92 to '94 while also highlighting the perils of dropping a few dozens stir sticks.
9) Real Madrid
Inspired by the blue on Real Madrid's coat of arms, the double winner has opted for a turquoise on black look paired with black shorts and socks that are certain to flatter when worn with Cristiano Ronaldo's line of youthful undergarments.
8) Werder Bremen
White with horizontal green stripes and neon accents, Werder Bremen's away kit is dapper in its simplicity that will look sharp on summer signing Harry Kane.
7) Napoli
A certain hit with cyclists who fancy a nighttime jaunt, this Napoli offering visible from space is sure to draw the eye of Partenopei supporters, and luckily for Lorenzo Insigne, this bisque blouse comes in children's sizes.
6) Ajax
Hoping to replicate the Champions League triumph of 1995, Ajax has again opted for a bold graphic print on a busy background, and it's brilliant. This kit has a boyish charm to it, which is ideal for a side whose starting XI has an average age of 11.
5) Celtic
Coupling the club's traditional shade of green with a darker version that matches the butt buckets at Celtic Park, The Hoops' away kit for the 2017-18 term features gold highlights paying homage to the 50-year anniversary of the European Cup win over Inter. No word yet if matching pyjamas are in the plans.
4) Bayern Munich
Inspired by iconic home strips of the '90s, Bayern Munich's away kit for its defense of five league titles on the bounce is as exquisite as they come. Featuring Adidas microfiber moisture-wicking technology, James Rodriguez will finally have the opportunity to sweat, albeit briefly, in a club shirt.
3) Juventus
No stranger to away kits that combine collegiate royal blue and bold gold, Juventus' most recent version gives Max Allegri's lot a sublime, if not stunning look as it fends off the advances of nouveau-riche AC Milan and its six-dozen summer signings.
2) Sporting
An ocular catastrophe at first glance, Sporting's new kit is actually an innovative means of spreading the tradition of the Lisbon giant. The horizontal stripes are Morse code of a famous club chant, while beneath the crest two lines of Braille read "Benfica sucks."
1) Monaco
Considering the principality side's opulent surroundings, it's only fitting that Ligue 1 holder Monaco looks posh and palatial in its new rags, and if this isn't the best away shirt in Europe, Kylian Mbappe isn't worth Burundi's GDP.
(Photos courtesy: Footy Headlines)