Manufacturer: Umbro
Shirt Sponsor: Banca Di Roma
Years: 1993/95
Worn by: Alen Boksic, Giuseppe Signori, Paul Gascoigne, Alessandro Nesta and Aron Winter.
Simple yet effective, that’s the best way to describe this iconic shirt worn by Lazio for two seasons between 1993-95.Having successfully completed the signing of Tottenham Hotspur and England star Paul Gascoigne the previous season, the Biancocelesti turned to England once again, this time for their kit design. Manchester based manufacturer Umbro created their new kit and they kept it traditional. A striking bright sky blue was enough to catch the eye, no fancy patterns or logos needed here, just a simple white collar, with a white trim at the bottom of each sleeve and the navy blue letters of ‘BANCA DI ROMA’ smack bang in the middle.
Under the guidance of goalkeeping legend turned coach Dino Zoff, Lazio would debut this shirt in August 1993 as the Aquile played out a goalless draw with Foggia at the Stadio Olimpico. Lazio fans will have many fond memories of their heroes playing in this strip, from Giuseppe Signori scoring 23 league goals and claiming the capocannoniere in 1994, to defeating Roma 1-0 in the Derby della Capitale and going on to secure a fourth place finish in Serie A during the same season. And of course, this would also be the season that Roma born Alessandro Nesta made his first of 193 appearances for the club, after the rookie defender replaced Pierluigi Casiraghi in a 2-2 draw against Udinese in March 1993.
As Lazio prepared for the 1994-95 season, new coach Zdenek Zemen turned Lazio into one of the most entertaining teams in Serie A. It would be a season to remember for the Laziali as they arguably enjoyed their most successful campaign since the 1974 Scudetto triumph. Zeman’s ultra-offensive style would see Lazio outscore the rest of Serie A, with the prolific Giuseppe Signori at it again, finding the back of the net on 17 occasions. His strike partners, Alen Boksic and Pierluigi Casiraghi, chipped in too, helping Lazio fly up the table and be amongst the favourites for the title in that season’s sports betting, only to fall short to eventual champions Juventus.
Whether a Lazio fan or not, this shirt will go down as one of the true classics during Serie A’s 1990s heyday. Whether it was Gazza entertaining The Olimpico, Beppe Signori wheeling away to celebrate yet another goal, or an 18-year-old Alessandro Nesta making his debut in Italy’s top flight, this kit has given us some memorable Serie A moments.
Words by Giovanni Dougall: @giovannid86
For vintage and match-worn Lazio shirts click here
