Fans are only just realising why Italy play in blue

Italy face England in a Euro 2024 qualifier on Tuesday - and will likely be adorning their iconic blue kit for their fixture. But why do Italy wear that specific colour?

Azzurri take on the Three Lions at Wembley, with England knowing that a victory for them will assure qualification for Euro 2024.

Luciano Spalletti's side go into the game three points behind them in second place, having lost to England in Naples on matchday one of qualification.

Their blue kit is set to be in use for the fixture, with the colour having been in use since their early international matches in the early 1910s.

Their first kit, worn for an international friendly against France in 1910, was all-white - but only because the country's football federation had yet to decide on an official colour.

The real reason behind the wearing of the colour blue, as per multiple sources, is to honour the Italian House of Savoy, the country's Royal Family, which was in place when Italy was unified back in 1861.

The future of the Royal Family was the subject of a constitutional referendum after World War II, and it was succeeded by the Italian Republic in 1946.

A total of 54.27 per cent of people voted for a republic, with the other 45.73 per cent voting for the retention of the monarchy. The south of Italy was largely in favour of the monarchy, with the north of Italy largely in favour of the republic.

Still, the blue kit remained - despite Italy's flag being green, white and red and the country no longer having a Royal Family.

The official shade is known as 'savoy azure', with the nation's Azzurri nickname literally standing for 'Blues'.

Italy did move away from their 'savoy azure' roots in 2004, however.

In Marcelo Lippi's first match in charge, an away fixture in Iceland, Italy and Puma unveiled an all-navy blue kit. It was worn once and then never again - prompting questions over why it was worn in the first place.