Gigi Buffon Unveils Italy 2018 PUMA Home Kit

Paying tribute to 20 years of dedication and passion and in anticipation of a possible 6th World Cup appearance, PUMA FOOTBALL and FIGC have revealed the new 2018 Italy jersey on Gianluigi Buffon’s legendary shoulders as he unveiled a giant mural of himself by street artists Kamp Seedorf, on the streets of Torino.

During Friday’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match between Italy and Macedonia, in honor of the Italian hero, the squad will forgo the opportunity to wear the shirt, passing the jersey to their Captain who for the first time in his career will wear the famous ‘Azzurro’ during a game.

The rest of the team will wear the jersey on-pitch for the game against Albania on the 9th October whilst the shirt goes on today at World Soccer Shop, Subside Sports, UK Soccer Shop, Lovell Soccer and Kitbag in authentic (player issue) and replica versions.

Italy 2018 PUMA Home Kit Authentic Version

To celebrate this iconic marker, the 20th anniversary since his first appearance with the ‘Squadra Azzurra’, PUMA requested the talent of ‘Kamp Seedorf’, a group of artists specialized in graffiti and football culture, to set Buffon’s name in stone in their own unique way.

In each country where Gigi has played/will play a World Cup, in the great cities of Paris, Tokyo, Berlin, Johannesburg, Sao Paulo and Moscow, huge murals representing Buffon wearing the blue have been revealed. Yesterday, Gigi unveiled the ultimate mural in Torino ahead of the decisive game on the road to becoming the only football legend to take part in six World Cups. The greatest goalkeeper ever.

With its new FIGC badge the shirt is designed to invigorate memories of great Italian sides past with references to the ‘Il Tricolore’ on the sleeve cuffs and under the back of the collar. And using that unforgettable ‘Azzurro’ blue that rekindles memories of the first time you pulled on the shirt and watched your home heroes on TV, the first time you felt real joy, your First Passion.

In addition, the shirt is engineered using PUMA’s highly developed evoKNIT Thermoregulation technology an enhanced moisture management and adaptive cooling system that helps create the perfect on-pitch body temperature. Combined with its seamless construction, the jersey offers the ultimate in fit and mobility for optimum performance.

Getting into the details you will notice engineered cooling fins in key zones on the shirt that act as channels regulating your bodies temperature, whilst dryCELL technology provides moisture management across the fabric with high performance yarns that wick sweat away from the body.

Italy 2018 PUMA Home Kit Replica Version

All this is packaged into the seamless evoKNIT construction of the shirt that provides a lightweight ‘second skin’ feel so the fabric moves with your body and not against it, allowing for better freedom of movement on the pitch.