The Italian Serie A hasn’t received much love from us recently due to our excitement about other clubs, so it’s high time we gave the Italian league some attention, right? I’d like to do just that by discussing the 2011-2012 adidas AC Milan away jersey. Pull up a chair, grab a cup of your preferred beverage and get comfortable. Oh yeah, the next few minutes are going to be that exciting, folks.
If you’re familiar with last season’s away jersey, then you’ve got a good idea of the new look as it only saw a few tweaks. Fly Emirates remained the sponsor, so of course that logo is represented in red across the lower chest. The jersey is still obviously made by adidas, so that logo is still embroidered on the right breast; and of course the team crest is embroidered on the left breast with an embroidered gold star above it. Adidas also kept the shoulder design around because it’s that ballin. For my money, there just isn’t a more attractive or classic design than the adidas three stripes resting atop the shoulders. With this soccer jersey, those 3 stripes alternate red and black over a white mesh background; they extend from the neck to about mid-bicep or so before being overtaken by a blank white space. This is where the similarities to last season’s shirt end.
Last year’s jersey saw the three stripes return at the cuff, almost making the implication that they wend underneath the sleeve, only to reemerge at the cuff. This season, adidas went with a simple red trim around the cuff and allowed the stripes to end at the bicep. It’s tasteful and reserved, and I fully support it. The collar also saw some small renovations; it’s no longer a flip down collar of red and black. Instead, it’s a shallow v-neck in white with red trim across the top. Another good decision, adidas. Last season’s collar just made the shirt too clunky in my opinion. Perhaps the most noticeable (and most appealing) change is the inclusion of a wide vertical stripe on the shirt’s left side. It’s the width of the crest, runs from the shoulder to the waist and is divided in half with red and black. On the whole, the look is just classic, especially when you factor in the subtle green, white and red trim running down the back, beginning at the sleeve. It’s tasteful as I said before, and the nod it gives to previous styles is palpable. When you compare last year’s jersey to this year’s, the winner is hands down this year. It has an almost regal look to it whereas last season’s is…well, boring.
Despite the visual changes, the construction of the jersey remained largely the same. It’s still made out of 100% polyester and with adidas CLIMACOOL technology. Basically, it’ll keep you relatively cool and dry without causing chaffing or any other irritating effect. The jersey does run a bit big, though. I normally rock a medium with jerseys, but I absolutely need a small with this particular shirt. The sleeves ran past my elbows, and the waist ran just past my hip. Then again, if that’s your thing, by all means get your normal size. Expect one of these to run you about $75, which is in the standard range for a replica jersey. It’s well worth the money, especially if you plan on taking care of it (which means machine wash warm and line dry).
Written by: Kris Dyer, contributing editor, soccerprose.com
