United Colours of Football is a photographic project started by Guy Pichard last year. Inspired by the photoblog and book Humans of New York and Brazil’s obsession with wearing football shirts, Guy set off around the world photographing men and women in football shirts to find out what their shirts meant to them.

Guy’s project can be found here – but we loved his work so much that we wanted to chat to him about what he’s been up to.

What has been the best experience that you’ve had through United Colours of Football so far?

In Normandy, I met a friend who was wearing a Dunfermline jersey. In his story he told me about the grandmothers of the club’s teahouse who were particularly nice. Then the photo was reproduced in the Dunfermline matchday programme and the ladies in question found my page to comment on the photo protesting that they were not so old! This is the magic side of the Internet.

What is your favourite story you’ve been told?

I met a young Brazilian on the terrace of a bar in Rio de Janeiro in a Glasgow Celtic jersey. He explained to me that he had been looking for this shirt ever since he played football with another boy wearing the same shirt when he was much younger. He was fascinated by this jersey that was extremely difficult to find in Brazil. Then won day he won a scholarship to go to Spain for a few weeks and finally found one after looking in the sports shops there. Since then, he only wears it for great occasions and special moments.

Do you have a favourite shirt?

I love the Peru jersey, especially the Umbro model with the Inca flag on the collar. This jersey has been identical for over 100 years with that same red stripe across the front.

What are you looking for in a photo?

In a photo, as well as looking for people wearing a rare jersey, I want to find unique and diverse backdrops. I love to show that the football jersey is worn everywhere: at the bus stop, at the beach, at the theatre and so on. I like the idea that this photographic project is the most diverse possible.

What shirt haven’t you photographed yet that you’d like to?

I would love to meet someone in the Munich 1860 jersey – the Oktoberfest version! I met somebody with a Munich 1860 jersey in Rio de Janeiro before, but this was before I started United Colours of Football. But it was seeing these kind of jerseys in Brazil that made me advance in the genesis of UCOF.

Who do you support then?

I support En Avant Guingamp, recently relegated to Ligue 2 and I’m actually a support-shareholder too. Guingamp is a small village of about 7000 people in Brittany but the football club still manages to play regularly in Ligue 1 and sometimes the European Cup. It’s a bit like the village of Asterix!

What has been the most popular post you’ve done so far?

The Dunfermline jersey, no doubt. For several days dozens of Scots started subscribing to my page. I really like Scotland!

If you want to see more of Guy’s work then click here – give his page a like too.

And if you enjoyed that, you can read articles from our most recent magazine here.