THE VITALS:

Team: Italy

Brand: Puma

Era: 2010-11 (Used for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2012 UEFA European Championships Qualifying Campaign)

Name/Number: -

CONDITION: EXCELLENT

In spite of a few snags and pulls and the wear you’d expect from a shirt this age; the article still remains in excellent condition!

DIMENSIONS:

Size: Medium

Pit to Pit Measurement: 19.5 inches

Shirt Length: 29 inches 

Made in the Puma USP range introduced ahead of the 2010-11 season; the dimensions of this shirt lend themselves to a fine size medium fitting football shirt.

DESCRIPTION:

After 2 contrasting shirts were released between 2008-09; Puma went back to a royal blue ‘Azzurri’ for the strip which would be donned for the defending World champions. Puma’s shirts in 2010 would feature 3 prominent features: the 3 point distinctive collar, the slashes on the sleeves and the embossed patterns into the base of the shirt; and none epitomise these idiosyncrasies than this Italy shirt! The collar is split between green, white and red, which are of course the colours of the Italian flag, while the white streaks split the two shades of blue, and lastly, the pattern chosen replicates that of a shield; truly fitting as they were defending the World Cup! This shirt would also be the last to be worn for the national team by stalwarts of the 2006 World Cup triumph: Fabio Cannavaro and Gennaro Gattuso.

THE SEASON:

Despite a disappointing Confederations Cup effort; Italy would come into the new decade riding a 7 match unbeaten streak following their tournament exit in June 2009. Their preparation however for their title defence was less than ideal, as they failed to win against either: Cameroon, Mexico or Switzerland. Drawn with: New Zealand, Paraguay and Slovakia in Group F at the World Cup; it would be another unhappy return to South Africa as 2 draws and a defeat saw them exit the World Cup at the group stage. Cesare Prandelli would replace Lippi at the helm, and despite an opening defeat against Ivory Coast, he would guide ‘Gil Azzurri’ to a 9 game unbeaten run which met its end against the Republic of Ireland on June 7^th 2011.  It would only prove to be a small set-back as they defeated Spain in a friendly in their next game, winning 5 from their next 6 games; sealing their place in the Euro 2012 tournament final’s, before falling to Uruguay in a friendly with what was their final game of 2011.

The notable players that season(s) were:

Vincenzo Iaquinta, Antonio di Natale, Alberto Gilardino, Fabio Quagliarella, Giampaolo Pazzini, Antonio Cassano, Giuseppe Rossi, Alessandro Matri, Mario Balotelli, Claudio Marchisio, Mauro Camoranesi, Angelo Palombo, Riccardo Montolivo, Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Simone Pepe, Daniele De Rossi, Alberto Aquilani, Thiago Motta, Christian Maggio, Domenico Cristico, Giorgio Chiellini, Fabio Cannavaro, Salvatore Bochetti, Gianluca Zambrotta, Leonardo Bonucci, Gianluigi Buffon