Odd kit brings luck to dismal Italy (News Feature)

By Alberto Cagliano Jun 16, 2009, 11:02 GMT

Rome - The watered-down blue of Italy's jersey at the Confederations Cup seemed a proper match to the loss of grit that has plagued them since they lifted their fourth World Cup in 2006.

In their first-ever appearance at the South Africa-hosted tournament on Monday, Marcello Lippi's side struggled against the United States, but still managed to clinch a 3-1 win that gave them a goal-difference lead over Brazil at the top of Group B.

In Pretoria, the US went one up despite the harsh dismissal of Ricardo Clark, but finally succumbed 3-1, largely due to a brace from Italy's US-born substitute Giuseppe Rossi.

'World champions Italy won their debut game at the Confederations Cup 3-1, but they don't exist any more,' a severe Marco Ansaldo on Tuesday wrote on daily newspaper La Stampa.

Luigi Panella wasn't more tender on la Repubblica as he warned 'not to let excessive enthusiasm prevail in analysing Italy's win over the US.'

And there was disapproval also from La Stampa's Roberto Beccantini, who wrote about 'an ugly game, amidst defensive botches and trite actions,' with the Azzurri getting into the game only when the exhausted Americans lost momentum.

Some Italians are likely not to worry about the poor showing, as the Azzurri have often dithered at the start of tournaments.

This time, however, many had reasons to raise eyebrows also at an unusual kit designed specifically for the tournament.

'The first impact could have made you faint,' Ansaldo wrote. 'Someone invented this uniform, which doesn't represent defamation to the symbols of the (Italian) Republic, as insulting the anthem or the flag (would be), but certainly is one of the most outlandish in history.'

Below the feeble blue of the jersey, the players' shorts and socks offered viewers a dull brown that was hard to recall on pitches and television screens.

It appears that fashion-minded fans were not taken into account when Puma, a German sport-apparel firm sponsoring Italy, conceived the uniform as a homage to the Azzurri's history.

Italy's Vittorio Pozzo, the legendary selector who won two straight World Cups in 1934 and 1938, sent his players on the pitch with light blue jerseys, and often with black shorts and socks.

Puma, however, preferred brown, 'for aesthetic reasons,' as company manager Andrea Rogg said when the kit was presented in early June.

'The blue is pale, but the important thing is that there are the four stars (one for each World Cup) and that we will honour the jersey,' Lippi said on that day.

The coach's comment was quite foreseeable, considering that Puma pours 120 million euros (166 million dollars) into Italy's coffers under an eight-year contract.

Italians, however, are prone to believe in omens, and may well begin to like the odd jersey if they their heroes keep winning - no matter how convincing the win will be.