"I Wore a Spurs Kit at Inter": Legendary Keeper Gianluca Pagliuca Talks Football Shirts
Former Sampdoria, Inter and Italy goalkeeper Gianluca Pagliuca recently spoke to Gazzetta dello Sport about the jerseys he wore during his career and he made some interesting revelations.
Hidden Logos, Custom Colours and Tottenham Kits: Gianluca Pagliuca's Unusual Jerseys
Gianluca Pagliuca enjoyed a 20 year career in Italian football, playing for Sampdoria, Inter, Bologna and Ascoli in that time, as well as making 39 appearances for Italy. Recognised as one of Serie A's finest goalkeepers of the 90s, the timing of his career meant that he wore some pretty outlandish shirts, as did most shot stoppers of that era. For Pagliuca though, it was important to play in jerseys that he found aesthetically pleasing. Known for having something of a short temper on the pitch, he wasn't afraid to let kit manufacturers know what he really thought either.
"I never once took to the pitch in a jersey I was unhappy with." Gianluca Pagliuca.
When Sampdoria switched from Kappa to Asics, he wasn't keen on the new shirts he was given. He informed the brand's marketing rep, who replied that for him, all that mattered was that Asics' logo appeared on the kit. Pagliuca was free to wear shirts from other brands, once their logo was covered up by an Asics one, so he often chose jerseys made by Reusch. Most of the time their name was obscured on the chest, but still sometimes peeked out behind the stitched-on Asics patch, as seen above. On other occasions both brand names were clearly visible.
In 1994, Pagliuca moved from Sampdoria to Inter, and Umbro became his new kit supplier. He liked their shirts, and even contacted the brand personally to make sure he could get his hands on one in particular:
"Tottenham's goalkeeper had a jersey that I loved because the colours reminded me of Aston Villa, and I'm a big fan of Villa. I called Umbro and told them I wanted this shirt. They sent me over 3 or 4 of them, with the Tottenham crest still on them, so we stitched the Inter crest on top of it. Nowadays you could never do something like that." Gianluca Pagliuca.
As well from wearing another team's shirt, Pagliuca also put in colourway requests for the shirts Umbro made for him. In the 95-96 season, they gave him a wavy-striped "bumblebee" jersey in yellow and black. Pagliuca approved of this version, but he also wanted one in Inter's home colours of black and blue. Umbro obliged, although he didn't get to wear it too often for obvious reasons.
Pagliuca also recounted how he swapped shirts with Diego Maradona after a Serie A game once. Unfortunately, he somehow lost it over the years, but says he has held on to all but one or two of the jerseys he wore throughout his career.
What do you think of Pagliuca's stories about the shirts he wore during his career? Would you like to hear more players' kit stories? Let us know in the comments.
FC Barcelona 27-28 Home Kit Leaked - 2 Real Images
Footy Headlines can leak two real images of the new Barcelona 27-28 home kit. However, these still appear to be products created based on a previous concept. They have an accuracy of about 80% and will differ slightly from the final version.
Deportivo Cali 1965 First Title Commemorative Kits Released
Colombian club Deportivo Cali and their technical sponsor Hillside have launched a special-edition capsule celebrating the club's historic first league championship won in 1965. The release consists of two retro-inspired jerseys — one in green and another in white — that pay tribute to the monumental title won over six decades ago.
Both shirts embrace a classic mid-60s aesthetic, anchored by an open polo-style collar. The green shirt features a contrasting white collar and cuffs, complemented by a tonal sublimated pattern of stripes, pennants, and historic club insignia across the fabric. In turn, the white version offers a clean, elegant look highlighted by rich emerald green trim. On the collar ribbing, knit detailing spells out "19 CAMPEÓN 65" in tribute to the landmark campaign.
Each jersey is adorned with a vintage Deportivo Cali crest topped by a single embroidered golden star representing that maiden triumph. Additional commemorative touches include a retro script Hillside graphic at the lower back and a stitched authentic crest patch near the hem displaying "Cali - Un Amor para toda la Vida 1912". The limited-edition pieces are delivered in custom collector's packaging alongside a certificate of authenticity.
BG Pathum United 26-27 20th Anniversary Kit Released
Thai League side BG Pathum United have officially released a special 20th anniversary kit for the 26-27 season. Produced by Nike and launched under the club's "Side by Side" campaign, the commemorative shirt celebrates two decades since the team was originally founded in 2006 as Bangkok Glass FC, reviving the historic green color from the club's early years.
The Nike BGPU 26-27 20th anniversary shirt combines a vibrant green base with contrasting black accents on the crew neck collar and sleeve cuffs, flanked by white side panels. It features clean monochrome white applications throughout, including the club crest, the Nike Swoosh, and the front sponsor. Two variations of the jersey are available: the domestic Thai League version featuring Leo branding on the chest, and an AFC Champions League Two version with Singha Corporation and a Thai flag detail on the sleeve.
White shorts and white socks complete the throwback look. The BG Pathum United 26-27 20th anniversary kit is now on sale through the club's official online shop and at the BGPU Mega Store, priced at 999 THB for the standalone jersey. The club has also made a limited "Side by Side" collector's boxset available for 2,000 THB, containing two shirts, two commemorative scarves, and a sticker sheet.
