As the summer approaches, anticipation for EURO 2024 continues to mount with each passing day.
EURO 2024 is scheduled to commence on June 14th at the Munich Football Arena and Adidas has just fueled the excitement for the tournament by launching home and away kits for seven of its federations.
One team to look out for is Italy. Italy is the defending champions of the Euro, having won the 2021 edition in a rather surprising manner. Moreover, their football fashion game is always on point, so, you know… no pressure.
These Euro kit releases holds special significance as it marks the inaugural collaboration between Italy and Adidas. Following financial fallout, the Italian Football Federation unveiled their partnership with Adidas a year ago, marking the end of a decades-long alliance with Puma. Excitement was palpable as fans eagerly awaited the outcome of this new collaboration.
Adidas has released the Italy away kit for this tournament among the set, and it has received some mixed reactions, to say the least.
The Italy away kit for Euro 2024
For Italy, Adidas have opted for a minimalistic design.
The design is focused on delivering something that gives an unexpected and fresh perspective from what has come before, while remaining respectful and true to their football heritage. Adidas have reportedly built each of the jerseys to inspire a sense of pride and belonging, blending traditional elements with modern style.
Sam Handy, VP of Product and Design at adidas said : “The national shirt is the visual symbol that binds a nation together, as its team looks to deliver moments for fans that will last a lifetime. With this, the shirt represents so much more than sport – it represents unity, it represents a passion that connects us, and it represents an identity that is celebrated at its highest during an international tournament.”
Staying true to the heritage of the Italian jersey, the new Italy away kit boasts an overall white hue. Drawing inspiration from the iconic 2006 Teamgeist World Cup jersey, the Adidas Italy 2024 away shirt features a tricolor design echoing the colors of the Italian flag – green, white, and red, with Adidas’ triple stripe logo in a blue shade and a similarly colored bi-layered collar. The shoulder stripes, alongside the crest and side panels are bi-colored, with the right side in green and the left in a red shade.
The kit features a unique pattern of the letter “I” – reimagined into a digital look and feel for “Italy”, while ‘L’ITALIA CHIAMO’ is displayed on the back neck, celebrating lyrics from the national anthem, further enhancing the sense of identity.
The Italy 2024 kit features the all-new white/gold Adidas authentic kit badge located on the lower right. The shirt material incorporates advanced ventilation techniques, possibly utilizing the high-end HEAT.RDY material. The ensemble is expected to be complemented by blue shorts adorned with the Adidas logo in white and the Italy club badge.
Fans are not convinced
Maybe it’s just that people have high hopes from Adidas, or maybe because this the kit resembles more of a training jersey rather than an official kit, it’s evident that the Italian away kit hasn’t resonated with everyone.
People have expressed their skepticism, fearing that Adidas has probably run out of ideas, as they seem to be copying their own style.
Some users on X.com suggest that Adidas appears to be stuck in the 2000s era, as this Euro Italy kit is awfully similar to the Adidas French 2006 World Cup away kit, wearing which a certain Zinedine Zidane played in the 2006 World Cup final against Italy. And honestly, you can’t disagree.
The white French kit was also inspired by their tricolored French flag of blue, red, and white, with a strikingly similar side panel. All you have to do is just lose that middle chest panel, add a green layer to the side, and change the logo, with a few subtle tweaks, and voila, you have the Euro Italy away kit.
A few of them have also pointed out that not only with France, Italy’s Euro kit looks uncannily similar to the 2003/04 Adidas Mexico International white kit. The resemblance between these kits raises questions about the originality and creativity of the brand, prompting calls for an investigation regarding this copy of style.
As things stand, it can be said that early 2000s Teamgeist football kits are Adidas’ inspiration for the 2024 away kit, and people are not liking it one bit.
So much so, that there are calls for the Italian federation to replace Adidas as their sponsor and bring back Puma or go with Kappa or Diadora.
Criticisms on social media platforms have labeled the kit as “cheap” and a “knockoff version,” with a user expressing their dissatisfaction by giving it a low rating of 2 out of 10.
Amidst the widespread criticism directed towards Adidas for the design of the Italy 2024 away kit, there are indeed a few comments expressing a more positive sentiment.
Some individuals appreciate the kit’s retro vibe, finding value in its nostalgic appeal and considering it worth the money. A particular user on X.com took a different route and commented that probably the kit would not be as bad as it appears in the photo and actually could be better on the field in reality.
I actually dig this. Guarantee it’s better in person too
— Longo Milanista 🇮🇹🏆⚫️🔴 🏄🏽♂️ (@iLPazzoLongoACM) March 15, 2024
We don’t know if that’s true, but Italy fans would surely hope that it is. Perhaps it’s the simplicity of the design on a white base, but there’s a general consensus that the kit lacks the standout factor that makes it truly captivating.
If the kit has caught your eye, you’ll be pleased to know that the Adidas Italy 2024 away jersey is scheduled to be released in retail shops this month. Already available on various online stores, it comes with a price tag of €69.99.
On the field, the kit is expected to make its debut during the Italy men’s national team’s upcoming friendlies against Venezuela on March 21 and Ecuador on March 24 in the USA. As the defending champions, Italy will undoubtedly seize every opportunity to retain their trophy and etch this white kit into the books of Italian football history.
