The ratings for the next Serie A shirts

"Sweat for the shirt," "deserve the shirt." In a society where appearance often seems to carry more weight than existence, Serie A clubs release at least three new jerseys every year for fans and their favorites to wear on the pitch. The goal of the jersey is to best represent not only the colors, but above all the values of the club , often leveraging the bond between the club and the host city. For some years now, the challenge facing clubs has become increasingly clear: finding an aesthetic compromise between innovation and tradition, sometimes trying to avoid their uniforms from looking too much like "pajamas." Because fashion is the key to the conversation : the most important clubs in terms of fan bases and history have now accustomed fans to collaborations with major brands that are no longer exclusively sports-related (see the Napoli-Emporio Armani partnership), often focusing on designing a casual piece, suitable for wearing even off the pitch. As a designer, every year I find myself reflecting on the aesthetic choices of clubs and, for better or worse, I form an opinion on the jerseys worn by the 22 players on the pitch. This year, I'm sharing this reflection with you, reader, starting the analysis from a single starting point: it's an entirely subjective opinion, based on aesthetics and not on fan base, simplified at the end of the paragraph with a score from 1 to 10, which I hope will spark a calm discussion.

ATALANTA - Tradition in evolution

The Goddess's kit confirms speculation about a collaboration with New Balance, already well underway on other apparel, which doesn't dramatically alter the jersey's design. The blue and black stripes, uniform in width, are a strong nod to the Bergamo club's tradition , interspersed with a raised pattern that interacts beautifully with the light and enriches a jersey that would otherwise have seemed almost too simple. The breathable panel on the back is an interesting detail, deflecting the stripes' trajectory and enriching their texture. Unfortunately, the tradition of blue jerseys with the Lete sponsor continues, which is extremely difficult to match. Proof that simplicity doesn't always mean iconicity.

Rating: 6

To celebrate 25 years as technical sponsor, Macron has chosen to celebrate Bologna with a simple and elegant jersey. The goal is to strengthen the bond that connects the team to the sponsor on one side and the city of Bologna on the other, maintaining a strong connection with tradition. This metaphorical bond becomes real in the jersey, breaking up the red and blue stripes that characterize it. The motto "The squadron that shakes the world" is heat-printed in white on the backneck, while the club's unifying motto, "We are one," appears on the outside of the collar. But the detail that will undoubtedly thrill fans the most is the tricolor flag on the chest , symbolizing the historic Coppa Italia won just two months ago by the Rossoblù. Elegance and tradition, but from the outside, it seems a bit like Macron has done its homework.

Rating: 6.5

CAGLIARI - Of salt and wind

The islanders, the rossoblù, are starting from last year's jersey and making a few, but substantial, changes. Cagliari, with their jersey once again designed by Eye Sport, continues the tradition of essentially splitting the shirt in two, with red on one side and blue on the other. In addition to the previous design, this year's collar has been given a more refined look, abandoning the red stripe for a solid blue. The sleeves, where the design changes substantially, are inverted in color: the detail of conical gust of wind at the bottom stands out , a reference to the "Mistral" that blows along the Sardinian coast. "Of salt and wind" is the slogan with which the jersey was launched, strongly evoking the Sardinian Mediterranean Sea, a source of pride for the islanders. This connection is also evident in the sublimated texture that pervades the shirt, recalling ripples in the water. A strong identity choice that dialogues beautifully with the long-announced third shirt, which features the holm oak and oak leaves typical of Sardinian forests, on recycled fabric.

Rating: 7.5

COMO - Knitting is art

Como is back. After their historic Serie A jersey from last season, Fabregas' team will once again wear the soft hues of their lake, but in a decidedly more intelligent way. Adidas has removed the scale bars from the lower section of the jersey to make way for a veritable painting: the jagged, almost marbled texture recalls the waters of Lake Como , framed by the solid royal blue sides and sleeves. The white details on the shoulders and sleeves, a trademark Adidas feature, make this jersey even more distinctive, complementing both the white and blue double-negative logo and the back of the neck, where the words "Semm cumasch" can be read, another strong sign of belonging.

Rating: 8.5

CREMONESE - Music in the heart

"Grey-Red Symphony." Cremona returns to the Serie A pitches with music at its heart, reminding fans and opponents alike that it is the Capital of the Violin. "Together is a whole different music" was the headline of the season ticket campaign: hence the design of musical notes on a staff printed above the red stripes of the jersey , again designed by Acerbis this year. The main change from last year's jersey is the larger, more defined red and gray stripes, which add a lot of character. The gray in particular, used in two different shades, adds movement and modernity to the design. The only flaw is the two-tone collar, replacing the classic crew neck, which isn't entirely convincing aesthetically. All in all, a nice jersey; it's always difficult to pair gray with red.

Rating: 6.5

FIORENTINA - Deep purple

The partnership with Kappa continues with another Kombat model for the lilies, who for next season are abandoning the vintage collar in favor of a white crewneck that contrasts beautifully with the team's signature purple. White also colors the sides of the jersey, creating an almost clear separation between the underarms and the chest, and extends to the bottom of the shirt, highlighted by a matching purple stripe. There's a strong vintage feel to the product —there's a clear reference to the 1999/2000 season, Gabriel Omar Batistuta's last in purple—though something feels missing, a partial incompleteness. It's a shame that the patterns that adorn the white away jersey aren't repeated on the home jersey, which nevertheless remains a beautiful one.

Rating: 6

GENOA - A classy Griffin

Born to shine . After the absolute pearl that sealed their historic friendship with Boca, Genoa returns with the confidence of those who know they can't afford to make a mistake. For years, the Grifone has continued to churn out stunning jerseys, one after another, and this year is no exception. Kappa Kombat is clearly divided in two, red and blue, with reversed sleeves and heat-printed sponsors in bright yellow. The yellow, along with the blue, recalls the twinning with Boca, increasingly central to both teams' traditions. At the heart of the product is the love Genoa fans have for the jersey , envied by many other Northern Italian fans. Italy's oldest team doesn't make a mistake this year either, giving a nod to tradition but offering a casual shirt that's also suitable for more formal settings outside the Marassi stadium. And above all, it's masterfully communicated by a communications team that never misses a beat. And this can only have an impact.

Rating: 8

HELLAS VERONA - In the name of the environment

The Scaligeri embrace innovation: the blue jersey is deliberately "dirtied" with yellow on the bottom and sleeves, creating swirling, abstract geometric patterns that don't compromise its elegance. The deep Scaligeri blue, inlaid with a texture reminiscent of the city of Verona, makes it an almost noble product, even though there are references more closely tied to the Veronese people and their fans, such as the "Alé Verona" slogan on the back of the collar. But the most important innovation lies in the fabric : Joma offers a 100% recycled polyester shirt, made from old PET bottles repurposed into a raw material. By doing so, Hellas manages to reduce CO2 emissions by 75% and avoid the use of petroleum derivatives. An effective product all around.

Rating: 7.5

INTER - Crazy, yes

Even Nike makes mistakes. It certainly does so with Inter's home shirt, where everything seems out of place: the "Inter" lettering, perfectly inseparable from the very thin stripes, is more confusing than effective and barely comprehensible . To the untrained eye, the black and blue stripes appear uneven, as was clearly evident during the Club World Cup where this shirt made its debut. The only truly positive note is the uniformity of the crest, patches, and various sponsors with the new Chlorine Blue color, which is elegant and modern and brightens up a shirt that would otherwise be just darkness and chaos.

Rating: 4.5

JUVENTUS - Pink is the new black (and white)

Juve restarts with pink , the club's first historic color, which elegantly paints the details of the Adidas jersey. The chosen shade of pink manages to add brightness to an already very bright jersey thanks to the large white areas . A bonus point for the choice of making the black and white stripes asymmetrical, although they aren't convincing at chest and stomach level in their more gradient version. A clean break between black and white would have made it simpler and perhaps more effective, but that's just a nitpick.

Rating: 7

LAZIO - Art without passion

Mizuno's creativity isn't particularly striking on Lazio's new home jersey: solid colors, flat hues, and a first glance that gives off a "I've seen this before" feeling. This year, too, the jersey is the simplest in Serie A, in a negative sense. The raised texture on the front is barely noticeable—more evident when held up to the light— recalling the geometric paving of Piazza del Campidoglio, designed by Michelangelo Buonarroti. The idea is good, but the execution doesn't steal the show from the other jerseys.

Rating: 4

LECCE - The warmth of Salento

Lecce presents their new jersey in collaboration with M908, a brand that has supported the Salento club for years, and it brings a beautiful burst of warmth and passion. Yellow is the predominant color, creating a chromatic hierarchy that has been missing in recent years: instead of the usual vertical stripes, which "caged" the jersey in alternating yellow and red, the former gives more space to the chest area. The red stripes start from the bottom, but they become more evanescent and nuanced as they move up the jersey, lending lightness and harmony to the composition. The sponsors are also well-positioned thanks to a thin blue outline that allows for greater readability . The military-like pattern adds further movement to the jersey and shorts, managing not to descend into tacky ostentation.

Rating: 7.5

MILAN - Luka at San Siro

Simplicity, in this case, is truly the key to success. The jersey that will adorn the chest of Ballon d'Or winner Luka Modric in his first year in Italy is the most "AC Milan" jersey possible : regular red and black stripes, with transparent flames on the latter, and white sponsors that create a clear contrast from the rest. But Puma's gem lies in the negative treatment of the logo, where red and white interact beautifully together to create a jersey that fans hope will make history.

Rating: 8

NAPLES - Prince Charming

The partnership with Emporio Armani continues, having already designed a highly simple and elegant high-fashion shirt last year. This winning concept remains unchanged: this year, the Napoli shirt is once again one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful, of the championship. Suitable for both on the pitch and for more informal occasions , the light blue color with the Napoli crest in a repeated, semi-transparent texture makes this piece of clothing a high-fashion gift to the world of football. The gaffe of the missing "H" in the word "authentic" on the shirt's certificate of authenticity is nothing more than a colorful reminder.

Rating: 9

PARMA - A cross without delight

Being a cross-riding team is what makes this team unique . For the second year in a row, Parma and Puma are wearing a white jersey with a black cross on the chest. It's all fair enough, except that changing the collar alone—still prettier than last season's—isn't enough to rouse the fans' spirits ahead of the championship.

Rating: 5

PISA - It was worth it

It's been a long time coming. More than two weeks after the last jersey was revealed, Pisa's first kit has been announced, and it's truly beautiful. Adidas has designed an elegant jersey that conveys the club's message: Pisa is back in Serie A after 34 years and doesn't want to be a mere bystander . "Gold that lights up the Nerazzurri": a jersey with vertical black and blue stripes whose rhythm is marked by gold inserts, a color that can be found on the technical sponsors and the signature shoulder stripes of Adidas products. The gold itself is a tribute to the monuments, traditions, and sea that speak to the greatness of the Maritime Republic. Black and blue blend with gold to create a look destined to live on in the fans' memories and in the club's history.

Rating: 8

ROME - In the name of Francis

Yet another dive into the history of the Giallorossi club, which has decided to re-introduce the design and colors of the 1992/93 season jersey in a modern key. Yes, the one worn by a certain Francesco Totti, who knows those colors well . And Adidas has given the Giallorossi a strong tribute to those times, with almost orange inserts in the jersey trim and logos, a stark contrast to the amaranth that has dominated Roma's kits for years. Innovation is evident in the fabrics and design choices, but the club's tradition is also firmly respected.

Rating: 7.5

SASSUOLO - Black and green division

A divisive jersey, like many Sassuolo jerseys. It's somewhere between madness, with these solutions where green is increasingly prominent, and the rationality of Puma's match jerseys. The thin, always paired black stripes leave plenty of room for green and are more elegant than the abundant banners of previous seasons. Even the lighter, almost emerald green enhances the product and pairs beautifully with the white sponsors and the negative scudetto. The black and white polo collar adds a touch of class to the jersey, supporting the motto "black-green emotions" heat-printed just below. Whether you like it or not, since 2020 (the centenary year) Sassuolo has certainly been revolutionizing the way they dress their players and fans, always adopting bold solutions.

Rating: 6.5

TURIN - Deeply grenadier

Joma and Torino have designed one of the league's simplest and most elegant jerseys, which at first glance gives the impression of being a refined, almost noble piece. The polo-collar and V-neck design makes it a truly striking piece, easily spotted by passersby on Via Lagrange in Turin, a highly sophisticated design element. The focal point is the color: a much more vibrant garnet than in previous seasons , made even more vibrant and sophisticated by the wave motif and the traditionally white inserts, which add plenty of light to this simple yet extremely effective design. Like Verona, the club insists on the material choice of the jersey, made from 100% recycled fabric.

Rating: 8

UDINESE - The first black and whites

Last but not least, in fact. The Friulians have finally succeeded in the daunting task of modernizing the chest of their jersey, which for years has carried the cross of a sponsor—"I am Friuli Venezia Giulia"—that was very bold and difficult to manage. This year, however, Macron has given Udinese a more thoughtful jersey, featuring plenty of black to encompass the many sponsors on the shirt and blended white stripes with geometric patterns that form a "V" along the player's sides. These curved stripes are nothing new: they clearly reference the 2005/06 kit, when the technical sponsor was Lotto, with the red used for the Macron logos. This strong presence of black is also a historic nod to the previous season, 2004/05, in which Udinese qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time. A very elegant and well-finished V-neck, as well as a provocative label that crowns the Friulians as "The first black and whites in Italy", for a solution halfway between great tradition and big dreams looking towards the future.

Rating: 7