1996–98 Scotland Home Shirt – Authentication Guide
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Shirt Overview
Team: Scotland
Season: 1996–98
Type: Home
Manufacturer: Umbro
Primary Colour: Navy with white, red, and gold trim
Notable Match: Scotland vs. Brazil (1998 World Cup opener)
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Key Authentication Features
Crest: Fully embroidered Scottish FA badge with yellow shield, red lion rampant, and navy scroll. The stitching is thick with visible layered texture.
Umbro Logo: Embroidered in white thread directly above the crest—clean stitching and spacing are key indicators.
Collar: Button-up grandad-style collar with white placket, red piping, and internal “Scotland” taping. Two overlapping collar buttons: one gold with the lion rampant and one silver.
Material: Subtle vertical jacquard stripes within the navy polyester, plus a rubberised watermark Umbro logo on the lower front.
Back: Plain navy with extended shoulder panels in white and red.
Inner Label: Classic blue Umbro size label stitched to the collar, no hologram present on earlier retail issues.
Hem Detail: Authentic shirts feature a shield-style lower tag with silver and navy tones (may fade or peel on worn examples).
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Player Info
Scotland Euro 1996 / World Cup 1998 Squad Highlights
| Player | Position |
|---|---|
| Jim Leighton | Goalkeeper |
| Colin Hendry | Defender |
| Tom Boyd | Defender |
| David Weir | Defender |
| John Collins | Midfielder |
| Gary McAllister | Midfielder |
| Paul Lambert | Midfielder |
| Billy McKinlay | Midfielder |
| Craig Burley | Midfielder |
| Ally McCoist | Forward |
| Gordon Durie | Forward |
| Kevin Gallacher | Forward |
| Simon Donnelly | Forward |
| Darren Jackson | Forward |
| Coach: Craig Brown |
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Season Summary
Worn across two major tournaments, the 1996–98 Scotland home shirt became iconic during the country’s spirited appearances at Euro 96 and the 1998 World Cup. The shirt debuted during a narrow defeat to England at Wembley and was later immortalised in the opening game of France 98 against Brazil.
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Final Notes
Watch for bootlegs missing the collar button detail or featuring printed Umbro logos. The internal double button system and rubberised lower front motif are key identifiers. Replica shirts tend to have a boxier fit and slightly different fabric sheen than match-issue versions.
This post is part of Shirtchecker.com’s mission to help collectors visually authenticate shirts and avoid buying fakes.
