Do older XL shirts run bigger than newer ones?

Generally yes, shirts from the 1980s and 1990s tend to be cut more generously than the slimmer templates that came later.

Could an XL here fit like a modern L?

On some slimmer-cut modern pieces, yes, which is why the flat measurement matters more than the label.

Shipping is free within the Netherlands and Belgium from 100 euros, and worldwide from 150 euros. Everything ships with track and trace.

SIZE XL SHIRTS

An XL from a nineties Umbro shirt and an XL from a modern slim-cut template can differ by several centimetres across the chest, which is exactly why the letter on the tag matters less here than the actual measurement.

More information

Roomier by design in most decades

Shirts labeled XL from the 1980s through the late 1990s tend to run generously across the body, built for a looser fit that suited the heavier fabrics of the time: a Juventus Baggio home shirt from 1990-91 in Kappa and a Scotland home shirt from 1991-94 in Umbro both carry that boxier nineties cut. Brands that moved to tighter, performance-driven cuts in the 2000s and 2010s often label a noticeably slimmer shirt the same way, seen on shirts like Van Nistelrooy's 2002-03 Manchester United away kit or Gourcuff's 2010-11 Lyon away shirt. Both eras end up in this collection under the same letter.

When XL runs closer to a modern L

On some of the newer, slimmer-cut shirts here, a labeled XL can measure closer to what a modern L represents, so checking the flat pit-to-pit and top-to-bottom numbers on the specific listing is worth doing before assuming your usual size will carry over from current retail sizing. Ballack's 2005-07 Germany home shirt and Henry's 2006-08 Arsenal home shirt, both Nike and Adidas products from the same general period, are a fair example of how much the cut had already changed by the mid-2000s compared with the decade before.

Good to know

Do older XL shirts run bigger than newer ones?: Generally yes, shirts from the 1980s and 1990s tend to be cut more generously than the slimmer templates that came later.
Could an XL here fit like a modern L?: On some slimmer-cut modern pieces, yes, which is why the flat measurement matters more than the label.
Is shipping free?: Shipping is free within the Netherlands and Belgium from 100 euros, and worldwide from 150 euros. Everything ships with track and trace.