Today, Adidas officially launched its first collection since forming a partnership with the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). Adidas has been an official partner of the Italian Football Federation since January 1, 2023, and will sponsor the apparel of several Italian national teams.
Bjorn Gulden, CEO of Adidas, said: "Today we open the first chapter of our long-term partnership with the Italian Football Federation. The Italian national football team is one of the most impressive national teams in world football. We are excited to launch this new collection to the world. This collection strives to shine on and off the pitch. In keeping with Les Bleus' tradition of elegance and consistency, the collection's modern design will be proudly worn by a new generation of Italian fans at home and abroad, whether they are football lovers or national team players on the biggest stage of the game. We look forward to working with the Italian FA to achieve our great vision and warmly welcome the Italian FA to the Adidas family, which includes the newly crowned world champions Argentina FA (AFA), German FA (DFB), Spanish FA (RFEF) and Belgian FA (RBFA)."
Gabriele Gravina, president of the Italian Football Federation, also said: "Today, together with the Adidas brand, we enter a new era. Adidas captures the passion and tradition of Les Bleus in a very modern way. After 113 years, the Italian national football team has become a global symbol of values and style, and the Italian football shirt transcends the boundaries of sport and becomes part of the country's traditional culture, because the emotion it conveys brings together people of different ages, genders and social backgrounds. The Italian national football team is an iconic part of our country and we will further enhance that identity with our new sponsor."
The new home kit will be unveiled at the Technical Federal Centre of Coverciano tomorrow, Wednesday 18 January, in a friendly against Spain's Under-18s. It is also the first time the new Italian national team jersey has been unveiled with the youth team.
For centuries, marble has been found on monuments and landmarks across the Apennine Peninsula. The adidas × FIGC collection is inspired by the marble that symbolizes Italy in terms of nature, geography and culture.
The home jersey is consistent with the traditional style, with blue as the base and marble elements at the same time. The pattern integrates the grain of the fabric itself and the traditional grain of the marble raw material, and uses innovative technology to make the jersey and shorts form a unified and beautiful visual effect.
In addition to the distinctive marble pattern, there are other Italian cultural details on the home jersey, such as the shoulder "tricolor" detail: each of the three stripes has the three colours of the Italian flag along the edge. The "tri-color" design also appears on the sides of the jersey with the hem on the back. In addition, the back collar is emblazoned with the word "ITALIA" and is specially designed, like the player's name and number, inspired by ancient Roman sculpture. The sleeves and collars are decorated with bold gold details that proudly remind everyone of the glorious history of the Italian national team. The Adidas logo and the newly unveiled Italian national team crest are heat-printed on the chest.
The design of the away kit was also inspired by marble, with sharp contrasts thanks to the bright main hue, the grey and white colours matched with the marble material pattern of navy and gold throughout the kit. The away outfit features the same Italian-themed details as the home outfit, such as the "three colors" design and the word "ITALIA" on the Adidas three stripes.
Both home and away jerseys are equipped with Adidas innovative technology, in which fabrics use HEAT.DRY heat royal technology, to provide extreme comfort and air permeability for players in sports, improve sports performance. Meanwhile, the jerseys are made from renewable materials.
In addition to the home and away kit, the new collection also includes products such as a double-sided appearance jacket and a warm-up suit that also incorporates the marble aesthetic and "tri-colour" design. There is also a range of training pieces in a striking blue and white colour scheme, also incorporating the Italian flag's "tricolour" features, designed to provide players with a uniform style of kit when representing their country.
Adidas and The Italian Football Federation released a short video entitled "The Search -- La Ricerca". The short film tells the story of a treasure hunt, played by various members of the national team from past to present, They included Gianluigi Donnarumma, Martina Rosucci and Alessandro Del Piero, as well as a special guest, the emerging artist Blanco.
"Quest" tells the story of a young boy's struggle to grow physically and mentally in an enchanted forest. The story ends with the discovery of the Azzurri jersey, implying that the jersey has become a national symbol of Italy. At the same time, the boy's experience is a symbol of every Italian national's search for the soul of Italy and a sense of national identity, which is an important value to pass on to the Azzurri fans in the future. Through the exchange between the legendary Italian national team star Alessandro Del Piero and the new generation artist Blanco, the film expresses the beautiful hope for this spiritual inheritance. Finally, on the soccer field in Rome, Blanc and his partner and the new star of the national team Donnelluma together relaxed and happy to play football, welcome the start of a new era.
