Questionable club name aside, Real Salt Lake has perfected Adidas’ “solid colors” look they seem to impose on half of Major League Soccer. Although originally inspired by the look of the Spanish national team, RSL has developed a color scheme all its own that is really what makes its uniforms rank so high at #6 on this list.

Claret red, cobalt blue, and gold all work beautifully together for perhaps the best color scheme in MLS. The colors stand out without being gaudy at all.

The home shirt is unchanged from last year, although the MLS Cup Champions patch has been removed and replaced by the single star above the team crest. The badge is serviceable and well-designed, if not particularly interesting. A nice touch is the soccer ball which could also be interpreted as a flower.

Claret as the primary color with cobalt sleeves looks fantastic, and the gold accents in the piping and collar make it all pop out wondrously. I really don’t have any complaints at all about the home shirt. The “XANGO” sponsor (a local Utah company, which gets RSL extra points!) is simple and bold, which works great on the simple-and-bold shirts. Perhaps it would look better in gold instead of white, to match the rest of the shirt? But as it is, the white is decent.

Speaking of wondering about a choice of white: the away jersey. I’m going to ask it again-why does this shirt have to be white? It’s not a team color, it doesn’t evoke any emotion like the delicious home shirt does. It’s not offensive by any means, but a wasted opportunity.

Which brings us to the “Victory Gold” third jersey. Gaudy all the way, but completely compliments the club’s look. The cobalt on the shoulders making it look like a superhero cape add to the goofiness factor. But as I’ve stated before, it’s okay for third jerseys to be goofy, because that’s what they are: third jerseys. If it were the home uniform I’d be concerned, but it’s not so I’m not.

It’s just a shame this inspiration couldn’t have reached the away kit. Maybe this will inspire the club to incorporate gold into next year’s away jersey.