Serie A Clubs Are Setting The Standard With Next Season's New Football Kits

Waiting, waiting, waiting. That’s all football fans seem to do during the barren summer months with no games, especially when there is no summer tournament to look forward to. When pre-season friendlies just don’t seem to quench that insatiable thirst, the announcement of the fixture list and unveiling the new shirt are the only things that provide genuine satisfaction for those football-starved supporters.

Serie A has produced some truly iconic kits through the years, and this season is no different. The colours of each side make them instantly recognisable – and form a major part of their identity – even forming the basis of many club’s nicknames. From the purple (Viola) of Fiorentina to the red and black (Rossoneri) of Milan, here’s a rundown of some of the latest offerings from the Italian league.

Milan have opted for a return to the classic red and black stripes, reminiscent of those worn in the trophy-littered days of the 1990s. It is no surprise that the new ownership has gone for this look, as the San Siro outfit are desperate to emulate that decade in which they won a total of 17 trophies.

Their away kit is also a thing of beauty, the predominantly white shirt “an authentic Milan look that signifies success,” according to its accompanying press release.

Cross-city rivals Inter have focussed on their slogan “forge the future”, deploying young star Roberto Gagliardini in the advertising for their away kit. The classic blue and black stripes are of varying thickness this year, causing an equally mixed reaction on social media. Whilst some welcome the change, others have compared the black stripes to a barcode!

After last year’s white away kit featured the blue and black stripes on the sleeve, this year there is a shift to one light grey sleeve, with the other light blue.

Juventus of course feature their famous black and white stripes but the major change this year brings a new badge to the shirts. Gone is the more traditional emblem, replaced somewhat controversially with a symbol making up the letter J. “What we've done with Juventus is create a very versatile identity, which works in today's world,” logo designer Manfredi Ricca told Mirror Sport.  "If you think about it, most club crests were developed in a different era. They're not wrong, that's not what I'm saying, but the world has changed. Media touch points have changed, the expectations of fans have changed.”

If that was a move away from tradition, the away kit brings a return to yellow and blue – the colours of the city of Turin – in a retro-looking Adidas kit.

“Urbs Aeterna Aeterna Fides”, reads the caption on the launch of Roma’s latest smart offering, meaning “Eternal Faith, Eternal City”. The Giallorossi have the perfect marketing tool in the ancient history of their city at their disposal and they have used it immaculately here. The white kit in particular has been well-designed, with flashes of their red and yellow colours on the collar and sides.

Fiorentina have also tapped into their city’s history. “4 quartieri, 1 cuore Viola”, their tagline reads, meaning “four districts, one purple heart.” This is a reference to Calcio Storico, the historic sport played in the city centre every June, where the teams represent each quarter of Florence with their colours Azzurri (blue), Bianchi (white), Rossi (red) and Verdi (green).

The notion that the city – divided for Calcio Storico – comes together for the one love of Fiorentina is perfectly depicted in the branding.

Napoli are yet to release their kits for next year, but you can guarantee that Serie A will once again be easy on the eye in 2017/18.