What's the story behind Maradona's Napoli jersey?

While most football outfits are linked to historic victories and triumphs,
Napoli's 1987 is not only linked to Scudetto, but to the best 10 of all time:
Diego Armando Maradona.
To talk about Maradona's Napoli jersey is to make it one of the most
memorable outfits of all time.
The passing of the 'Pibe de Oro'; by Boca Juniors, FC Barcelona or the
National Team of Argentina marked a generation. But in the case of Napoli,
his stay convulsed an entire society.
On May 10, 1987, Napoli fans mobilized to celebrate their first Scudetto, the
one that the young Argentine star had promised them two years earlier, when
he joined their ranks in 1984.
It is unquestionable that Maradona was much more than the best dribbler in
history. His ability to lead and his commitment on and off the pitch were
evident in the Napoli of the 1980s.
During the 1987 season, when Juventus FC, AC Milan and AS Roma were
competing for the Serie A title, the Maradona phenomenon came into play.
The number 10 on the original Maradonaés Napoli jersey was, in many
matches, the only thing his defenders could see from the Argentine star. But
what is the story behind this famous maglia? How was its design?

Maradona's Napoli T-shirt, one of the most iconic
designs in Italian football

The clothing of Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli has evolved over the years.
The sky blue has always been present since the club was founded in 1926.
But the design of Maradona's t-shirt in Naples is special for several reasons.
In recent years, Napoli's main outfits have worn complex patterns on their
club's azure blue. But in 1987 they weren't regulars. That's why Maradona's
Napoli t-shirt continues to be a traditional version: with immaculate blue, high
neck and white underwear.
The original Maradona's Napoli t-shirt also featured advertising from
Buitoni, Mars and Lete. This characteristic maglia paraded on the San Paolo
Stadium turf for several seasons, and was somewhat special until the
Argentine star's departure in 1991.

Why Maradona's t-shirt in Napoli is so loved by the
fan public

There is no better way to understand the importance of Maradona's t-shirt in
Naples than to put it in context. It's 16 September 1984, and the Argentinian
star is about to make his debut for the Italian side after a historic transfer.
The one the Neapolitans will see is not the best version of Maradona. Drags
several injuries from his stay at Barcelona Football Club. He left the club
blaugrana in the middle of a controversy with the federation, so his mood is
the best.
Hence the 3-1 defeat to Verona, one of their direct rivals. It was not the best
start to win the affection of the partenopei fans. However, Maradona would
end that year with a good goalscoring record.
He would also make a promise to his teammates: he would make them win
the Scudetto in two years. The Argentine player's words were not easy to
believe. The Italian teams in the north had always dominated the teams in the
south.
Until Maradona's arrival at Napoli, no squad from southern Italy had ever been
a Serie A salesman. The monopoly of Rome, Juvetus and Milan was
absolute.
This combination of factors would immortalize Maradona's Napoli jersey.
Why? Two years later, in 1987, the Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli built the
Scudetto.
It took two long seasons to achieve this, but nothing was the same for the city
of Naples since 10 May 1987. He would also win the Neapolitan club's third
Italian Cup.
The following year, Maradona and his Napoli jersey wrote another page in
their history, winning that season's UEFA Cup against VfB Stuttgart.
But Maradona's second great joy for the Neapolitans came in 1990, with the
achievement of the second and final Scudetto in Serie A. The partenopei
team was living its best sporting moment.
Naples, moreover, was closer than ever. Apart from the distances, the effect
of the 'Pibe de Oro'; in this Italian city had been similar to that of Fernando
Alonso in Asturias or Ayrton Senna in Brazil.
Today, more than thirty years later, Diego Armando Maradona continues to be
one of the idols of Neapolitan fans. He is remembered in the stadiums, in the
television gatherings and also at street level, as there is not a single
Neapolitan who keeps a good memory of the Argentinean.
Maradona's t-shirt in Naples, with his 10 on his back, is part of the epic that
accompanied those two Scudettos.

Even with Maradona retired, his Napoli jersey
continues to break records

Although Maradona retired in 1997, his legend has continued to set records
long after his departure from the field. Although he hasn't done it in person, of
course.
In December 2018, the title-winning Napoli Maradona jersey from the 1986-
87 season was auctioned off in Turin. The house 'Aste Bolaffi'; was the
company responsible for the auction, with a starting price of 3,000-5,000
euros.
But this figure dwarfs the 12,000 euros achieved by a rare Maradona outfit,
also from Naples, but with 9 on the back and red instead of sky blue.
This has been one of the highest prices ever paid for a football suit. In
defense of buyers, however, we must recognize that the original Napoli shirt
of Maradona is one of the greatest jewels of the beautiful game.
Thanks to the success of Napolis and the Argentine national team, this player
of humble origin was considered the best player of all time in a survey
conducted by FIFA.
His comparison with Pelé, Di Stefano or Beckenbauer is uncomfortable,
because of the difficulty in determining who and in what sense was better.
But one thing is for sure: Maradona's Napoli jersey deserves to be in the
Olympus of the world of football.