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From its earliest days, Argentina's national side has worn its iconic vertical light-blue and white striped shirt. That kit has witnessed the exploits, victories and titles of the national side — but today we tell you about the Argentina shirt that was different from all the rest.
A few months before the 1990 World Cup — where Argentina would be defending the title — fashion designer and marketing expert Oscar Tubio got in touch with the AFA authorities to propose an innovative new design for the Argentina shirt. But why would the AFA listen? To understand that, you need to know who Oscar Tubio is.
Oscar is a self-taught designer and marketing specialist. Among his most celebrated designs are the kit worn by Carlos Monzón, the shirt Boca Juniors wore in 1981 and the shirt River used in 1986. He had a highly positive impact in terms of marketing and the way opponents perceived players. For this reason and much more, Oscar's proposal deserved at least a hearing.
With very little time to go before the squad would be wearing Oscar's shirt in a competitive match, all that remained was the sign-off from Julio Grondona, the AFA president.
Sadly, that sign-off didn't come. Grondona wasn't happy about using the shirt at the World Cup, and raised another issue besides: he said nobody was going to be able to persuade Bilardo to change the kit after winning the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. Calling Bilardo superstitious would be an understatement — he was the undisputed king of lucky rituals.
Despite Maradona and the rest of the squad being in love with the shirt, they couldn't get it worn in an official match. Argentina actually opened the 1990 World Cup against Cameroon in the classic light-blue striped shirt.
After Tubio explained why his design had been rejected, Grondona contacted him again to use it for the Basketball squad — but Tubio refused to allow that to happen.
After this rejection, hopes of ever seeing Maradona wear the shirt in a match had all but faded — but the sun was about to shine again.
Four years later a charity match was played at the Ferrocarril Oeste ground — a benefit match attended by more than 20,000 people. Oscar was again responsible for the kit design for both sides, and Maradona personally requested that the legendary sun-on-chest design be used.
But that wouldn't be the only time Maradona was seen in the shirt. There are private, non-public matches in which El Pelusa wore the design he so loved — as did various celebrities such as Charly García at one of his concerts, and David Beckham on a visit to Argentina.
This shirt will forever remain in the annals of El Diego's history and of Argentina's national side.
So that it endures through time.
Coolligan.
