The Real Betis Balompié wore a 1988 jersey

The fascination of Real Betis Balompié for everything dated - or rather, vintage - shows no signs of fading. In yesterday's match against Las Palmas, which they won 1-0 thanks to a goal from the usual William José, they wore a very special jersey. Created by Hummel, the current technical sponsor of the Seville-based club, the home shirt is inspired by the design from the 1988/1989 season. One of the most intriguing curiosities is that the club decided not only to replicate the design but also to revive the same sponsor used more than thirty years ago: Expo '92. It was a temporary sponsor that Betis used to advertise the event that would take place four years later in Seville, celebrating the quincentenary of the discovery of America. The 1988/1989 season was not a fortunate one for the green and white club, as they relegated to Segunda Division. The shirt, which is already available on the club's website, is another demonstration of Real Betis Balompié's love for its history.

About a week ago, an apparel collection was released that strongly focused on the mix of Betis' social colors and lifestyle silhouettes from the past. The most blatant example regarding this matter can be traced back just over a year ago. The verdiblancos won the Copa del Rey on penalties against Valencia, and during the celebrations, the players wore some of the most beautiful vintage Betis shirts ever. Hector Bellerín raised the trophy, in jeans, Air Force, and with a vintage jersey of Wojciech Kowalczyk: if at the time we could talk about a choice dictated by the looming Bloke Core trend, we feel that the club has gone far beyond. Real Betis Balompié is fixated on the past not only for a mere stylistic aspect. The team has created a language with which the society has decided to engage past and present, creating an indissoluble continuum. Moreover, this obsession with the past allows the club to monetize from a sales perspective, both offline and online. Even in Serie A, teams like Milan have a dedicated section on their e-commerce platform where exclusively Retro shirts are sold.