The Azzurri not to be the Azzurri anymore?

By: Francesco | November 28th, 2008

Since their existence, the Italian national team has always worn “Azzurro“, the shade of blue that is known in the English-speaking world as “Azure Blue“. The color comes from the Royal family of Savoia, and all of Italy’s national sports team wear it to this day. That’s where the national team got their nickname, “Gli Azzurri“. Sponsorship of the Azzurri started in 1974 with Adidas, and then throughout the years went through Le Coq Sportif (1979-1984), Diadora (1985-1994), Nike (1995-1999), Kappa (1999-2002), and then most recently Puma (2003-2014). However the Azzurri may not be the Azzurri much longer.

Corriere dello Sport reports that the FIGC has sent a message to FIFA informing them of the color scheme Italy will be wearing at the 2009 Confederations Cup. It seems like Puma has revolutionized the Italy kit, scrapping the Azzurro for Light Blue (like the color Napoli, Lazio, and Uruguay wear) and brown shorts and socks. This news is no joke, and I for one am very disappointed that the FIGC would let Puma get rid of the Azzurro.

I mean, is this what we’re going to see in June?

I hope not.

What do you think? Post your thoughts in the comments section.

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Category: Azzurri, Rumors & News, Serie A

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gianni

i am told this is just for the confederation game ... i dont know that these colors are to be used through the whole world cup ... it is supposed to be a tribute to the teams of the 1930s that won
daniel

thats completely wrong. they're not scrapping the azzuro, they're actually going back to a more traditional type of blue to commemorate the world cup win. it doesn't look like the napoli jersey at all. http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/...
Matteo

Surely when a Team is representing their country, it is just a bad idea for sponsors to change their traditional colours. Which is why i find it hard to believe that any corporate sponsor would be so unwise. And those washed-out colours, look like a journalistic liberty,for maximum reaction,surely! I think Marco P. may be right: It might not be an 'April Fools',but i get the impression we're being had.
vin

What the hell are they, nuts?

I'm about to go buy all the current jerseys I can get my hands on (which is probably exactly what Puma wants).
Mark

This has to be one of the worst ideas in professional sports that I've read in years.
Ro

"That is ugly as sin."

I'm with Mike on this one...*smacks forehead with hand* Please tell me this is some joke...we need a petition and we need one now! Before Puma get out of hand!
asem

SAY IT AIN'T SO
I HATE ALL THINGS LIGHT-BLUE
Jessica

Mamma Mia! My only hope is that this kit is just for the Confederations Cup. I always wait to purchase my jersey for each World Cup (not to sound arrogant but assuming we will be there) and cannot imagine this new design for 2010. I always look forward to a new jersey, as I spend the extra to get a name, but with this who knows. I guess we will have to wait and see.
shingi

looks pretty cool...but isn't it more of a club-type design?
Niccolo

Do these people SERIOUSLY want Italians to never even think about wearing a Puma product again? Now, I really don't care about the shorts and socks - I mean, they're ugly, but whatever - it's the shirt that I'm angry about.

We scream, Forza Azzurri for a reason.
Vincent

Merda!!!!!! It's pure crap! Maybe I can deal with the shirt, but the shorts brown?????? Shorts should be white or blue, and maybe black. That's IT!!!!!!
johnyymathew

What a nerve wrecking game that was. I can't believe Italy is going to play in the final :D I so want France to beat Portugal, I so want a rematch of Italy-France and I so want Italy to win.
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John

disgusting.
Nnahoj

Johonna

I hear what you're saying about the blue-brown combination. The Azzurri has always been very fashionable, usually having very unique kits. I just can't get past the brown shorts and socks though. They seem so far out left field.

A kit like the one in the last pic posted by ursus arctos would look quite good.
Marco P.

Francesco, here's the original Corriere article you mentioned:
http://www.corrieredellosport....

Frankly, if this were April I would be screaming "April Fool's" at the top of my lungs. I still think it's some kind of a joke though, or that at least the change will apply only for the Confederations Cup.

The Azzurri will always be the Azzurri.
Johonna

Although the blue may be lighter, it is still azure.

Right now in fashion and interior design, light blue and brown is very fashion-forward. I think that is how Inter got stuck with brown to go with our blue.

And IMO, a lighter blue jersey and brown shorts would not be as bad as last-years terrible pit-sweat jerseys.
Paolo

I can deal with a lighter shade of blue. Kappa made us a shirt a few years back that was a light blue, a lot lighter that what we are used to.

My question. Why the brown shorts????????

Blue/White/Blue are the colours I love to see them wear.

I can deal with all blue or Blue/Blue/White etc.

BROWN????

Would we have to start referring to them Marronazzurri? or the AzzurMarroni?

I don't even want to think about it. I am getting nauseous.
mele419

That is ugly as sin.
Michele

horrible, horrible
you just couldldn't like a team that wore those colours
Naveen

Really crap one. Puma should be ashamed to do this sort of things to the Italy. Just look at the combination, ah its awful. Cmon Puma how can you do this, no dont do that and dont you ever try to spoil the spirit of Italy Blue. Never stay away. Forza Azzurii
ursus arctos

It's always been my understanding that the actual blue used by the House of Savoy is somewhat lighter than that traditionally used by the Azzurri, but not as light as that in Francesco's photoshop.

In fact, you can find colourised photos of early Azzurri like Giuseppe Meazza that clearly show a lighter shade of blue, but I've never been certain just how accurate they are.

Here's an example: http://www.solocalcio.com/agen...

And here's a somewhat darker one on Silvio Piola:
http://www.solocalcio.com/agen...

And here is a cover of Domenica del Corriere from the 1934 World Cup that is likely the most accurate of all of them, given that it isn't a colourised photograph, but rather an original illustration for the post popular illustrated magazine in the country at the time:
http://www.clubdomenica.it/imm...

If this is going to happen, my very strong guess is that it will be pitched as a return to a "historical" colour. A change as drastic as that implied in the photoshop would have the tifosi rioting in the streets.
Vinny

what an outrage! Puma should be ashamed! they get the benefit of outfitting the world champions and subsequently putting that on all their merchandise and they wanna change a tradition that existed long before them?! And brown?! brown?!
Don't get me wrong i will buy the new kit whatever the color because my love runs deeper than blue but it is disappointing... bring back Nike!
Nnahoj

Ewww...that looks yucky!