The new Genoa jersey inspired by the colors of Boca Juniors

The Genoa CFC and Kappa have unveiled the fourth jersey for the 2024/25 season, dedicated to the connection with the most prestigious team in South American football: Boca Juniors. After some early leaks circulated online in early March, the official version of the jersey was revealed to the public in recent hours. In terms of color scheme and design, it moves away from the classic style of the Grifone, embracing the unmistakable aesthetic of the Sudamerican club. The match kit, designed to celebrate the 120th anniversary of Boca Juniors (April 3), will make its debut next Saturday, March 29, in the match against Juventus. It’s the ideal occasion to give visibility to yet another brilliant brand storytelling idea from Genoa and Kappa, who have created a true hit for football shirt enthusiasts.

However, it’s not just about aesthetics. The collaboration between Genoa and Boca Juniors is a partnership that goes beyond the visual impact, carrying a deep symbolic value. The project is rooted in the desire to tell, value, and in some ways recover some pieces of the club and city’s history, especially their cultural ties, starting with the most significant one: with Boca Juniors. Although they are not formally sister clubs (the idea of a friendly match, calendar permitting, has been around for decades), the two entities are united, one could say, by a blood bond. And this is a great opportunity to rediscover where, when, and why this brotherhood was born.

A historic duo

It all began on April 3, 1905, the day Boca Juniors was founded by Esteban Baglietto, Alfredo Scarpatti, Santiago Sana, Juan Farenga, Teodoro Farenga, and a handful of other Italian immigrants, almost all of Genoese origin. The context is well-known: the early 20th-century waves of migration that shaped the large Ligurian community in Buenos Aires, particularly in the working-class neighborhood of La Boca, whose name, not by chance, recalls the Genoese area of Boccadasse, and where the legendary La Bombonera stadium is located. The points of contact between the two worlds, passed down from one generation to the next, extend across many spheres. For example, the cuisine, as anyone who has dined in a restaurant in Buenos Aires can confirm, perhaps trying one of the local specialties: fainá, a descendant of the Ligurian farinata.

Or the term Los Xeneizes, by which Boca Juniors supporters are identified, meaning the Genoese, a distortion of the local dialect. Then there are the athletes who played first at La Bombonera and then at Marassi, like Rodrigo Palacio, Nicolás Burdisso, and Mauricio Boselli. There’s a lot to tell, in short. And that’s exactly what Genoa is doing these days, presenting the jersey at the MEI (Museum of Italian Emigration, in the medieval complex of the Commenda di San Giovanni di Prè), along with a dedicated photographic collection (curated by Sam Alexander Gregg) and a campaign launch video (conceived and written by Gibbo and Lori, and produced by No Panic).

A jersey for the ages

The idea for the collaboration first emerged a couple of years ago within the Genoa creative team. And on the other side of the ocean, in Buenos Aires, it was immediately embraced with great enthusiasm, as we were told during a recent event celebrating the renewal of the partnership between Genoa and Pulsee Luce & Gas (whose logo, by the way, will also be prominently displayed on the front of this limited edition). The jersey adheres to Boca Juniors’ iconic design: a solid navy blue with a thick horizontal gold band across the front.

With some distinguishing features: the Grifone on the chest, of course, but also the writing on the back ZENEIXI (the Genoese version of Xeneizes) and the polo-style collar, a classic signature of Kappa. Made from interlock fabric, with Kappa Kombat Pro technology and Hidro-Way Protection treatment, the jersey features a simple yet elegant design, with ribbed sleeve cuffs and collar trim.

Genoa around the world

The project, boosted by the visibility of the Juventus-Genoa match and Boca Juniors’ popularity, aims, among other things, to increase the global reach of the club. Historically, Genoa has connections with cities all over the world, not just Buenos Aires. In Istanbul, for example, one can find a strong Genoese influence in the Galata district, known for the tower of the same name, built in the 14th century by Genoese merchants. Similar historical traces are found in Marseille, Barcelona, New York, Montevideo, and Valparaiso, as well as a connection to the United Kingdom, which is strongly present in the DNA (and the name: Genoa Football and Cricket Club, originally Genoa Cricket and Athletic Club) of a club founded in 1893 by a group of British expatriates.

The Latin World is not a marginal market for Genoa. In fact, South and Central America are home to the top three countries for foreign fans on social media. First is Mexico (6.5%), which became the second largest country of origin after Italy following the arrival of Johan Vásquez; followed closely by Brazil (6.1%), where growth has been driven by the shared projects with Vasco da Gama (a club formerly controlled by Genoa’s previous owners, 777 Partners); and more distantly - at least for now - Argentina (2.7%), in fourth place overall. Completing the top five is Uzbekistan (2.5%), which can be attributed to the Shomurodov effect. These are connections that need to be rediscovered and valued, as well as some new ones. And the rossoblù, or gialloblù for the occasion, continue to be exported. Following the routes of a city that speaks as many languages as the world knows, including the universal language of fútbol.

The jersey is available on Genoa FC’s e-commerce website.