Why Barcelona have produced this season's jersey in two halves?

The club’s badge is set to be on the center of the jersey this campaign.

Barcelona’s 2024–25 home jersey has a halved design in place of the classic Blaugrana stripes. However, this is by no means the first instance of this pattern being applied. In actuality, fans could or might not remember old shirts when the Barcelona jersey was split into two halves, but this campaign’s shirt features just that.

For the first time, the Spanish giants have gone all the way back to the club’s founding. In the club’s first season, 1899–1890, as one of the oldest team pictures demonstrates, the shirts were half ‘blau’ (blue) and half ‘grana’ (deep red).

The history of Barcelona’s two halves shirts

Those in attendance at the FC Barcelona board’s second meeting, held on December 13, 1899, decided that the team would wear those specific shades of blue and red.

We have reasons to dream ✨ pic.twitter.com/KNsrCB7VMF

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) July 18, 2024

The players appeared downright dashing with one side blue and the other red, and the collars and sleeves were coloured differently to emphasize the contrast. However, nobody can be convinced why those colours were selected, if there was any purpose at all.

Three white buttons and the institution’s crest, which at the time was just the city’s emblem, completed the overall look. It seems that this version of the design was worn by club creator Joan Gamper up until 1910.

Barcelona crest in center of jersey

To further honour the original design, that famous jersey also had the unique feature of the club emblem being in the center rather than on the side.

Additionally, the second and third strips had the central crest, which persisted until 2001–2002. More recently, the ‘Senyera’ jersey worn in 2022–2023 also had this odd placement. However, this time, the home kit itself will carry a central badge in the 2024–2025 season, for the first time in 22 years.

Iconic photos of players like Carles Puyol, Xavi, Cocu, Luis Enrique, Josep Guardiola and Rivaldo from their time as players now include that centenary jersey.

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