Has any nation produced more iconic shirts than Italy?

A case could be made for Brazil and their bright yellow, yet the Azzurri have swaggered on to the pitch wearing blue banger after blue banger down the decades.

With the international break upon us we look at five of the best.

For the sake of argument (and simply because it’s too difficult), they are not ranked in any particular order. We’ll leave that up to the reader. Agree or disagree, let us know on our social media pages.

World Cup 1978

There are no frills with this classic, no fancy patterns or anything bold. Italy finished in the final four in Argentina sporting this classy number. 

That shade of Italy blue is on display here, with the FIGC badge on the left of the chest. And that’s it. That’s your lot. Simplicity at its finest.

Yet it’s still beautiful to look at. Many of the side who travelled to South America for the tournament would go on to play starring roles in winning the competition four years later in Spain, including Paolo Rossi and Marco Tardelli.

As modelled by: Antonio Cabrini, Romeo Benetti, Roberto Bettega, Franco Causio.

1982 World Cup

Italy’s third World Cup triumph was perhaps the most unexpected, considering they escaped from the ultimate group of death in the second phase. Diego Maradona’s Argentina, the holders, were in there and the swashbuckling Brazil side of Tele Santana that many felt should have won.

Of course, winning the tournament does not always happen while wearing an iconic shirt (see Italy 2006 or Spain in 2010). But in 1982 the Azzurri did both.

Produced by French manufacturer Le Coq Sportif during their golden era, manager Enzo Bearzot guided Italy to glory while they modelled this sumptuous effort.

Like in 1978, the body of the shirt was comprised of a solid blue, but this time with the trim on the sleeves and v-neck collar showcasing the Tricolore.

The material would not have done them any favours in the soaring Spanish heat, with the heavier cloth a staple of the period.

The shirt evokes memories of Rossi breaking Brazilian hearts in Seville and Tardelli’s legendary scream in the capital against West Germany.

As modelled by: Paolo Rossi, Marco Tardelli, Gaetano Scirea, Claudio Gentile.

Italia 90

This one floods the senses of Toto Schillaci, those eyes bulging with euphoria, and Un Estate Italiana, of heartbreak and ecstasy, of what could have and should have been.

Italy were favourites to win their own tournament and the world was watching. They had arguably the strongest and deepest squad while Serie A was by far the best league on the planet.

Maradona had other ideas, however, and Napoli’s irascible No 10 planted seeds of doubt in the minds of Neapolitans in that now infamous semi-final in Naples.

Yet the likes of Schillaci, Roberto Baggio, Giuseppe Giannini and Paolo Maldini looked the part in this offering from Diadora, which continued with the shiny effect from Mexico 86.

The Italian group had taken over from Ennerre’s brief stint in 1985 and Diadora would be there for the next decade.

Like in 1982, the collar had the Italian colours as a trim while the same applied to the sleeves. The top was another classic deep blue. 

In a tournament full of iconic shirts, Italy’s was among the best and was undoubtedly the greatest from Diadora’s decade-long association with La Squadra.

As modelled by: Toto Schillaci, Roberto Baggio, Franco Baresi, Gianluca Vialli.

Euro 96

American giants Nike took over from Diadora in the winter of 1995, signing a three-year contract. They barely put a foot wrong.

This was their second home shirt and it remains one of the most-loved. What makes this one special is the gold trim on the collar, sleeves and around the name and number.

Like Italia 90, Euro 96’s reputation as a tournament full of quality kits has not dimmed over time. Its standing as a beacon of innovative design has only grown.

Sported by the likes of a young Alessandro Del Piero, Fabrizio Ravanelli, Enrico Chiesa and Demetrio Albertini, Nike’s effort ranks among the very best.

Sadly the same brilliance that was applied to the shirt was not transferred to the pitch. In the final throes of the Arrigo Sacchi era, Italy were eliminated in the group stage after Gianfranco Zola missed a penalty in the crunch tie against Germany

Despite the 2-1 win over Russia, Sacchi paid the price for changing five players for the second game against the Czech Republic, resulting in a shock 2-1 defeat at Anfield.

The former shoe salesman had worn out his welcome as national team manager and left at the end of the year as polarising an Italy coach as there has been in the last half century.

Still, at least Italy looked majestic before flying home early.

As modelled by: Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Nesta, Dino Baggio and Pierluigi Casiraghi.

Euro 2000 and World Cup 2002

This all-time classic from Kappa is best remembered for two things: the ultra-tight – but also remarkably stretchy – material that was intended to stop defenders pulling on shirts and gaining leverage on attackers.

The second visual is a slew of Italian players swarming Ecuadorian referee Byron Moreno in the last-16 clash with World Cup co-hosts South Korea.

Made from 87% nylon, 13% lycra and called the Combat model, Kappa produced the innovative shirts ahead of Euro 2000 and in essence changed football shirt history forever.

Never again would they be baggy, never would we see someone like Baggio or Zola stroll around on a Sunday afternoon wearing a shirt two-times too big.

Kappa revolutionised the game and player shirts have been fitted and more athletic looking since.

As for the Italy tops of the period, the one for Euro 2000 varied slightly compared to the one worn two years later in Asia.

The neckline differs, with the 2000 version having a round neck compared to 2002’s altered version.

Italy returned to the vintage badge of the 1970s and 1980s, with the Kappa logo and three stars on either sleeve.

The 2000 and 2002 models represent perhaps the definitive Italy shirt: sleek, stylish and classy despite a lighter shade of blue compared to years gone by.

Yet an abiding memory is the heartbreaking Euro 2000 final defeat by France after a golden goal and Moreno’s baffling decisions in Daejeon two years later.

But you can’t have it all, can you?

As modelled by: Fabio Cannavaro, Christian Vieri, Pippo Inzaghi, Francesco Totti.