Italy 1996-97 Nike Player Issue Home Vintage Jersey #13

Italy 1996-97 Nike Player Issue Jersey — The Golden Number 13

1996-97 season, the Squadra Azzurra wore the Nike swoosh on their chest for the first time — a sudden change of era for a nation that had always breathed football. This vintage Italy home Player Issue jersey, numbered 13 and cut in long-sleeve XL, is an item taken directly from the Italian international changing rooms, not from official store shelves.

Jersey Details

Season: 1996-97
Club: Italy (National team)
Type: Home
Kit manufacturer: Nike
Number: 13 — long sleeves (longsleeve)
Fit: Player Issue (PI) — authentic player version
Size: XL
Condition: 10/10
State: NEW — never worn, exceptional preservation

What this jersey represents

In 1996, Nike took over the Italian national team's equipment and signed one of the most resounding contracts in world football. It was a clear break with the Diadora era, which had dressed the Azzurri for years. The American brand arrived with its codes, its modern aesthetics, and a clear ambition: to make Italy a global showcase for Nike football, alongside Brazil.

This 1996-97 season was part of an intense cycle for the national team: the still-fresh wound of the 1994 World Cup final lost on penalties against Brazil, and the mental and tactical preparation that was to lead to France 98. Coach Cesare Maldini took the reins of the team and relied on a group of extraordinary players from the best European clubs.

Moments etched in this jersey

Nike's baptism on the Squadra Azzurra (1996)
The first Nike generation for Italy marked a historic turning point in the visual identity of the national team. Italian fans discovered a resolutely modern design on the chest of their idols — a cultural as well as aesthetic shock for a nation attached to tradition.

Qualification for France 98
During this period, Italy played its qualifiers for the 1998 World Cup with this jersey on their back. The squad included names that still inspire dreams today: Paolo Maldini, Fabio Cannavaro, Alessandro Del Piero, Roberto Baggio, and Gianfranco Zola.

The Player Issue detail — a locker room jersey
The mention Player Issue is not insignificant: this jersey was not designed to be sold to the general public; it was manufactured to be distributed to players or national team staff. The cut, finishes, and technical details differ significantly from the replica versions marketed at the time.

Authentic vs. Replica

A vintage Player Issue jersey is in a different category than the replica sold in stores. The materials are more technical, the stitching more meticulous, and the graphic elements — flocking, crest, equipment supplier logo — are applied using different, often more durable, methods. On an authentic Nike jersey from the 90s, you'll find specific features that replicas of the time simply didn't reproduce.

Here, the long-sleeve version is even rarer than the standard short-sleeve version — PI long sleeves were distributed in very limited quantities, primarily for matches played in cold weather or for certain players who explicitly requested them. Finding such an example in NEW condition after almost thirty years is nothing short of a miracle.

Vintage Size Guide

The sizes of vintage 90s jerseys do not correspond to current standards. An XL from 1996-97 generally fits like a modern L, sometimes even an M depending on the physique. Nike used more fitted cuts at that time, designed for professional athletes — not to be worn over a jacket in the stands.

Before buying, measure your chest circumference and compare it with the flat measurements of the jersey. For a vintage collector's jersey that you also want to wear, aim for one size up from your modern habit. And if you just want to frame it or display it, the question obviously doesn't arise.

Why have it in your collection

The first Nike season with Italy is already a historical moment in itself for jersey collectors. But a long-sleeve Player Issue number 13, in XL, in NEW condition? This is the kind of piece that appears on the market once every two or three years. The number 13 is not insignificant in football — often attributed to strong-character midfielders or defenders, it has a strong symbolic charge in a national team like Italy.

There aren't many in this condition after almost thirty years of existence. A vintage Italy Nike 1996 jersey in 10/10 NEW condition is a happy anomaly in a market where most pieces from that era arrive creased, yellowed, or with unexplained stains. This one is impeccable. Period.

To go further

• Italy - Wikipedia
• Football Kit Archive - History of jerseys
• UEFA - European Football

If you're looking for a vintage Italy Nike Player Issue jersey that has remained intact through the decades, you won't find better than this. It's up to you to decide if you'll let it pass.