The forgotten history of Kappa Kombat Woman

The Kappa Kombat jerseys are considered a defining moment in the history of modern football. The collaboration between the brand and Lycra completely revolutionised the design of the time and resulted in a jersey that was tight to the body and extremely elastic - in stark contrast to the oversized look of the time. Visually, the jersey was completely slimmed down and placed function above form. The most important decorative element was the inverted seams, which were made with a darker thread than the main colour of the body. The jerseys quickly became a cult hit and their cult status is part of collector folklore. The Kombat series is still very popular today and 20 years later it continues to evolve from year to year with minor changes.

However, there is one chapter in Kombat's original history that has not been catalogued. It occasionally turns up on eBay or from vintage jersey dealers, often with a false or confusing name, such as 'Kappa Italy 2000 jersey - collared version', and is a variant of the Kombat jersey with subtle differences from the original. It is a model that has become synonymous with the Italian national team, which debuted with the jersey series for Euro 2000, and has become one of the most popular jerseys thanks to the players who have worn it. Less well known is the Kombat collection, which was designed for the Italian women's national team for Euro 2001. Called 'Kombat Woman', Kappa claimed it was the 'first football jersey designed for the sporting needs of female athletes' at a time when jerseys for women were still largely overlooked and did not take into account the different needs. According to calciodonna.it, the only source that has reported on the online launch, there are some important changes:

"Side inserts that accentuate the waist and flatter the figure, but while in the men's version they merge into raglan sleeves that emphasise the shoulders, in the women's version they merge into the sleeves. Also thanks to the new bi-elastic fabric used by Robe di Kappa and the rounded bottom edge that allows for a perfect fit, Kombat Woman perfectly adapts to the female body, accentuating the waist and chest while offering plenty of freedom of movement. The round neckline of the men's version has given way to a more graceful and comfortable collar. Anyone who watched the Italy-Portugal match on 18 October 2000 could see the clear difference between the clothing of the Portuguese athletes in the traditional jersey and that of the Italians.

Pictures of the jersey in action are hard to come by, but when you notice the differences, you can't help but pay attention to the fine details: the looser fit, the defined cuffs at the end of the sleeves and the collar, which you can't tell is really a collar. But also the absence of the three stars on the sleeve symbolising the victories in the men's World Cup. This was a real jersey designed for the women's team, which until then wore exactly the same jersey as the men, including the stars. Unfortunately, the Azzurre were eliminated in the group stage in 2001, although they won their first match, and it seems that they wore these jerseys until PUMA started producing them for Italy in 2003. It is difficult to say whether the jerseys actually made it to the market. Therefore, it is very likely that many of the jerseys in circulation are match-worn, especially as many of the jerseys available for purchase already have a number on them. A real collector's item.