{"product_id":"1996-97-italy-longsleeve-shirt","title":"Italy Home Shirt Nike 1996-97 Long Sleeved XL Vintage","description":"\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.8em;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:16px;\"\u003eItaly Home Nike 1996-97 Jersey — The Squadra Azzurra in the Nike Era, Long Sleeved\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:1.1em;line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003e1996-97: \u003cstrong\u003eNike takes the reins of the Italian national team\u003c\/strong\u003e and signs one of the most remarkable partnership debuts in football history. This \u003cstrong\u003elong-sleeved home jersey of the Squadra Azzurra\u003c\/strong\u003e, size XL, marks Nike's first major era with Italy — a takeover that would last for decades and leave its mark on a whole generation of supporters.\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\u003eCut:\u003c\/strong\u003e Long sleeves\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOutfitter:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nike\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e XL\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8\/10\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eState:\u003c\/strong\u003e SLIGHTLY USED PRINTINGS, PULLS — authentic wear of a \u003cstrong\u003eworn vintage jersey\u003c\/strong\u003e, slight marks on the printings and some pulls on the fabric, entirely consistent with the age and history of the piece\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 equipment of the Squadra Azzurra\u003c\/strong\u003e after years under other banners, and it was an immediate aesthetic and technical revolution. The Swoosh brand arrived with its aggressive graphic codes, its new-generation technical fabrics, and a modern vision of the football jersey that clearly contrasted with the more sober productions of previous years. For Italy, it was a turning point: the land of calcio embraced American aesthetics while maintaining transalpine elegance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eAt that time, the \u003cstrong\u003eNazionale\u003c\/strong\u003e remained one of the most respected and feared national teams in the world. The squad was built to win: \u003cstrong\u003ePaolo Maldini\u003c\/strong\u003e in defence, an absolute leader and living monument of defensive football, \u003cstrong\u003eAlessandro Del Piero\u003c\/strong\u003e who was gaining momentum and beginning to reign on the attacking front, \u003cstrong\u003eGianfranco Zola\u003c\/strong\u003e still present, \u003cstrong\u003eDemetrio Albertini\u003c\/strong\u003e dictating the tempo in midfield. A classy team, perhaps sometimes too classy for its own good.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eMoments etched into this jersey\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEuro 1996 in England — eliminated in the group stage\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nItaly approached Euro 96 with great ambitions but left in the first round after insufficient results, particularly against the Czech Republic and an elimination that left a bitter taste. This \u003cstrong\u003efirst-generation Nike jersey\u003c\/strong\u003e embodies the frustration of a great football nation that failed to live up to its promises on the European stage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQualification for the 1998 World Cup — a challenging path\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nThe 1996-97 period corresponds to the beginning of the long qualification cycle for \u003cstrong\u003eFrance 98\u003c\/strong\u003e, a World Cup that Italy would approach as a favorite. The European qualification matches saw the Azzurra build its squad, fine-tune its automatisms, and seek its balance between defensive calcio, rooted in Italian culture, and a growing desire for offensive expression.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe beginning of the Nike era — a historic partnership\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nThis jersey is also the \u003cstrong\u003etextile document\u003c\/strong\u003e that marks the very beginning of a collaboration between Nike and the Italian Federation that would produce some of the most iconic jerseys in world football history. Wearing this long-sleeved jersey means holding Chapter 1 of a saga that continues to this day.\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;\"\u003eAn \u003cstrong\u003eauthentic vintage jersey\u003c\/strong\u003e is fundamentally different from a factory-made replica or a modern re-issue. The authentic 1996-97 jersey was produced with the materials and techniques of the time: cuts, finishes, labels, flocking — everything is original, everything breathes its era. It is an object that has passed through almost thirty years and shows it, in a good way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eHere, the 8\/10 condition with \u003cstrong\u003eslight signs of wear on the flocking and some pulls\u003c\/strong\u003e is exactly what you would expect from an authentic vintage jersey that has lived. This is not a defect, it is proof. A jersey in perfect condition from a 1996 piece should arouse more suspicion than a jersey that wears its age honestly. This one is consistent, credible, real.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eVintage sizing guide\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:14px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVintage sizes from the 90s are systematically smaller\u003c\/strong\u003e than modern sizes with the same label. An XL Nike from 1996 does not correspond to an XL Nike from 2024 — far from it. The cuts of the time were more fitted, shorter, designed for a different build than current standards. This applies to all brands, including Nike, and it is a reality that every collector of \u003cstrong\u003eretro jerseys\u003c\/strong\u003e must understand before buying.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eBefore confirming your order, measure your chest circumference and compare it with the actual measurements of the jersey — do not hesitate to contact us to obtain them. Golden rule: if you hesitate between two sizes for a vintage 90s item, \u003cstrong\u003ealways go for the larger size\u003c\/strong\u003e. A jersey that is too small stays in the closet; a slightly large jersey can still be worn and, above all, displayed.\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\u003eItaly Nike 1996-97 jersey\u003c\/strong\u003e is a collector's item in its own right for several compelling reasons. First, it marks the very beginning of the Nike-Italy partnership, making it a first-generation item — first editions are always the most sought after by serious collectors. Second, the \u003cstrong\u003elong-sleeved\u003c\/strong\u003e version is structurally rarer than a short-sleeved model: less produced, less sold at the time, and therefore even less available today on the \u003cstrong\u003evintage jersey\u003c\/strong\u003e market. And in size XL no less, which further reduces the global stock.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eThere aren't many in this condition still around. An 8\/10 on a jersey almost thirty years old means the piece has been carefully preserved by someone who knew what they had. The pulls and slight wear on the flocking do not compromise the legibility or presentation of the jersey — it can be displayed, worn, and impress. If you are looking for a \u003cstrong\u003ecollector's Italy jersey from the 90s\u003c\/strong\u003e that stands out, this long-sleeved Nike version is exactly what you need.\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 the beginning of the Nike era with the Squadra Azzurra and the qualification nights for France 98 are part of your football memories, this long-sleeved jersey deserves its place in your collection — and it won't wait long.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Italie","offers":[{"title":"XL","offer_id":53976967807251,"sku":"338496","price":159.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0949\/4839\/3235\/files\/eng_pm_1996-97-ITALY-LONGSLEEVE-SHIRT-XL-338496_1.jpg?v=1775240908","url":"https:\/\/supporterid.com\/en\/products\/1996-97-italy-longsleeve-shirt","provider":"SUPPORTER ID®","version":"1.0","type":"link"}