For a side who only began to make a splash in the world of Serie A in the early to mid-1980s, Sampdoria are these days seen as an iconic staple of the Italian game.
Sure, fortune was on their side. By the time wealthy oil tycoon Paolo Mantovani began to bankroll Samp, Italian football’s reputation around the world was already sky high. Then there was the shrewd practice of signing stars such as Graham Souness and Trevor Francis from abroad that helped spread the side’s reputation globally.
But almost more than any of this, there was the kit. The white, red and black band on a blue base was inspired by the merger of Sampierdarenese and Andrea Doria back in 1946, the red and black coming from Sampierdarenese and the white and blue from Andrea Doria. Once mixed together with a shield of Genoa’s patron saint St.George the result might just be the most aesthetically pleasing football kit on earth.
Here are 10 of our favourite Blucerchiati jerseys.
1983/84 - home
As worn throughout most of Samp’s early glory years in the 80s, the iconic NR Phonola sponsored design is an absolute beauty, especially when paired with Souness’s trademark tash.
1989/90 - away
Sampdoria played out the 1989 Cup Winners Cup final in an outrageously graceful kit. It’s an outfit almost more akin to the golden era of F1 than the football pitch but, honestly, it’s just great.
1990-91 home
Quite simply the greatest shirt in the side's history. The Asics design made sure Mancini, Vialli and the rest of the side looked good on the way to capturing Samp’s first and only Scudetto.
1992-93 - home
The 1992/93 home shirt epitomises classic style, with the lace up design being complemented by the Coppa Italia shield to the chest.
2003 - third
If you thought Samp’s kits looked good on a blue or white base, you aint seen nothing yet. The black version was magnificent.
2004 - home
After over a decade with Japanese brand Asics Samp made the switch to Kappa and they did not disappoint. Utilising Kappa’s trademark skin tight fit of the early 00’s the design was clean, simple and classy
2010 - home
While Kappa seemed to stick firmly to an ‘if it aint broke don’t fix it’ motif throughout the noughties, the simple addition of a white collar in 2010 gave the shirt a really well balanced look.
2011 – away
Samp had first experimented with a sash design a year earlier but the 2011/12 away kit gets the nod due to the inclusion of white shorts and socks. A very smart look.
2014 - home
The last Kappa shirt, like the first, was a reminder of the power of keeping things simple. While the home shirt generally carried no sponsor the side did play a few games with a giant ad for Sin City splashed across their chests.
2018/10 - home
Alright, this shirt wasn’t all that good but it gained immediate cult status off the back of 36 year old Fabio Quagliarella’s ridiculous Capocannoniere season in which he broke the Serie A consecutive scoring record. Outrageous stuff.
By Andy Gallagher
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