By 
Alex Labidou
Italian National Team Jersey Debut
There are many parallels between PUMA’s new Italian national team fashion line and the nation’s style of play. Italian football is often described as technical and flamboyant and the new kits and sneakers are no exception to the rule. Flashy yet designed to maximize players performances, the Italians just might have the extra advantage it needs to repeat as World Cup champions.
PUMA revealed the team’s new World Cup line at New York City’s sheik Tratoria Cinque restaurant in early March. Extremely light weight, sleek and perforated in the chest area, the Italian jerseys (which are sky blue for home and crisp white for away) are designed to enhance player endurance and speed. Designed with PUMA’s PowerCat technology, 3D motion capture was used to determine how to design the jerseys to provide minimal force for the players. The shorts were inspired by Italy’s love of boxing and have a belt like rim with the Italian flag in the middle. The highlight of the new team jerseys were the new goalkeeping kit. Dark with the Italian colors in a neon tint, it is easy to imagine Gianluigi Buffon swatting away a few open shots in style.
The team’s new sneakers, the Powercat 1.10 boot, are almost Lamborgini-like in style and should be tearing apart the pitches in South Africa. Created with Springtech foam, the boots give each shot an extra bit of power.
With the World Cup less than three months away, Puma continues to generate excitement for the world’s largest sporting event.
Puma’s Italian line is available at www.soccer.com as well as other major soccer retailers.
