Italy Home Jersey 2016/17 – Graziano Pellè – N.9 – Player Issued – Puma – 2018 Russia World Cup Qualifiers

Graziano Pellè's Player Issued jersey: a blue relic with an extraordinary history

The home kit of the Italian National Team for the 2016/2017 season in Player Issued version is one of the rarest and most historically significant pieces MTM Memorabilia has ever handled. Made by Puma with the iconic jacquard stripe design on a royal blue background, with gold details on the shoulders and collar, this jersey represents the ultimate technical supply reserved for players called up to the National team. This is the Puma Authentic model — a superior version with transfer print logos, anti-grip tape inside the collar, and an extremely slim fit, exclusive features of the team supply, absent in the commercial version. The back bears the name PELLÈ and the number 9 with the characteristic white and gold color treatment, finishes of absolute professional quality.

What makes this jersey unique is the patch sewn on the chest: 06.10.2016 – ITA–ESP – TORINO, IT. This refers to the 2018 Russia World Cup qualifying match played at the Juventus Stadium in Turin, which ended 1-1 with a goal by Vitolo for Spain and a penalty by De Rossi for Italy. On that evening, Pellè started upfront alongside Eder. It was the last time he wore the blue jersey. The jersey is further completed by the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 Qualifiers patch on the left sleeve and the double UEFA Respect patch with the "heart shirt" logo on the right sleeve, details that certify its authenticity as an official supply for that specific match.

The player: Graziano Pellè

Graziano Pellè (San Cesario di Lecce, July 15, 1985) is one of the most powerful and recognizable Italian strikers of his generation. A towering center forward with superb technique for his role, he built his international reputation in the Netherlands, first at AZ Alkmaar then at Feyenoord, and in England with Southampton, where he experienced the most prolific seasons of his Premier League career. In 2016, he moved to Shandong Taishan in China, one of the most lucrative transfers in Italian football at that time.

With the Italian National team, he made 20 appearances and scored 9 goals, becoming one of the absolute protagonists of Euro 2016 in France: he scored the decisive goal in the round of 16 against Spain, netted in the 91st minute with a magnificent strike that made it 2-0 and secured qualification for the Azzurri to the quarter-finals. A goal that went down in the history of Italian football. However, his National team career ended abruptly during the Italy-Spain match on October 6, 2016, in Turin: substituted by coach Giampiero Ventura, Pellè left the field without shaking the coach's hand. The following day, he was definitively excluded from the National team. This was, therefore, his last appearance in blue, a circumstance that transforms this jersey into a unique and exceptionally valuable collectible sports document.

What is a Player Issued jersey?

A Player Issued jersey is a kit prepared specifically for a certain player but not necessarily worn in an official match. It differs from the commercial version due to a series of precise technical characteristics: professional finishes, match-grade cut and materials, exclusive technical details reserved for team supply. It is hierarchically superior to the store version and inferior only to the Match Worn. For collectors, it represents an authentic piece of extremely high historical and commercial value, often impossible to find on the market years after its production. The presence of a patch for a specific match — in this case, ITA–ESP on October 6, 2016 — gives the piece a precise and verifiable historical context, further increasing its collectible value.

Authenticity and MTM guarantee

MTM Memorabilia is the Italian benchmark for demanding collectors of authentic sports memorabilia. Each jersey is selected with rigorous criteria of authenticity, provenance, and quality by our experts. The originality of this item is guaranteed directly by MTM. Every shipment is made with rigid, shockproof, and humidity-proof packaging to ensure maximum protection during transport. Express courier with delivery within 24/72 hours of payment confirmation, both for Italy and abroad.