Football gifts for men look easy: a shirt, a scarf, done. But a proper fan already has a drawer full of both. This guide lists 10 football gifts, sorted by budget, for the man in the stands and for the man who still turns out for five-a-side on a Thursday night.
This guide was put together by Bellore. Of the 10 ideas, 3 are our own products and are clearly marked. For everything else we name no brands and tell you what to look for instead.
The best football gift either makes matchday better or brings his love of the game into the house. A scarf, a decent ball and a football beer glass are sound choices on a smaller budget. A replica shirt, tabletop table football and a football video game are the mid-budget favourites. Match tickets are the gift nobody forgets. For the fan who watches at home, a glass with a football figure set into it comes out for every game.
Three questions to ask before you choose a football gift
Does he watch, play or both? For a supporter, matchday and club colours are what count. For someone who plays five-a-side or Sunday league, kit he can use on the pitch is worth more: a ball, boots, a bag. Most football men do both, so let the budget decide.
Who does he support? If you are not completely sure, do not buy club merchandise. The wrong colours are worse than no present at all. Football themed gifts with no club on them are always safe: a ball, table football, a football glass.
Where does he watch the game? A season ticket holder is glad of a scarf or tickets for an away day. A man who watches at home or in the pub with his mates gets more from gifts that are used in front of the telly.
Football gifts by budget
| Budget | Gift ideas | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Smaller budget | Club scarf, football, football beer glass | A friend, a colleague, a brother-in-law |
| Mid budget | Replica shirt, tabletop table football, football video game, football whisky stones, crystal whisky glass set of 2 | Boyfriend, husband, dad, brother |
| Bigger budget | Match tickets or a stadium tour, football boots | A big birthday, an anniversary, a graduation |
10 football gifts for men who watch, play or do both
1.Match tickets or a stadium tour
For a supporter, nothing beats ninety minutes in the ground. Tickets for a big game turn into a story he tells for years. Buy two and the present becomes a day out together, with the walk to the ground and the pie at half time included.
If tickets are hard to come by, a stadium tour is a good alternative. The dressing room, the tunnel, the dugout and the trophy room are places every fan wants to stand in once.
What to look for: Buy from the club or its official ticket partners, and check that the fixture date suits him. Kick-off times are often moved for television.
2.Football beer glass
Every fan has a matchday ritual, and this glass is made to join it. The same seat on the sofa. The same scarf over the same chair. Football men are superstitious, and whatever was in his hand the last time they won gets used again. The football set into this glass makes it the one he reaches for at kick-off.
Given to a football fan, it says something simple: "Let's watch the next one together." It does not take long to become the lucky glass, the one nobody else in the house is allowed to touch on a matchday.
It is a 465 ml beer glass with a football figure set into the body by hand, and it comes in its own gift box. It carries no club colours, so you can give it without knowing who he supports. It suits anyone looking for football themed gifts for men or for a birthday present for a football fan.
3.Replica shirt
The shirt is the thing a supporter is proudest of. This season's home shirt always goes down well, and so does a retro shirt from a season he still talks about.
A name and number on the back make it his own. His favourite player, or his surname and the year he was born, are the usual choices.
What to look for: Buy official merchandise from the club shop or an authorised retailer. Fans spot a fake straight away. If you do not know his size, go one up, because shirts are worn loose.
4.Club scarf
The scarf is the common language of the terraces. It is held up when the songs start, worn through the winter and pinned to the wall at home. It costs less than a shirt and there is no size to get wrong.
Scarves made for a single fixture, such as a cup final or a European night, are kept as souvenirs. One from a game he went to is a present with a memory attached.
What to look for: Knitted scarves last longer than printed ones, and their colours do not fade.
5.A proper football
Every five-a-side group has the same problem. Either nobody has brought a ball or the one in the boot of the car is flat. The man who turns up with a good one is the most popular player in the squad.
Size 5 is the adult standard. Stitched balls last longer and keep their shape better than glued ones.
What to look for: Balls made for artificial pitches and hard ground wear better than grass balls on those surfaces. Add a small pump and a spare needle.
6.Football whisky stones, set of 4
This set is for the games that go to extra time. The match drags on, the tension builds, the ice in the glass melts and the drink turns watery. Steel footballs do not melt. Ninety minutes, extra time or penalties, the drink stays the way it was at kick-off.
Given to a football fan, it is a light-hearted present for the man who never leaves before the final whistle. Paired with a football glass, it makes a complete matchday set.
The set holds four football-shaped stainless steel whisky stones with tongs, in a gift box. The stones go in the freezer for at least six hours, chill a drink without watering it down and can be used again and again. They are washed by hand and do not go in the dishwasher. For anyone after unique football gifts for men, it is a different kind of present.
7.Tabletop table football
Table football brings the game indoors. It comes out when friends are round, at half time or during a break at work, and it pulls every age group to the table.
Full-size tables need space and a bigger budget. Tabletop versions fit on a coffee table, go back in the cupboard afterwards and are just as much fun.
What to look for: Choose a model where the rods spin smoothly and the players are fixed to metal rods. Cheap tables with plastic rods do not last.
8.Football video game
The football game that comes out every year is the match on the days when there is no match. Tournaments between friends are often taken as seriously as the real thing.
If he already has the game, a second controller is a very good extra. You need two for a head-to-head, and most households are one short.
What to look for: Find out which console he has before you buy. Games are made for one platform and are hard to exchange once opened.
9.Football crystal whisky glass set of 2
Nobody picks a football club. Somebody hands it to them. It might be the dad who took him to his first game, the older brother who made the choice for him, or the mate he has sat beside for twenty seasons. These two glasses are for the pair of them.
Given to two friends who support rival clubs, the set becomes an invitation to derby day with one rule: the loser pours. It suits a father and son, two brothers, or two men who have had season tickets side by side for years.
The set holds two 355 ml crystal whisky glasses, each with a football figure set into the glass by hand, and comes in a gift box. If you are looking for football gifts for him, a football gift for dad or a boxed gift for a football fan, it is a smart choice.
10.Football boots
For a man who plays every week, good boots improve his game and lower the risk of injury. It is the most personal present you can give to someone who plays.
Boots are chosen for the surface. Artificial pitches need short, numerous studs or astro trainers. Natural grass takes longer studs. The wrong sole slips and puts strain on the knees.
What to look for: Find out his shoe size and what surface he plays on. Football boots are a narrow fit, so if you are unsure, buy somewhere that exchanges.
Who are you buying for?
- Football gifts for him, as a boyfriend or husband: two match tickets or the football crystal set of 2. Both are about time spent together.
- For a football-mad dad: the football beer glass or a retro shirt. One is used every matchday, the other takes him back to his youth.
- For a five-a-side teammate: a proper ball or the football whisky stones. Both are welcome after the game as well.
- For a teenager who plays: boots, a ball or the shirt of his favourite player.
- For football fans whose club you do not know: gifts with no club colours: table football, a football video game, a football glass.
- For a boss or a client: the boxed crystal set or a stadium tour.
What should you watch out for when buying club merchandise?
Supporting a club is a serious loyalty and mistakes are not forgiven. Buy shirts, scarves and hats only when you are certain who he supports. Mixing up two clubs that play in similar colours is the most common error, and in a city with two clubs it matters a great deal.
Buy official merchandise as well. Products from outside the club shop and authorised retailers are often poorly made, and a fan will notice at once. If you are unsure of the club, gifts about football itself are always safe.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best football gifts for men?
The best football gifts for men make matchday better or bring the game into the house. The most popular are match tickets, a replica shirt, a club scarf, tabletop table football and a beer glass with a football set into it. If you do not know which club he supports, choose a gift with no club colours on it.
What are good football gifts for him if he is your boyfriend or husband?
Choose something you can share. Two match tickets and the football crystal whisky glass set of 2 are the usual picks. A shirt with his name on the back is a personal present too.
What does the football in the glass represent?
The football figure set into the glass stands for games watched together and for a fan's matchday ritual. The glass carries no club colours, so it suits a supporter of any team. The set of two stands for the person who gave him his club, or for a friendly rivalry.
What do you buy for a man who plays football?
Buy kit he will use on the pitch: a proper ball, boots that suit the surface, goalkeeper gloves or a kit bag. For boots you need his shoe size and the surface he plays on.
Which glass suits a football fan who does not drink beer?
The same design comes as a 340 ml glass mug for tea and coffee and as a 300 ml rocks glass. Both have a football figure set into the glass.
What is a good football coach gift for him?
A grassroots coach spends his weekends on a cold touchline. The football glass mug suits the tea he drinks there and at home afterwards. A good ball, a pump and a whistle are practical extras from the team.
How do you use football whisky stones?
Wash the stones, leave them in the freezer for at least six hours and put them in the glass. They chill the drink without watering it down and can be reused. Two or three stones are enough for one glass. They are washed by hand and do not go in the dishwasher.
Are the football glasses dishwasher safe, and do they come in a gift box?
Yes. The glasses can go in the dishwasher, and every product comes in its own gift box.
For more football-themed glasses, have a look at the Sport Edition collection.