Napoli 1989/90 Kit: The Angelic Blue Jersey Made Famous by Football's Divine Sinner

Beauty is one of the most subjective values in society, often deepened with the passing of time and the benefit of hindsight.

The unearthing of a childhood toy can transport you to days long forgotten in your youth, or the memory of a long-lost holiday romance can be revived by a simple walk along the beach on a blustery evening.

In the case of a football shirt, the defining factor of its allure is, more often than not, synonymous with success, and the legends who donned that particular jersey. So when a fanbase has spent its life starved of trophies and glory, then a rare period of dominance is revered to unfathomable new heights.

And when that golden era also coincides with the presence of a football icon, who happens to be the club's greatest ever player, that nostalgia hits religious levels. The shirt is no longer a piece of memorabilia, it's a part of history, a benchmark for future ambitions, and a moment in time to point back and say 'that is our club.'

For SSC Napoli, that moment, that era, and that jersey arrived in the 1989/90 title-winning season. The shirt itself however, would certainly have been remembered as a thing of beauty, with or without the trophy which accompanied it.

Simplicity is key with this one. A tranquil, angelic, light shade of blue, the Napoli home jersey sported a delightful collar, with two symmetrically placed badges on either side of the chest, one being the club crest, and the other being the kit's manufacturer, NR.

NR may not ring many bells in modern day football, but it was an Italian sportswear brand from the 1970's, created by ex-footballer Nicola Raccuglia, who realised football kits were more than just a uniform - they were part of a club's personality, identity, and their culture.

Emblazoned across the front of this masterpiece was the sponsor 'Mars' - yes, the chocolatiers.

The dark blue lettering with white trimming was the perfect accompaniment to the jersey, and never has a sponsorship badge looked so natural, nor offered so much to a football shirt. Without it, the jersey just wouldn't have been the same.

While this classy number may lack some panache and snazzy vibes overall, there is not a stitch out of place, and you couldn't pick a fault, even if you tried.

For supporters though, it's not only a case of how aesthetically pleasing a shirt is, but who wears it. So when you've got the greatest player in football history pulling it on, with the white captain's armband strapped to his left bicep, there is rarely a more iconic sight in this sport's photo album.

Maradona joined Napoli in 1984, when the Italian side was nothing more than a humble and down-trodden mid-table outfit. The Argentine superstar turned the club on its head however, propelling I Partenopei to their first ever scudetto in 1987.

Only three years after that miraculous success, Napoli repeated the feat for a second time, winning the league title in 1990, thanks to 16 goals from their undisputed talisman. A brilliant player.

it's so, so easy to get lost in one of the many avenues and tangents that is Maradona and his impact on Naples - and we so often do. And while we're here for the kit and its utter beauty, this jersey is only half of the story, and its number 10 is the missing piece.

The eternal image of this Napoli side, and indeed of any Napoli side, is their divine leader sporting this particular garment, thrusting his arms in the air in celebration, or holding aloft one of the many trophies he delivered during his seven-year spell in the south of Italy.

But this is ancient history, right? Well, spend a day in Naples, and you'll quickly realise the enormity of his legacy - you simply can't escape the superstar.

Amble down any narrow Neapolitan street, and you'll stumble upon countless murals of Maradona painted on the side of every building. Peruse through one of the infinite mercatini in the city centre, and you'll encounter thousands of mini replicas of the great man, ball under arm and a beaming, cheeky smile etched on his face.

Along with Maradona, on every wall, statue, scarf, mug, sticker, fridge magnet and key ring, you'll spot the 1989/90 Napoli jersey. Maradona is Naples, and Naples feels eternally indebted to their God. If he is the Lord and saviour of the city, and his captain's armband an oddly-positioned halo, then this jersey is the robe - the unmistakeable garment with which you'll forever associate the big man.

The jersey and its legend are intertwined, and all who donned it are disciples, following in the footsteps of their charismatic God. He may have been a sinner on and off the pitch, but Maradona was nothing less than a saint in this Napoli shirt - one of the most breathtaking in football history.

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