Retro Axel Witsel Shirt – Belgium's Midfield General Through the Years

Witsel's career began at Standard Liège, where he emerged from the academy as a precocious teenager and helped the club win back-to-back Belgian Pro League titles in 2008 and 2009, ending a 25-year wait. Those early years were not without controversy – his shocking tackle on Marcin Wasilewski in 2009 left a lasting mark on his reputation, but he matured rapidly. In 2011 he moved to Benfica, where he tasted Primeira Liga football and reached Champions League knockout stages, before securing a then-eyebrow-raising transfer to Zenit Saint Petersburg in 2012. At Zenit, alongside Hulk and others, Witsel became a Russian Premier League champion in 2014–15 and a regular Champions League performer, anchoring the midfield with intelligence and grace. His controversial move to Tianjin Quanjian in 2017 raised eyebrows, but he silenced doubters by joining Borussia Dortmund in 2018. At Dortmund he became a fan favourite, winning the DFB-Pokal in 2021 and forming a generational midfield with Jadon Sancho, Erling Haaland and Marco Reus. He later joined Atlético Madrid in 2022, adapting to a centre-back role under Diego Simeone, before moving to Girona. Internationally, he earned over 130 caps for Belgium, playing in the heartbreaking 2018 World Cup semi-final and the dramatic Euro 2020 quarter-final defeat to Italy, his comeback from a torn Achilles in 2020 a testament to his resilience.

Witsel's career has been shaped by an extraordinary cast of teammates and managers. At Standard Liège he learned under Michel Preud'homme, while early international call-ups paired him with Vincent Kompany, the captain who set the cultural foundation of Belgium's golden generation. With the Red Devils he formed crucial midfield partnerships with Marouane Fellaini and Kevin De Bruyne, while Eden Hazard's flair upfield was made possible by Witsel's tireless screening behind. At Zenit he played under André Villas-Boas and Luciano Spalletti and shared a dressing room with Hulk and Domenico Criscito. His Dortmund years saw him blossom under Lucien Favre, mentoring rising stars like Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho, while sharing the pitch with Marco Reus and Mats Hummels. At Atlético, Diego Simeone reinvented him as a centre-back. Rivals like Italy's Marco Verratti and France's N'Golo Kanté repeatedly tested him on Europe's biggest stages, with Roberto Martínez trusting him as Belgium's defensive cornerstone for nearly a decade.

The retro Axel Witsel shirt has many faces, each tied to a distinct chapter of his career. The red and white striped Standard Liège jerseys from 2008 and 2009, emblazoned with his name on the back, are particularly prized by Belgian collectors who remember those title-winning seasons. Zenit Saint Petersburg's vivid sky blue Nike kits from 2012–2015, often featuring sponsors like Gazprom, are increasingly sought after thanks to their bold colour scheme and his Russian Premier League triumph. But it is the yellow and black Borussia Dortmund Puma shirts, particularly the 2018–19 and 2020–21 cup-winning seasons, that dominate the market. Number 28 stitched on the back has become iconic among BVB fans. His Belgium shirts – the striking 2018 World Cup home kit with its retro-inspired diamond pattern, and the geometric 2014 World Cup design – are also highly desirable. An Axel Witsel retro shirt from the 2018 World Cup, worn during Belgium's third-place finish, captures the peak of the Red Devils' golden generation in a single garment.