"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.
J.League x Pokémon: 60 Clubs, 60 Pokémon
The J.League has announced one of its most creative collaboration yet, teaming up with Pokémon for the 'Pokémon J.League Fest 'EVOLUTION!'' campaign ahead of the 2026-27 season.
All 60 clubs across J1, J2 and J3 have been paired with their own Pokémon, with the campaign following each Pokémon's evolution throughout the season across official artwork, graphics and promotional content.
The collaboration also celebrates 30 years of Pokémon (1996-2026) while building excitement for the new J.League campaign, which kicks off on 7 August.
Fans attending matches will receive one of one million exclusive EVO BAGs, each featuring Pikachu alongside the home club's partner Pokémon.
This isn't the first crossover between the two either. Back in 2014, the J.League and Pokémon launched the Family Join Days campaign, where young supporters received exclusive Pikachu trading cards at stadiums.
If your favorite club could be paired with any Pokémon, which one would you choose? Let us know in the comments below.
Hoffenheim Call Out Twitter Accounts Promoting Fake Kits
German club TSG Hoffenheim has taken a humorous approach to address a growing trend on social media involving the promotion of counterfeit football shirts. The club's official account posted a sarcastic message mimicking the exact language used by accounts that advertise fake kits. The post claimed to have found a really cool site for authentic shirts of top quality and insisted the endorsement was entirely voluntary, before directing users to a link in the replies.
Instead of linking to a counterfeit retailer, Hoffenheim's reply simply provided the URL to their official club shop. The joke directly targets a widespread practice on social media where various football-focused accounts promote unauthorized replica stores. In exchange for posting these scripted advertisements, the account owners typically receive a small number of free fake kits, valued at around 35 Euros, rather than monetary compensation.
1. FC Nürnberg 26-27 Home Kit Leaked - Official Pictures
The first real pictures of the 1. FC Nürnberg 2026-27 home kit have been leaked online by @Bundesleaker. Made by Adidas, the new FC Nürnberg 2026-27 home jersey will be worn in the UPCOMING 2. Bundesliga season.
Iwate Grulla Morioka 26-27 Home, Away & Goalkeeper Kits Released
Japan Football League team Iwate Grulla Morioka have unveiled new kit collection for 2026-27 season. The designs are made by famous English brand Umbro.
The four kits share two different templates: The white home kit and pink goalkeeper home kit features 3-D diagonal graphic with gradient effect, whereas the red away kit and yellow goalkeeper away kit use outlined stripes along with black and white details.
What do you think of Iwate Grulla Morioka 2026-27 kits? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Koper FC 26-27 Home, Away & Third Kits Released
Slovenian PrvaLiga runners-up Koper FC have introduced their three new kits for 2026-27 season, partner with Macron for the 7th consecutive season.
The home kit featuring a striking yellow base with liquid-like pattern and blue trims. The same design is applied for the third kit, using black and gold as its colorway.
The away kit, on the other hand, uses a reverse pallete compared to the home kit, adding the city's skyline graphic across the chest.
What do you think of Koper FC 2026-27 kits? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.