Scudetto
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The ''scudetto'' ( Italian for: "little shield") is a decoration having the colors of the flag of Italy which is sewn onto the jersey of the Italian sports clubs that won the highest level championship of their respective sport in the previous season. The ''scudetto'' was created in the 1920s to honour the winner of the national association football league (in 1929 rebranded as
Serie A The Serie A (), also called Serie A TIM for national sponsorship with TIM, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and the winner is awarded the Scudetto and the Copp ...
) and the first team to wear it was Genoa C.F.C. in 1924. Later, it was adopted by the teams of other sports. The word ''scudetto'' is also used to indicate the Serie A trophy; "winning the scudetto" is a synonym of "winning Serie A."


Origin

Sources generally agree that the inventor of the ''scudetto'' was the Italian poet and playwright Gabriele D'Annunzio. In his youth, D'Annunzio was a keen follower of football and in 1887 he bought in
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a leather ball from the same manufacturer that supplied the
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and would play football with his friends on the beach of his native
Pescara Pescara (; nap, label=Neapolitan language, Abruzzese, Pescàrë; nap, label=Neapolitan language, Pescarese, Piscàrë) is the capital city of the Province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo Regions of Italy, region of Italy. It is the most populated ci ...
. In 1920, the former Austro-Hungarian city of Fiume (now the
Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...
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Rijeka Rijeka ( , , ; also known as Fiume hu, Fiume, it, Fiume ; local Chakavian: ''Reka''; german: Sankt Veit am Flaum; sl, Reka) is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia (after Zagreb and Split). It is located in Prim ...
) was annexed to Italy, D'Annunzio proposed that the local football team acknowledge supporting the Italian sovereignty over the city with a tricolored shield of
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,
white White is the lightness, lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...
and red on their jerseys. In 1924, the Italian Football Federation approved the decision to honour the defending champions allowing them to wear the ''scudetto'' on their jerseys. The Italian rugby union championship which started in 1928 became the second league which adopted the ''scudetto'' on a team's jersey to indicate a title holding team. Since then, the ''scudetto'' has become the symbol of the defending champions of every sports league in Italy. Other countries including Portugal and Turkey also have their reigning champions wear a national symbol on their chests.


See also

* Cockade of Italy * Crest (sports) * Star (football badge)


References

{{National symbols of Italy National championships in Italy Sport in Italy Sports symbols Sports terminology Gabriele D'Annunzio National symbols of Italy