Retro Espanyol Shirt – Barcelona's Blue and White Underdogs

Espanyol were founded on 27 October 1900, making them one of Spain's oldest professional clubs. Originally established by Spanish university students who wanted their own alternative to the foreign-dominated clubs of the era, the club's very name – Español, meaning 'Spanish' – was a declaration of identity. That spirit of independence has never left.

In their early decades, Espanyol were genuine contenders. They won the Copa del Rey in 1929 and again in 1940, establishing themselves as a serious force in Spanish football. The 1940s and 1950s saw the club consistently competing at the top of La Liga, with several near-misses on the league title. Their 1950 season remains one of the finest in the club's history, finishing as league runners-up.

The 1980s brought perhaps the most heartbreaking moment in Espanyol's history. In 1988, they reached the UEFA Cup Final – an incredible achievement for a club of their size. Facing Bayer Leverkusen, the two legs ended level on aggregate and the tie went to a penalty shootout. Espanyol missed three spot-kicks and the trophy slipped away. It remains one of the great nearly-moments in Spanish club football.

They reached another UEFA Cup Final in 2007, again falling short – this time to Sevilla on penalties after a gripping two-legged contest. Two European finals, both lost on penalties: cruel, defining moments that encapsulate the Espanyol experience.

On the domestic cup front, Espanyol added Copa del Rey titles in 1989 and 2000, giving them four in total. Their 2000 triumph under manager Jupp Heynckes was celebrated wildly across Cornellà.

El Derbi Barceloní – the local derby against FC Barcelona – is among the most charged fixtures in world football. Espanyol enter every edition as underdogs, but have produced memorable victories that their fans cherish for generations. No result sends quite the same shockwave through the city.

Relegation battles have also punctuated the club's history, including a painful drop from La Liga in 2020. However, true to form, Espanyol bounced back at the first attempt, winning the Segunda División title in 2021 and returning to top-flight football with renewed determination.

Throughout their history, Espanyol have attracted and developed players of genuine quality, even if they rarely receive the recognition they deserve on the global stage.

Tomás N'Kono, the legendary Cameroonian goalkeeper, is perhaps the most iconic figure ever to wear the Espanyol jersey. Arriving in 1982, N'Kono became one of the finest goalkeepers in Europe during the 1980s, inspiring a generation including a young Gianluigi Buffon. His presence gave the club genuine credibility in European competition and his name still draws reverence from Pericos fans.

Laureano Ruiz was a brilliant forward in the 1960s and 1970s who gave the club some of their most exciting attacking football. José María Bakero, who later achieved fame at Barcelona, honed his craft at Espanyol. Sergio García became a fan favourite in the 2000s for his tireless energy and goals.

Dani Jarque was a defender and captain whose tragic death in 2009 – he collapsed during pre-season training in Italy at the age of 26 – left a profound mark on the club and Spanish football as a whole. His number 21 shirt was retired in his honour and his memory is kept alive at every home game.

Moreno, the Spanish international striker who enjoyed a brilliant late-career spell, brought goals and experience. Raúl Tamudo is arguably the most beloved Espanyol player of the modern era – the lifelong Perico who scored the last-gasp equaliser against Barcelona in 2007 that effectively handed the La Liga title to Real Madrid, a moment of pure, delicious chaos that Espanyol fans replay endlessly.

Managers such as Jupp Heynckes and Mauricio Pochettino, who managed the club from 2008 to 2012, also left lasting impressions, with Pochettino's attractive, pressing football style laying groundwork for his later success at Tottenham and beyond.

The Espanyol retro shirt is one of the most recognisable in Spanish football – bold blue and white vertical stripes, clean and classic, with a proud crest. The design has evolved through the decades while always retaining that essential identity.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Espanyol wore simple, elegant kits that reflected the era's aesthetic – broad stripes, minimal branding, and a purity of design that collectors adore. The 1988 UEFA Cup Final shirt in particular is among the most sought-after items in Espanyol's catalogue: wearing it connects you directly to that nerve-shredding, heartbreaking night in Leverkusen.

The 1990s saw Espanyol embrace sponsor logos and the bolder design trends of that decade, with Umbro and later Kelme producing notable editions. The away kits from this period – often featuring yellow or amber – provide a striking contrast to the home stripes and are popular among collectors.

The 2000 Copa del Rey winning shirt is another prized piece, commemorating the club's most recent domestic trophy. The early 2000s kits produced by Kelme had a distinctly Spanish character – vivid, confident, and slightly unlike anything produced for northern European clubs.

The Dani Jarque tribute editions, produced after 2009 with the number 21 prominently honoured, carry enormous emotional weight for supporters worldwide. Any retro Espanyol shirt from the European final eras – 1988 and 2007 – represents the very best of what this club has produced on the continental stage.