Retro Girona Shirt – From Catalan Dreams to La Liga Glory

Girona FC was founded in 1930, though the city had seen various earlier football clubs come and go since the sport arrived in Catalonia at the turn of the twentieth century. The club spent decades rotating between the second and third tiers of Spanish football, familiar faces in the regional game but largely invisible on the national stage. Their home, the Estadi Montilivi, became a fortress of sorts – a compact, atmospheric ground that intimidated visiting sides far more than its modest capacity suggested.

The real turning point came in 2017 when Girona were promoted to La Liga for the very first time in their history. The celebrations in the city were extraordinary, a release of decades of pent-up ambition. Their debut top-flight season exceeded every expectation – they finished tenth, beating Real Madrid 2–1 at the Bernabéu in a result that sent shockwaves through Spanish football. Cristhian Stuani's goals and Pablo Machín's disciplined tactical approach made them the neutrals' favourite.

Relegation followed in 2019, a reminder of the precarious nature of football at that level, but Girona refused to collapse. The City Football Group investment, which had been building since 2017, began to accelerate the club's infrastructure and recruitment. Under Michel Sánchez, the squad was rebuilt with genuine ambition, and a second promotion arrived in 2022.

What came next was simply sensational. The 2023–24 La Liga season saw Girona finish third, securing Champions League football for the first time in the club's history. They led the league for stretches of the campaign, playing some of the most attractive football in Europe. Victories over Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atlético Madrid were not flukes but the product of a coherent, brave footballing philosophy. The city erupted, and suddenly the whole continent knew exactly where Girona was on the map.

Girona's story would not be possible without the players who gave their hearts to the red-and-white stripes across different eras.

Cristhian Stuani is unquestionably the club's modern icon. The Uruguayan striker arrived in 2017 and never really left, becoming one of La Liga's most reliable finishers and a cult hero at Montilivi. His goals during the historic first top-flight season announced Girona to the world, and his loyalty through the difficult relegation years earned him legendary status.

Dovid Tsiqriqui and Yassine Bounou – known as Bono – also emerged through the Girona system before moving on to bigger clubs, the latter eventually winning the Champions League with Real Madrid. Their time in Girona demonstrated the club's growing ability to identify and develop elite talent.

The 2023–24 squad contained stars of an entirely different magnitude. Artem Dovbyk arrived as a relative unknown and left as the Pichichi trophy winner, La Liga's top scorer. Viktor Tsygankov provided creativity, while Savinho – on loan from Manchester City – was arguably the most exciting young winger in Spain. Manager Michel Sánchez deserves enormous credit: his belief in positional, high-pressing football transformed what the club could achieve.

From the earlier eras, goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz and midfielder Pere Pons both served the club with distinction across multiple seasons, embodying the spirit of dedication and consistency that underpins everything Girona represent.

The Girona retro shirt collection documents a fascinating visual journey from modest lower-league kits to genuinely striking top-flight designs.

Girona's traditional colours are vertical red and white stripes – a classic combination that links them visually to clubs like Sunderland, River Plate, and Stoke City, and carries its own strong Catalan football identity. Early kits from the 1990s and early 2000s were simple and functional, typically featuring the stripes with minimal design embellishment and various regional sponsors across the chest.

The promotion kits from the 2016–17 Segunda División campaign hold special collector value as they represent the last shirts worn before the club's historic debut in La Liga. Clean, classic striped designs with modest branding that feel all the more authentic for their lack of commercial noise.

The La Liga debut shirts from 2017–18 are the most sought-after items in any Girona collection. Away designs from this era often featured solid red or cream colourways, contrasting beautifully with the home stripes. As Puma became more prominent in their kit manufacturing from around this period, the quality and visual ambition of the shirts increased noticeably.

The stunning 2023–24 Champions League qualification season kits represent the pinnacle of modern Girona design – cleaner, more premium, befitting a club playing at the highest level. A retro Girona shirt from any of these landmark seasons is a genuine collector's piece.