The SSC Napoli 1988-89 Home Retro Football Shirt recreates one of the most important shirts in the club’s history, worn during the season in which Diego Maradona captained Napoli to their first major European trophy — the 1988/89 UEFA Cup.
The shirt uses Napoli’s unmistakable bright sky-blue base, presented in the clean, relatively minimal style characteristic of the late 1980s. A simple V-neck collar completes the classic silhouette, while the Napoli crest provides the strongest visual connection to the club.
It is a shirt inseparably linked with the peak Maradona era in Naples. Alongside the Argentine captain were Careca, Alemão, Ciro Ferrara, Fernando De Napoli, Andrea Carnevale, Massimo Crippa and Alessandro Renica, forming a side capable of competing for Serie A while also producing Napoli’s breakthrough on the European stage.
For a retro Napoli collection, 1988/89 is particularly significant: unlike shirts associated simply with a memorable player or league campaign, this design represents the season Napoli became European champions for the first time.
Please refer to the size guidance on this product page for detailed measurements.
SSC Napoli 1988-89 Home Jersey
Buy 4 selected tops & save 20% · Buy 2 items & save 10%
Size Guidance (Retro Jersey)
Size Chest (in) Length (in) Rec. Height (ft/in) Rec. Weight (lb) S 39 28 65–67 121–132 M 41 28 67–69 132–154 L 43 29 69–71 154–176 XL 44 30 71–75 176–198 XXL 46 31 75–79 198–220 Note: All sizes are for reference only. Manual measurement may result in an error of ±1 inch.
IN BETWEEN SIZES?
That's easier said than done. Because what do you do if you are in between two sizes?
Well, that's up to you. Do you like a tight fit? Go for the smaller size. Loving a loose fit? Go for the larger size.
TOP FIT
If your body measurements for chest and waist result in two different suggested sizes, order the size from your chest measurement.
Season Information
Season/Year: 1988/89
Club: SSC Napoli
Country: Italy
Competition: Serie A / UEFA Cup / Coppa Italia
Kit Type: Home
Stadium: Stadio San Paolo
Manager: Ottavio Bianchi
Captain: Diego Maradona
Serie A Finish: 2nd
UEFA Cup: Winners
UEFA Cup Final: Napoli 5–4 VfB Stuttgart on aggregate
Key Players: Diego Maradona, Careca, Alemão, Ciro Ferrara, Fernando De Napoli, Andrea Carnevale, Massimo Crippa
Historical Significance: Napoli’s first major European trophyThe 1988/89 season was one of the defining campaigns of the Maradona era. Napoli entered the season as an established force in Italian football following the breakthrough Scudetto of 1986/87, and once again challenged strongly near the top of Serie A.
However, the season's lasting significance came in Europe.
Napoli entered the 1988/89 UEFA Cup, beginning their campaign against PAOK before progressing past Leipzig and Bordeaux. The tournament became increasingly dramatic once Napoli reached the latter stages.
The quarter-final produced one of the great European nights at the San Paolo. Facing Juventus, Napoli entered the second leg trailing by two goals from the opening match. They overturned the deficit with a 3–0 home victory after extra time, scoring the decisive goal in the closing moments to complete the comeback.
That set up a semi-final against Bayern Munich.
Napoli won the first leg 2–0 at home before Careca scored twice in the return match at Munich's Olympiastadion. The 2–2 draw sent Napoli through and placed the club in its first UEFA Cup final.
The final against VfB Stuttgart was played over two legs. Napoli hosted the opening match on 3 May 1989 and initially fell behind to a Maurizio Gaudino goal.
Then Maradona intervened.
The captain converted a second-half penalty to make it 1–1 before Careca scored late to give Napoli a 2–1 first-leg victory.
The return in Stuttgart on 17 May became another classic. Alemão, Ciro Ferrara and Careca scored for Napoli as the match finished 3–3, giving the Italian side a 5–4 aggregate victory and the UEFA Cup.
It was Napoli’s first major international trophy, adding another historic achievement to the extraordinary Maradona period. UEFA's own retrospective describes the 1988/89 triumph as a campaign led by Maradona, with Careca particularly influential during the decisive later rounds.
The season is also notable for the strength of Napoli's South American core. Maradona remained the creative leader and captain, Careca provided pace and goals in attack, while Brazilian midfielder Alemão gave the side additional quality through the centre.
Around them stood important Italian players including Ferrara, De Napoli, Francini, Carnevale, Crippa and Renica, creating one of the strongest squads in Napoli history.
The 1988/89 Home shirt therefore represents a particularly important chapter: Maradona as captain, Careca at his peak, a European final victory, and Napoli lifting its first continental trophy.
Rec. Player Printing Options
Historical printing note: Italian clubs did not use permanent season-long squad numbers in 1988/89. Napoli generally used the traditional 1–11 match numbering system, meaning a player's number could change according to the starting formation and individual match.
Maradona is the major exception for collectors because No.10 was overwhelmingly associated with him and is the defining combination from this Napoli era. For strict match accuracy, the exact lineup from the chosen fixture should be checked.
Period shirts also did not normally carry player surnames, so a simple 10 is the most authentic Maradona presentation.
Printing Recommendation MARADONA 10 The definitive choice. Diego Maradona was Napoli’s captain and creative leader, guiding the club to its first major European trophy. No.10 is the iconic player-number combination of this era. CARECA 9 The strongest alternative. Careca was a crucial attacking figure in the UEFA Cup triumph, scoring the late winner in the first leg of the final and again in Stuttgart. ALEMÃO 5 A distinctive Brazilian option. Alemão was an important presence in Napoli’s midfield and scored in the 3–3 second leg of the UEFA Cup final. Number should be treated as representative rather than permanent. FERRARA 2 An excellent defensive choice. Ciro Ferrara was already a key home-grown member of Napoli’s defence and scored in the UEFA Cup final second leg against Stuttgart. DE NAPOLI 4 A classic midfield option from the Maradona-era side. Fernando De Napoli was an important Italian international and a regular member of Bianchi’s midfield. CARNEVALE 11 A strong attacking alternative. Andrea Carnevale was an important member of Napoli’s forward group during the 1988/89 campaign. Number should be matched to a specific fixture for strict accuracy. CRIPPA 7 A more unusual season-specific choice. Massimo Crippa was part of the midfield supporting Maradona and Careca during the UEFA Cup-winning campaign. MARADONA 10 is the defining printing for the SSC Napoli 1988-89 Home Retro Football Shirt.
This was not simply another season from Maradona’s Napoli career. He captained the club to its first major European trophy, and his influence was decisive throughout the UEFA Cup run. UEFA specifically highlights Maradona when recounting Napoli’s 1988/89 triumph.
He also delivered in the final, scoring Napoli’s equalising penalty in the 2–1 first-leg victory over Stuttgart before Careca struck the late winner. Napoli eventually lifted the trophy after the 3–3 second leg produced a 5–4 aggregate victory.
For the most historically authentic appearance, No.10 alone is preferable because surnames were not normally printed on Italian club shirts in this period.
For customers wanting a second iconic option from the same European campaign, CARECA 9 is the natural alternative. His goals against Bayern Munich and Stuttgart made the Brazilian one of the central figures in Napoli’s UEFA Cup triumph.
