OM Jersey: history, legends, and rating by season (Papin to today)

In Marseille, the jersey is not just clothing. It's a religion passed down from grandfather to grandson, on Sundays at the Vélodrome. From Jean-Pierre Papin to Mason Greenwood, including Boli in the 1993 Champions League final, Drogba in the Pape Diouf era, and Valbuena-Payet in the 2010 title season, each era of OM can be read through its kits. This guide traces the history of the Olympique Marseille jersey era by era, with its 2026 value, pitfalls to avoid, and authenticated pieces currently available in my collection.

The history of the OM jersey in 7 eras

Since its creation in 1899, Olympique de Marseille has had several visual identities, but it was from 1989 that the OM jersey became an icon of French football thanks to Bernard Tapie. Here are the 7 eras that structure any serious OM collection.

Era 1 — Adidas "The Tapie Era" 1989-1992: Papin, Waddle, European OM

September 1989: Bernard Tapie buys OM, and revolutionizes French football with an unprecedented transfer window (Jean-Pierre Papin, Chris Waddle, Abedi Pelé, Carlos Mozer). The Adidas jerseys from this period — white with the OM crest and the three Adidas stripes on the shoulders — instantly became cult items. Sponsored by "MATRA" then "TBS", featuring the loose cuts of the 90s.

Papin scored 30 goals in Division 1 in 1989-90 with the N°9. This was the year he won the French Ballon d'Or (he would win the European Ballon d'Or in 1991). Waddle arrived at the Vélodrome for 38 million francs — a world record at the time. This period was the golden age before the drama of 1993.

2026 Value for authenticated jerseys: €500-1200 for an authentic 1989-90 or 1990-91 Adidas home jersey with Papin N°9 flocking. Sizes L-XL are the most sought after. Without flocking, deduct 40-50%. A fake Papin 89-90 widely circulates on Vinted and eBay — flocking typography often too clean, crest printed instead of embroidered on genuine pieces.

No Adidas Tapie jerseys currently in stock — join the Pure Expert Circle above to be alerted to upcoming arrivals.

Era 2 — Adidas "The Munich Final" 1992-1993: Boli and the Star

May 26, 1993, Olympiastadion in Munich. Basile Boli scores the only goal of the Champions League final with a header against Van Basten's AC Milan. OM becomes the first (and only) French club to be European champions. The Adidas jersey from this final — white with a blue trim, black "OPEL" sponsor, and the three Adidas side stripes — is the ultimate grail for OM collectors.

Only authenticated Adidas Equipment jerseys from the 1992-93 season (ref 600552 for the home kit) have value. Modern re-editions and fakes have proliferated since 2018, when OM released official re-editions that are not worth the originals.

2026 Value: €600-1800 for a match-worn flocked final jersey (private collection), €400-800 for an authentic 92-93 Adidas home jersey in good condition. Sizes L and XL are the most in demand. A match-worn authenticated jersey can exceed €2500 depending on the player.

No 92-93 jerseys currently in stock — the Pure Expert Circle will alert you first about these extremely rare pieces.

Era 3 — Adidas "The Post-Relegation Era" 1994-1999: Ravanelli, Blanc, rebuilding

Following the VA-OM affair in May 1993, the club was relegated to D2 in 1994. The 1994-1996 seasons were a period in the wilderness. The return to D1 and the arrival of figures like Fabrizio Ravanelli (1997-98), Laurent Blanc (1997-99), and Andreas Andersson (1998-99) rekindled momentum. Adidas jerseys with loose cuts, sponsored by "Ericsson" then "Eurosport".

This period is undervalued compared to its actual rarity. Adidas print runs in the late 90s were limited, and many jerseys were worn in the stadium and then lost. Finding an authentic Ravanelli 97-98 in good condition is a small miracle today.

2026 Value: €250-500 for an authentic 97-99 Adidas home jersey with flocking, €150-300 without flocking. Sizes M and L are more accessible. Beware of very well-imitated fake Adidas Ericsson jerseys.

No jerseys from this period currently in stock — a very difficult period to source.

Era 4 — Adidas "The Pape Diouf Era" 2005-2009: Drogba, Ribéry, Niang

The Pape Diouf era, the first black president of a major European club, marked OM's lasting return to the elite. Classic white and blue Adidas jerseys, iconic sponsors "Neuf Telecom" then "Direct Energie". This period produced Didier Drogba (before his transfer to Chelsea in 2004, but retro 03-04 jackets are highly sought after), Franck Ribéry (2005-2007 before Bayern), Mamadou Niang (top scorer 2009-10), Taye Taiwo (cult left-back).

This is the emotional golden age for today's thirty-somethings. Every jersey from this period tells the story of European nights (C1 2007-08, C3 semi-final 2003-04), and fiery derbies with PSG. The jerseys have become rare because they were worn a lot — it's hard to find them in 9/10 condition today.

2026 Value: €120-280 for an authentic Adidas 2005-2009 jersey with star flocking (Drogba, Ribéry, Niang), €80-150 without flocking or with a minor player.

The 4 OM gems currently in stock

Era 5 — Adidas "The 2010 Title" 2009-2012: Deschamps-Lucho-Gignac-Valbuena

May 9, 2010: under the leadership of Didier Deschamps, OM became French champions for the first time since the VA-OM affair. Mathieu Valbuena, Lucho González, Mamadou Niang, André-Pierre Gignac, Steve Mandanda, Souleymane Diawara, Stéphane M'Bia were the heroes. Sponsored by "Neuf Telecom" then "BetClic" from 2010-11.

The 2009-10 and 2010-11 jerseys are particularly sought after because they cover the title-winning season + the following one where OM reached the Champions League quarter-finals (eliminated by Bayern). The Azpilicueta 2012-13 in stock illustrates the subsequent period (Élie Baup era) where OM also played in the Champions League.

2026 Value: €150-280 for a 2009-10 jersey with authentic Valbuena or Gignac flocking, €120-200 for a 2010-11 or 2012-13 jersey.

Era 6 — Adidas then Puma "The Return of Payet" 2013-2020: the Maestro and Bielsa

This era is marked by two Payet cycles (2013-2015 then return 2017-2021) and the short spell of Marcelo Bielsa in 2014-15 who brought back attractive play to OM. The Adidas jerseys from this period are modern but already cult among fans who experienced these seasons. Dimitri Payet remains the most talented player to have played for OM in the 21st century.

The arrival of Puma as kit manufacturer in 2018-19 visually changed OM's identity. Puma 2018-21 jerseys with Florian Thauvin at the peak of his form are also highly sought after. It was during this period that I produced the dedicated article Payet-Valbuena to delve into the subject in detail.

2026 Value: €120-250 for an Adidas 2013-2018 jersey with Payet, Thauvin, Valbuena or Gignac flocking, €100-180 for a Puma 2018-2021 jersey.

Era 7 — Puma "Modern OM" 2021-2026: Sánchez, Aubameyang, renaissance

The modern era sees OM become a credible European club again under the direction of Pablo Longoria (president since 2021). Noteworthy spells by Alexis Sánchez (2022-23), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2023-24), Mason Greenwood (since 2024). Puma jerseys with "CMA CGM" sponsor, modern designs that will become tomorrow's classics.

2026 Value: €80-160 for a recent Puma 2021-2024 jersey with star flocking. These jerseys are still accessible but their value will increase in 5-10 years once the Longoria era is over.

How to authenticate an OM jersey: the 4 critical points

The OM jersey is one of the most counterfeited on the French market. Here are the 4 points I systematically check before adding a piece to my stock.

1. The OM crest — on authentic Adidas pre-2018 jerseys, the crest is systematically embroidered (not printed), with the Marseilles royal blue slightly darker than on copies. The letter "M" on the crest has a specific serif that must be compared with official archives. Modern counterfeits often use an M that is too geometric.

2. The sponsor and its positioning — each sponsor had a precise positioning per season. "Neuf Telecom" was top-center in 2008-09, "BetClic" was bottom-center in 2010-11, "Intersport" in black on a white background in 2017-18. An OM jersey with a poorly positioned sponsor is almost automatically a fake.

3. The internal Adidas product code — every official Adidas jersey has a 6-digit product code printed on the internal tag (e.g., 367842 for a 2010-11, 559231 for a 2013-14). This code can be verified in the Adidas archives. For full details, see my Adidas anti-counterfeit guide.

4. Player flocking — each season has its official Ligue 1 font. The 2010-11 jerseys used a specific font with precise serifs. Modern fakes almost always use generic fonts like Arial or Impact. Consult my general authentication guide for the full method.

Which OM jersey to choose based on your profile?

If you are looking for the safest investment — aim for an authenticated Adidas 1989-93 (Papin, Waddle, Boli). Absolute rarity, guaranteed rising value, strong structural demand. Budget €500-€1200. Use the Pure Expert Circle to be alerted.

If you are looking for an everyday piece in the Bloke Core style — go for an Adidas 2005-2015 (Pape Diouf era or Deschamps era). My golden Taiwo 2008-09 third at €89.99 or my Gignac 2010-11 away at €84.99 are perfect for this profile. Modern cuts, strong history.

If you are looking for the emotional gem for a 40-year-old fan — look for Drogba 2003-04, Ribéry 2006-07, Niang 2009-10. Rare in good condition because they were worn a lot. Budget €150-€280.

If you are looking for a gift for a young fan — a modern Puma 2023-2024 (my Ndiaye €79.99 in stock) or an Adidas 2016-18 Payet always hits the mark. Budget €80-€130.

The 4 most frequently asked questions about OM jerseys

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