Dybala and Matic Both Unveiled as Roma's New Number 21
Roma today unveiled new signing Paolo Dybala as their new number 21, the same number that was given to fellow new recruit Nemanja Matic just a few weeks ago.
Dybala and Matic Both Unveiled With Number 21 Shirt
Jose Mourinho signed Matic for a third time at a third different club when he brought the Serbian to Roma in early July, with the midfielder opting for the vacant number 21 shirt which he had also worn at Benfica and Manchester United. It therefore came as a surprise to see Paolo Dybala holding the same jersey aloft at his unveiling today.
21 is Dybala's shirt number at international level and he took it up on his arrival at Juve, before switching to the iconic 10 shirt when previous occupant Paul Pogba left the club. Roma's last number 10 was of course club legend Francesco Totti, and although the Giallorossi did not officially retire the number in his honour, it would come with an enormous weight of expectation and obligatory comparisons to il Gladiatore and has not been worn since his retirement.
Dybala's shirt number progression since he moved to Serie A.
It is reported that Totti himself gave Dybala his blessing to become Roma's new number 10, but instead of taking on that burden, Dybala chose 21 as his squad number. This was done with the permission of Matic of course, who was able to pick the classic "first team" number 8 shirt as a replacement.
A gesture of respect and recognition for his new teammate, something we've seen before from both Juan Cuadrado and Edinson Cavani who both gave their number 7 to Cristiano Ronaldo when he pitched up at their clubs. Although poor Anthony Martial didn't have too much say in forfeiting his number 9 to Zlatan Ibrahimovic when the Swede rocked up at Old Trafford.
This case is slightly unusual in the fact that the shirt belonged to Matic for only a few weeks before he gave it up, while Dybala has now been involved in squad number reshuffles at two clubs this summer.
Can you think of any other instances of a club giving out the same squad number to different players in the same transfer window? Let us know in the comments.
No Betting Ban in Championship: West Ham Keeps Boyle Sports as 26-27 Kit Sponsor Following Relegation
Following their relegation to the Championship, West Ham United have officially confirmed that Boyle Sports will continue as their front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2026-27 season.
The betting company's logo will feature on the men's and women's home, away, third, and training kits, a move made possible because the English Football League does not currently enforce the Premier League's restrictions on gambling sponsors.
The continuation of the partnership, which was valued at around £12 million last season, comes after talks with the Tourism Authority of Thailand regarding an "Amazing Thailand" sponsorship collapsed due to the club's drop from the top flight.
Tochigi SC 26-27 Kits Released
Japanese J3 League club Tochigi SC and their kit supplier Athleta have officially revealed the team's new kits for the 2026-27 season.
The Athleta Tochigi SC 2026-27 shirts feature a bespoke design centered around a pattern of multiple overlapping 'T' lines. According to the club, this graphic symbolizes the trajectory of accumulated challenges and forward progress, ultimately forming a strong upward arrow that represents their push for promotion back to the J2 League.
The Tochigi SC 2026-27 uniforms will be available to purchase starting July 1, 2026, via the club's official online store and the local furusato nozei tax donation program.
Helmond Sport 26-27 Home Kit Released
Dutch Eerste Divisie side Helmond Sport have unveiled their new home kit for the 2026-27 season. The new shirt is made by Saller.
The Helmond Sport 2026-27 home shirt is launched under the slogan "De rode draad die ons verbindt" (The red thread that connects us). According to the club, the design is meant to be more than just a football shirt, aiming to tell the story of the supporters and their enduring connection to the team.
Fans will be able to pre-order the new Saller Helmond Sport 2026-27 home kit starting from July 1.
Manuel Neuer's 2026 World Cup Kits Feature Different Match Detail Placements
During Germany's 2026 World Cup campaign, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer wore shirts with three distinct match detail placements across his four appearances. The 40-year-old's Adidas kits featured unusual variations in where the opponent, date, and venue text was printed.
In the first two group stage matches, Neuer's blue goalkeeper shirt displayed the match details in the standard central position on the chest. For the final group game against Ecuador, the text on his pink kit was moved underneath the German national team crest. This adjustment was reportedly made to align with the outfield players' shirts, which featured the match details under the Adidas Trefoil logo to balance the chest layout.
A third variation appeared in the Round of 32 against Paraguay. On Neuer's yellow shirt, the match details were placed directly underneath the Adidas logo on the right side of the chest. This final unique placement marked Neuer's last World Cup appearance, as Germany was eliminated following a 3-4 defeat.
Huge thanks to Jersey Story for the observation and collage.
Ajax 26-27 Home Kit Release Date Announced
Ajax has officially announced that their new Adidas 2026-27 home kit will be revealed on July 2, 2026.
The Dutch club shared a teaser on social media featuring a red graphic with the Ajax and Adidas logos alongside the upcoming release date and the caption "Home is coming."
Official pictures of the classic red and white Ajax 2026-27 home shirt were widely leaked earlier in May.
