Lazio Jersey 1979-80
Updated: 7 days ago
The 1979-80 campaign represented a turning point in the history of Lazio's football shirts.
After years of association with Ennerre, the company whose kits had accompanied the club through its greatest triumphs—including the 1974 Scudetto—Lazio entered a new era with the arrival of Pouchain as technical supplier. Yet, as was often the case in Italian football during the period, the transition was far from seamless.
For much of the summer, Ennerre continued to outfit the Biancocelesti during pre-season training and the opening phase of the Coppa Italia. The famous Neapolitan manufacturer even supplied the shirts for Lazio's opening Serie A match away to Avellino and, most poignantly, for the Derby della Capitale of 28 October 1979, the match forever remembered for the tragic death of Lazio supporter Vincenzo Paparelli. Ennerre also remained the supplier for the Primavera team during the Viareggio Tournament.
Once the agreement with Pouchain was finalised, however, Lazio unveiled one of the most modern kits the club had ever worn.
The home shirt retained the traditional celeste colour, although the shade was slightly deeper than in previous seasons. A large white fold-over collar dominated the design, giving the jersey a clean and elegant appearance that reflected the fashion of the late 1970s.
The long-sleeved version was particularly innovative.
Unlike the wool shirts that had characterised much of the decade, Pouchain produced the jersey using a highly elastic ribbed synthetic fabric made from 100% acrylic. It represented a significant technological step forward, offering greater flexibility and comfort while maintaining the classic Lazio aesthetic. White cuffs, finished with a thin celeste stripe, completed the design and gave the shirt a refined appearance.
The short-sleeved shirts appeared in two slightly different versions.
Both featured the same overall design, but one had entirely white sleeve cuffs, while the other incorporated a white-and-celeste trim. These subtle variations have since become important details for collectors attempting to identify match-worn shirts from the season.
The 1979-80 campaign also introduced another first in Lazio's kit history.
For the first time, the club experimented with two different types of match numbering. Alongside the traditional stitched plastic-style numerals that had been used throughout the 1970s, Lazio also debuted glossy painted numbers, marking the first appearance of this style on a Biancoceleste shirt. Depending on the match, either version could be seen on the players' backs.
Pouchain also introduced a completely new visual identity.
Its embroidered "P" logo—often described as resembling a small fish—appeared directly on the chest, while a newly designed Lazio crest was printed in blue onto a leatherette patch before being sewn onto the shirt.
Although this badge was only used briefly on the playing kit, it reflected the club's desire to modernise its image. The stylised eagle and contemporary lowercase "ss lazio" lettering would also appear on tracksuits, pennants and official merchandise over the following seasons.
Images re-created using Grok images
The away kit maintained a more familiar appearance.
Lazio continued to use a white change shirt, while a striking red third kit completed the collection available to Bob Lovati's squad throughout the campaign. The club also used their old red one for the away match against Juventus.
For supporters, 1979/80 was equally significant because it marked the birth of Lazio's first true commercial replica shirt.
Unlike the match-worn jerseys, the retail version omitted the traditional fold-over collar and instead featured a simpler crew-neck design. The Pouchain logo and Lazio crest were printed directly onto the fabric rather than embroidered or stitched, making production cheaper while allowing supporters to purchase a shirt closely resembling that worn by Bruno Giordano and his teammates. It was an important milestone in the commercial development of football merchandise in Italy.
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