Palmeiras and PUMA Just Dropped Their New Kits – And There's a Story Here
Right, so Palmeiras and PUMA have just pulled back the curtain on their 2026 Home and Away kits, and honestly, there's more to these shirts than just fabric and stitching. For anyone who loves a good football story mixed with a bit of style and history, these kits are a proper nod to where this massive Brazilian club comes from – deeply rooted in its Italian origins.
These new kits aren't just for show; they're making their on-pitch debut pretty soon, this Saturday, January 10th, when Palmeiras faces Portuguesa in the Campeonato Paulista. So, you won't have to wait long to see them in action.
First off, let's talk about something that actually matters: for the first time since PUMA jumped on board with Palmeiras in 2019, these kits are made entirely from recycled polyester. That's 100%. Think about that for a second. It's a big step, showing both the club and PUMA are serious about doing their bit for the planet, aligning seamlessly with their commitments to sustainability. And don't worry, they've done it without messing with how the kit performs on the pitch or compromising the club's iconic identity. Because, let's be real, no one wants a flimsy shirt.
### The Home Kit: A Classic with a Twist
The home shirt? It’s classic Palmeiras green, obviously. That's the bedrock of their tradition. But get a bit closer, and you’ll spot these subtle green and red stripes running down the sides. It’s a quiet but strong shout-out to the Italian tricolour, a constant, elegant reminder of the club’s heritage. And the collar? It’s a bit different – an unprecedented hybrid "U" shape, green at the back of the neck, white at the front, finished with fine green and red detailing again, straight up referencing the Italian flag. It’s a thoughtful design that really brings the past into the present.
### The Away Kit: Clean, White, and Purposeful
The away kit flips the script, coming in a clean, crisp white. It features a classic straight polo collar, dressed in green, white, and red – keeping that Italian connection alive and well. On the front, two thin vertical stripes – one green, one red – add a touch of elegance and a clear statement of intent. Both shirts carry the club’s standard crest, a symbol of pride and history. And here's a neat detail: just below the collar on the back of both shirts, you'll find a special sign-off, an Italian flag. It's a beautiful, direct tribute to the Italian-Brazilians who founded the club way back in 1914.
### The Story Behind the Shirts: "Wherever There Is a Palmeiras Fan..."
But it's not just about the shirts. PUMA and Palmeiras have launched this whole campaign around it, called “Onde houver um palmeirense, haverá Palmeiras” – which basically means, “Wherever there is a Palmeiras fan, there will be Palmeiras.” Powerful, right? They actually shot the campaign in southern Italy, which isn't just a random choice. It’s the birthplace of Luigi Cervo, one of the club's patrons and a key figure in its early days. The whole idea was to retrace the journey of those Italian immigrants who packed up their lives, crossed the Atlantic, and landed in Brazil at the turn of the 20th century, looking for a fresh start, for hope. The visuals really bridge that gap between the Old World and the new, mirroring the very origins of one of world football’s most decorated clubs.
This isn't just some marketing slogan they cooked up yesterday, either. That campaign name, "Wherever there is a Palmeiras fan, there will be Palmeiras," it actually comes straight from the club’s old archives, from meeting minutes way back in 1914. Picture this: World War I is kicking off, and the newly formed Palestra Italia (that was Palmeiras' original name, before things got complicated) was facing an uncertain future. Luigi Cervo, bless him, stood up and declared that even if there was just one supporter left, the club would live on. That kind of resilience, that deep sense of belonging – it's still very much alive, woven into the fabric of this club, and now, quite literally, into these new kits. It’s a reminder that a club is more than just a team; it’s a community, a family.
Leila Pereira, the club president, she gets it. She said, "Palmeiras is a club that values its past, competes to be champion in the present, and works to be even greater in the future. The pages of courage and resilience written 111 years ago by the founders of our eternal Palestra Italia inspire us to face all the challenges ahead. May these uniforms, laden with history, be marked, at the end of the 2026 season, by great victories and achievements." You hear that? It’s not just about winning; it’s about carrying that history forward.
And Luciana Soares, PUMA Brazil’s Marketing Director, she put it well too. She explained that filming in Italy was about "celebrating and acknowledging the roots of the immigrants who came to Brazil to build their history. The shirt is not just a uniform; it appears contextualized in real life, as if it had always been there, part of that origin." It’s about more than just a shirt, isn't it? It's about identity, about where you come from, and where you're going.
So, there you have it. These aren't just new kits; they're a story, a statement, and a piece of history you can wear. You can grab your own piece of that story at puma.com.
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