Luciano Spalletti’s style is unmatched Have you ever seen another manager wear adidas Copa Mundial?
Juventus is getting ready tonight to take the field for the fourth round of the Champions League against Sporting Lisbon, in what will be the true official debut of the new Bianconeri coach, Luciano Spalletti, in front of the fans of the Old Lady, following the away win against Cremonese. In that very first match, the Tuscan coach showcased the club’s new look designed by Giorgio Armani — Juventus’ new formalwear partner after parting ways with Loro Piana — complete with an overcoat, giving us a clear idea of how Spalletti’s aesthetic flair will inevitably be overshadowed by the club’s strict uniform guidelines.
It’s worth recalling, in this regard, the eve of Maurizio Sarri’s signing, when fans joked about how the manager would have to abandon his beloved tracksuit, the symbol of his years with SSC Napoli. With Luciano Spalletti, however, this “shock” didn’t happen: the last images we had of him as a manager date back to his time on the bench of the Italian National Team, where he was also required to wear very classic uniforms. And yet, the Luciano Spalletti of Napoli was something else entirely: eccentric, often even scruffy (more than Sarri, one might say), but also unmistakably recognizable. Credit goes to the wooden rosaries, the dog tags he wore around his neck and the adidas Copa Mundial boots that have always been at his feet since his days at Sampdoria. Let’s be honest: how long had it been since we last saw a football manager step onto the pitch wearing real football boots? An aesthetic detail usually reserved for medical staff members or, at best, coaches of much lower-league teams.
An aesthetic detail that, however, Juventus seems to have no intention of erasing. Just a few days ago, in fact, the club dedicated a post to Luciano Spalletti’s boots. “The adidas Copa Mundial are the ones I’ve always dreamed of, and I’ve kept them with me: they (Juventus) also provided me with a pair, but fearing they might not have the perfect size, I brought my own.” And so, we know that the only truly authentic thing that will remain of Luciano Spalletti in this new Juventus adventure will be his inseparable Copa Mundial boots. Alongside, of course, his rants and trademark expressions during interviews.
That Luciano Spalletti has always been a man of unreal style has long been known. Just look back in time to realize it. His first experience with AS Roma (from 2005 to 2009) was the stage for some of his most iconic looks. The capital city tried, with somewhat clumsy results, to make Luciano a bit more refined, experimenting with questionable combinations such as camel-colored coats and silver ties. But he is instinctive, a reactionary: he cannot adapt to clothes and coats that risk stifling his emotions. And there he was in his most authentic version: a Diadora sweater layered over a white shirt, with the collar sticking out. That’s how he appeared during the celebrations under the Curva Sud in the 2005/2006 season, the one marked by eleven consecutive victories starting with the triumph over Chievo Verona, which even earned him the Panchina d’Oro (Golden Bench) award.
But before reaching a nearly zen aesthetic, perfectly attuned to the bucolic spirit of his home in the countryside of Montespertoli near Florence, Luciano Spalletti’s style went through several phases — including his younger years, when, in addition to sporting a thick head of hair and a hairstyle inspired by the Britpop trend, he also wore shirts with the typical prints and patterns of the 90's. Those years are now long gone, and Spalletti today sits on the Juventus bench, where he will have no room for reinvention and will have to make do with his trusty adidas Copa Mundial.
