When the third shirt becomes a tribute to history and the city

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Once upon a time, the number 10 was a dream, or a 9 if you were confident scoring goals. Those who liked to defend and run wore the number 3. Then came the 14, the 23, the 99. Accompanied by letters: for 30 years, since the 1995/1996 season, Serie A players have had their surnames and preferred number on their shirts, no longer tied to their position. In the same year as the Bosman ruling, another sign of the paradigm shift in the balance of power between club and player. Buying a shirt, even for your favorite team, has become an act of love for an idol, for an individual rather than for a collective.

Something is changing. Clubs are paying ever more attention to the style of their match jerseys: the design, the color scheme, the details scattered across the collar and sleeves. Three new jerseys are produced, followed by special editions . The jersey is a key element of a team's identity, strengthening its connection to its history or city . Regardless of who wears it. This vision in Italy coincides with the disappearance, with a few exceptions, of flags capable of linking a number to colors for so long, and of champions who fuel the desire to have their names on the back. Better a pristine yet striking kit like Napoli's third . It was designed in coffee color, in homage to the drink that has become a ritual in the city. The perfect farewell for Tommaso Starace, the club's storekeeper, retiring after 50 years and beloved by players and coaches for his moka pot coffees. Fiorentina , on the other hand, washes its clothes in the Arno, just as Alessandro Manzoni did with the Italian language. The third jersey is blue and silver, like the river that flows through Florence. The firmament is reflected in the silver Arno River. Lyrics from Claudio Villa's song "Firenze sogna" are printed on the collar, along with the coordinates of the Ponte Vecchio. The second white one is a tribute to the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, with concentric circles inspired by its façade.

Roma didn't pay attention to their historical heritage, but rather to their environmental heritage. The third jersey features green stripes on the sleeve edges, shoulders, and polo collar. An aesthetic that celebrates the capital's villas and public parks. Landscape is a recurring inspiration this season: Juventus has yet to unveil their third jersey, but according to previews, it should be black with a background of plant motifs echoing the Piedmontese vineyards. Cagliari 's third jersey, on the other hand, pays homage to Sardinia's rich forests, with holm oak, downy oak, and cork oak leaves decorating the blue. On the second jersey, the white bottom section features a reproduction of the work "Ai sardi" by artist Costantino Nivola. Jerseys like palettes on which to paint embellishments beyond the official colors. With all due respect to nostalgic purists. Also because every choice has a reason: a pentagram runs along the red stripes of Cremonese's home jersey. A must if you're the team from the city of violin making. The Winter Olympics will be held in Milan , and Inter will be wearing a cool-colored away kit that recalls the event, as will the fourth jersey, which has only been previewed so far.

Jerseys for events, monuments, flora, and historical-cultural reverence. Genoa's away jersey will feature the St. George's Cross : it was presented with the slogan "it's coming home" to emphasize how the symbol has belonged to Genoa since before it became the English one. Napoli's white jersey features traditional Neapolitan elements such as Pulcinella and San Gennaro. Many will buy McTominay's, but it's worth wearing it without letters and numbers. And with the Scudetto.

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