The best cross jerseys Church-core or city tradition?

Football shirt patterns have made the outfits of some clubs iconic and famous. These include the Crux pattern, which features a cross in the centre of the jersey. It has been used frequently in Italy over the years, on many occasions even as a symbol to celebrate a particular anniversary. But the team that made this pattern famous is certainly Parma, so much so that their players are also nicknamed Crociati. Between clubs and national teams, however, there is no shortage of jerseys with this emblem around the world.

Parma, the 'Crociati' par excellence

The symbol of the cross can also be found on the jerseys of some national teams. On the occasion of the 2020 European Championship, which marks the national team's first historic participation in the event, Nike has designed a jersey for Finland that pays homage to the Scandinavian country's flag. Indeed, the traditional white jersey has been enriched with a cross in different shades of blue, a reference to the Finnish flag.

The second jersey of Portugal 2012-2013 is a nod to the country's naval tradition and features a predominantly white jersey with a large cross on the front. The style of the symbol is based on that of the Order of Christ, which featured on the sails of the Portuguese caravels that set out to discover the New World in the 16th century. The diagonal separation between the green and the red of the cross is also an allusion to Lusitanian symbolism, particularly the armillary sphere, an instrument that also appears in the flag of Portugal.