why are italy's jerseys blue

Italy’s jerseys are blue as a tribute to Italy’s former royal family, the House of Savoy, whose dynastic color was a distinctive “Savoy blue,” and that shade became the symbolic color of the national team, the Azzurri.

The royal roots of the blue

When Italy unified in the 19th century, it did so under the monarchy of the House of Savoy, a dynasty whose emblematic color was blue, linked in tradition to the mantle of the Virgin Mary and used in their heraldry. Early national teams adopted this blue as a way to honor the ruling house and the new, unified Kingdom of Italy, so the shirt color became a statement of national unity rather than a literal reflection of the tricolore flag.

Even after Italy became a republic in 1946 and the monarchy was abolished, the blue jersey remained, having already turned into a powerful symbol of sporting identity and pride. That continuity explains why the color long outlasted the royal family itself: by then, “azzurro” felt more “Italy” than any political regime ever could.

Myths people often repeat

Over time, several more romantic or convenient explanations have circulated about why Italy’s jerseys are blue. Common myths include:

• That the blue represents Italy’s skies and seas.

• That it started as an emergency alternative to white in a snowy 1911 match against Hungary.

• That Italy “borrowed” blue from France’s flag to tweak a rival’s color.

These stories keep popping up in fan chats and forums because they sound fun and intuitive, but detailed historical accounts of the kit and the monarchy’s symbolism show they are not the real origin.

Azzurri as a national symbol now

Today, “Gli Azzurri” (the Blues) is more than a nickname: for many Italians, “la maglia azzurra” is shorthand for the national team in almost any sport. Football, rugby, volleyball, basketball, Olympic squads, and more all typically wear blue when representing Italy internationally, and “Squadra Azzurra” in everyday language just means “the national team.”

That’s why Italy can have a green‑white‑red flag yet still feel instantly recognizable in blue on the pitch: over more than a century, that color has become a core piece of Italian sporting identity in its own right.

TL;DR: Italy’s jerseys are blue because of “Savoy blue,” the historic color of the House of Savoy that unified Italy; the shade stuck across sports, survived the end of the monarchy, and evolved into the iconic Azzurri identity seen today.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.