Presents can be hard, both giving and receiving them.
What's the perfect gift for your boyfriend / girlfriend / non-binary significant other? What's the right face to pull when your Mum / Dad / other non-specific close family member gives you a present you don't like?
Here, at VERSUS, we understand. That's why we've put our heads together and come up with a list of Christmas gifts we think you’ll love. Things to wear, things to read, things to smell, cheap things, expensive things, just the right price to show you care things, things for you, things for them. We’ve covered all the bases.
Scroll through and discover some of the best product the football culture market has to offer.
1. TROPIC BEST INCENSE, BUTTERFLY £10, 194local.com
You know when you get in from football and your room just stinks of mud and sweat and bad tackles? Well, this is for that. Your Mum / Dad / flatmate / significant other will thank you. Trust us.
2. LEWES FC OWNERSHIP £50, lewesfc.com
There are three reasons you should support Lewes FC. 1) In 2017 they balanced their playing budgets and resources, allocating exactly the same amounts to their men’s and women’s teams to become the world's first gender equal football club. 2) They are 100% fan owned. 3) Their stadium is called The Dripping Pan. Join the fun and grab an annual membership today.
3. ROUND MINI SHOULDER BAG £14.90, uniqlo.com
This bag goes with everything. Whatever fit you are wearing, throw this over the top and it’ll do the job. The James Milner of the bag world: cheap, hard-working, effective. A winner.
4. GOD SAVE RAHEEM TEE £24.99, qualitees.com
Maybe you’re like us. Maybe you love the England Men’s team, especially this England Men’s team, but you’re not super on board with all the nationalism that comes with it. Maybe you’re just not a huge fan of the monarchy. If any of that is true, then we have the tee for you. Comes in black too, so you can double up.
5. EXTRA FINE MERINO WOOL BEANIE £110, cpcompany.com
Descartes believed the human soul sits in a tiny organ in the middle of the brain called the pineal gland. Your Mum tells you that you lose the most heat through your head. Two good reasons to get yourself some high quality headwear.
6. TWOS MAG ISSUE TWO£10, twosmag.com
100 pages of creative stuff made by young people, for young people. Art, music, fashion – it’s got the lot. Perfect holiday reading.
7. NASRDIN TEE (PINK)£57, lackofguidance.com
Lack of Guidance make the best football streetwear. Full stop. The Amsterdam-based brand consistantly hits it out of the park and this Nasrdin tee is no different. Comes in both pink and pistachio. About time your wardrobe had a bit of colour.
8. FRAMED PES 4 ADVERT£12.99, etsy.com
Thierry has just rage quit. 4-0 down on Master League. Castolo sent off early doors and it was all downhill from there. The last goal was all the game's fault, obviously, and he just couldn't take it any more. Hang this piece of history on your wall for when your mates come round to play this Christmas, a humble reminder that even the greatest of us make mistakes.
9. AL RIHLA MINI FOOTBALL£15, adidas.com
Now you can spend all holiday trying to recreate that Richarlison goal in the front room. One touch up, quick look over the shoulder and Christmas is ruined. Nice one.
10. PBY.OJS DENIM£85 pbyojs.co.uk
Change up your bottom half with some hand-printed goodness from PBY.OJS. This pair has all your favourite R&B albums from the 2000s. Because why not?
11. WU-LAND PATCH£5 astorelike94.com
If you put a selection of names from the current England team into the Wu-Tang name generator, this is what you get: Crazy Fist, Gilded Criminal, Brave Believerwader, Tough Sorcerer, Illusional Wildcat, Fortune Ambassador, Pesky Crow, Holly Killer Pop, Bold Warrior, Crazy Cadger, Ocular Lord, Foolish Cat and Deafening Tiger. We’ll leave it up to you to figure out who is who.
12. AIR MAX 95 MARS STONE£169.95 nike.com
Galactic stompers. Outerspace door kickers. Red planet combat boots. So on and so forth.
13. RONALDINHO TRACK JACKET£49.99 classicfootballshirts.co.uk
Oh, ariá-raió, Obá, Obá, Obá, Ooh, ariá-raió, Obá, Obá, Obá Mais que nada, Sai da minha frente que eu quero passar, Pois o samba está animado, O que eu quero é sambar.
14. A NEW FORMATION BY CALUM JACOBS£16.99 waterstones.com
Our mate Cal has produced “one of the most important football books ever written”. That’s not us saying that, btw, that’s according to Jonathan Liew - the UK’s premier football journalist. 'A New Formation' is a collection of essays exploring the impact of Black footballers on the beautiful game in Britain. Featuring interviews with legends players such as Ian Wright, Anita Asante and Andy Cole. A must buy.