{"product_id":"2001-02-benfica-lisbon-shirt","title":"Benfica Away Shirt 2001-02 Adidas Vodafone Vintage L","description":"\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.8em;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:16px;\"\u003eBenfica 2001-02 Away Shirt Adidas — The Vodafone Era at Estádio da Luz\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:1.1em;line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003e2001-02 season: \u003cstrong\u003eBenfica\u003c\/strong\u003e is going through an intense rebuilding period, caught between European ambitions and the pressure of one of the continent's most demanding fan bases. This \u003cstrong\u003eAdidas away shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e with the \u003cstrong\u003eVodafone\u003c\/strong\u003e logo on the chest is exactly that — a textile relic of a pivotal era in the history of \u003cstrong\u003eSport Lisboa e Benfica\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eShirt details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:2;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSeason:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2001-2002\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClub:\u003c\/strong\u003e Benfica\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Away\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eKit manufacturer:\u003c\/strong\u003e Adidas\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSponsor:\u003c\/strong\u003e VODAFONE\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8\/10\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eState:\u003c\/strong\u003e LITTLE PULLS — authentic wear of a worn vintage shirt, some small pulled threads without structural damage, which is absolutely normal and expected for a piece of this age.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eWhat this shirt represents\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:14px;\"\u003eIn 2001-02, \u003cstrong\u003eBenfica Lisbon\u003c\/strong\u003e was undergoing a major transformation. Portugal's most decorated club was emerging from difficult years, marked by institutional instability and fierce competition from FC Porto and Sporting CP in the \u003cstrong\u003eLiga Portuguesa\u003c\/strong\u003e. This was a time when the Encarnados were trying to regain their status as a European giant, having reached the pinnacle of continental football in the 1960s with legends Eusébio and Coluna. This \u003cstrong\u003eAdidas 2001-2002 away shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e is therefore much more than a piece of fabric — it bears the scars of a rebuilding process.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eOn the pitch, the Benfica squad of this period included solid and recognizable players for any true follower of Portuguese football. \u003cstrong\u003eNuno Gomes\u003c\/strong\u003e, a Portuguese international striker, was one of the club's major figures at the time, having worn Benfica's colors with pride. The midfield was animated by physical and technical profiles, in the tradition of Lusitanian football. \u003cstrong\u003eVodafone\u003c\/strong\u003e as a shirt sponsor also symbolized the arrival of modern corporate partners in Portuguese football, a sign of a booming football business at the turn of the 2000s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eMoments etched in this shirt\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe quest for the Primeira Liga title\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nIn 2001-02, Benfica fought to bring the championship back to Lisbon against a dominant FC Porto. Every away game — and therefore every appearance of this shirt — was a demonstration of the Encarnados' determination not to give up, even far from the Estádio da Luz.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEuropean campaigns at the turn of the millennium\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nBenfica participated in UEFA competitions of this era, trying to reconnect with the European scene where the club had written some of the most beautiful pages of 1960s football. This \u003cstrong\u003evintage away shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e potentially graced European pitches during group stages or preliminary rounds, which greatly increases its interest for the discerning collector.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Adidas partnership at its aesthetic peak\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nThe years 2000-2002 represent a particularly interesting period in \u003cstrong\u003eAdidas football\u003c\/strong\u003e design, with specific cuts, elaborate textures, and a template approach that differs from current productions. This shirt is a perfect example: an authentic \u003cstrong\u003evintage Adidas\u003c\/strong\u003e piece, not a re-release, not a tribute — the original.\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 shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e is one that was actually produced to be worn by players or sold to fans at the time of its manufacture. Not a recent reproduction, not a \"retro release\" issued in limited edition twenty years later — the original from the era, with its original labels, specific cut, and finishes specific to the year of production. This is what makes all the difference for a serious collector.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eThis \u003cstrong\u003eBenfica 2001-02 away shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e is exactly that. The 8\/10 condition with some \"little pulls\" — slightly pulled threads — testifies to a shirt that has lived, probably worn by a fan of the time, and not stored in a vacuum warehouse. It is this lived-in character that makes the charm of a \u003cstrong\u003evintage authentic\u003c\/strong\u003e piece: it has a story behind it, and it shows.\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;\"\u003eGolden rule for any buyer of \u003cstrong\u003evintage football shirts\u003c\/strong\u003e: vintage sizes are systematically smaller than modern equivalents. A \u003cstrong\u003evintage Adidas 2001-2002 Large\u003c\/strong\u003e generally corresponds to a current Medium in contemporary cuts. Player builds and manufacturing standards have evolved, and early 2000s shirts reflect a more fitted, tapered cut than what manufacturers offer today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eBefore confirming your order, grab your tape measure and measure your chest width flat, then compare with the exact measurements of this shirt (available in the photos or upon request). A difference of 3 to 5 cm compared to your usual size is common on \u003cstrong\u003evintage size L shirts\u003c\/strong\u003e of this era. It's better to take 2 minutes to measure than to regret it once the package is received.\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\u003eBenfica 2001-02 Adidas away shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e ticks all the boxes for a collector's grail: a great historic European club, an iconic kit manufacturer during a pivotal period of its design, a period sponsor that anchors the shirt in its time, and a football season that has its own meaning in the history of the Lisbon club. \u003cstrong\u003eVintage Benfica away shirts\u003c\/strong\u003e of this generation are rare on the market — most fans of the time collected the home kit, making the away versions even harder to find in good condition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eAnd that's precisely where this shirt stands out: 8\/10 is an honest, real condition, without marketing exaggeration. There aren't many in this condition still floating around on the market in 2024. The minor pulls affect neither the legibility of the Vodafone logo, nor the Adidas embroideries, nor the overall structure of the piece. For a \u003cstrong\u003evintage football collector's shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e over twenty years old, this is a frankly solid condition that makes it a coherent acquisition for a quality collection.\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\/Sport_Lisboa_e_Benfica\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eBenfica — 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 — Shirt History\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 a Benfica fan, a Portuguese football enthusiast, or simply a lover of beautiful \u003cstrong\u003evintage early 2000s Adidas pieces\u003c\/strong\u003e, this shirt clearly deserves your consideration — it's up to you to see if the size is right.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Benfica","offers":[{"title":"L","offer_id":54012601368851,"sku":"323896","price":89.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0949\/4839\/3235\/files\/eng_pm_2001-02-BENFICA-LISBON-SHIRT-L-323896_1.jpg?v=1775510483","url":"https:\/\/supporterid.com\/en\/products\/2001-02-benfica-lisbon-shirt","provider":"SUPPORTER ID®","version":"1.0","type":"link"}