{"product_id":"1996-97-italy-13-longsleeve-xl-player-issue","title":"Italy 1996-97 Nike Player Issue Home Vintage Jersey #13","description":"\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.8em;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:16px;\"\u003eItaly 1996-97 Nike Player Issue Jersey — The Golden Number 13\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:1.1em;line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003e1996-97 season, the \u003cstrong\u003eSquadra Azzurra\u003c\/strong\u003e wore the \u003cstrong\u003eNike\u003c\/strong\u003e swoosh on their chest for the first time — a sudden change of era for a nation that had always breathed football. This \u003cstrong\u003evintage Italy home Player Issue jersey\u003c\/strong\u003e, numbered 13 and cut in long-sleeve XL, is an item taken directly from the Italian international changing rooms, not from official store shelves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eJersey Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:2;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSeason:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1996-97\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClub:\u003c\/strong\u003e Italy (National team)\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Home\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eKit manufacturer:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nike\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber:\u003c\/strong\u003e 13 — long sleeves (longsleeve)\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFit:\u003c\/strong\u003e Player Issue (PI) — authentic player version\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e XL\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e 10\/10\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eState:\u003c\/strong\u003e NEW — never worn, exceptional preservation\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eWhat this jersey represents\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:14px;\"\u003eIn 1996, \u003cstrong\u003eNike took over the Italian national team's equipment\u003c\/strong\u003e 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 \u003cstrong\u003eItaly a global showcase for Nike football\u003c\/strong\u003e, alongside Brazil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eThis 1996-97 season was part of an intense cycle for the national team: the still-fresh wound of the \u003cstrong\u003e1994 World Cup final\u003c\/strong\u003e lost on penalties against Brazil, and the mental and tactical preparation that was to lead to \u003cstrong\u003eFrance 98\u003c\/strong\u003e. Coach Cesare Maldini took the reins of the team and relied on a group of extraordinary players from the best European clubs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eMoments etched in this jersey\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNike's baptism on the Squadra Azzurra (1996)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQualification for France 98\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDuring this period, \u003cstrong\u003eItaly played its qualifiers for the 1998 World Cup\u003c\/strong\u003e with this jersey on their back. The squad included names that still inspire dreams today: \u003cstrong\u003ePaolo Maldini\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eFabio Cannavaro\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eAlessandro Del Piero\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eRoberto Baggio\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eGianfranco Zola\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Player Issue detail — a locker room jersey\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe mention \u003cstrong\u003ePlayer Issue\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eAuthentic vs. Replica\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:14px;\"\u003eA \u003cstrong\u003evintage Player Issue jersey\u003c\/strong\u003e 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 \u003cstrong\u003eauthentic Nike jersey from the 90s\u003c\/strong\u003e, you'll find specific features that replicas of the time simply didn't reproduce.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eHere, the \u003cstrong\u003elong-sleeve version\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eVintage Size Guide\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:14px;\"\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003esizes of vintage 90s jerseys\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eBefore buying, measure your chest circumference and compare it with the flat measurements of the jersey. For a \u003cstrong\u003evintage collector's jersey\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eWhy have it in your collection\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:14px;\"\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003efirst Nike season with Italy\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eThere aren't many in this condition after almost thirty years of existence. A \u003cstrong\u003evintage Italy Nike 1996 jersey\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eTo go further\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"line-height:2.2;margin-bottom:16px;\"\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Italy_national_football_team\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eItaly - Wikipedia\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.footballkitarchive.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eFootball Kit Archive - History of jerseys\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.uefa.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eUEFA - European Football\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"font-style:italic;line-height:1.8;\"\u003eIf you're looking for a \u003cstrong\u003evintage Italy Nike Player Issue jersey\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Italie","offers":[{"title":"Unique","offer_id":53976967545107,"sku":"325551","price":299.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0949\/4839\/3235\/files\/eng_pm_1996-97-ITALY-13-LONGSLEEVE-XL-Player-Issue-325551_1.jpg?v=1775240901","url":"https:\/\/supporterid.com\/en\/products\/1996-97-italy-13-longsleeve-xl-player-issue","provider":"SUPPORTER ID®","version":"1.0","type":"link"}