Sporting Clube de Portugal 2017/18 Home Shirt

Beneath the crest, almost invisible, this shirt carries the club's motto printed tone on tone: Effort, Dedication, Devotion and Glory. No shirt ever needed it more. The 2017/18 season began as one of the most promising of the decade: Bruno Fernandes newly arrived, the first Taça da Liga in the club's history won in January on penalties against Vitória de Setúbal, a Europa League quarter final against Atlético Madrid and a fight for second place that went to the final day, closed with 78 points, more than many title winning campaigns. And then, on 15 May 2018, came Alcochete: the attack on the Academy, players assaulted by hooded supporters, the cup final lost five days later to Desportivo das Aves by a shattered squad, the cascade of contract terminations by Rui Patrício, William, Gelson and others, and the removal of president Bruno de Carvalho weeks later. No Sporting season ever collapsed so fast or so ugly. This is the shirt of that entire year, from a first ever trophy to the abyss, with the motto hidden on the chest as if someone knew it would be needed.

Here at Hoopster this shirt carries the motto where it can barely be seen, and needed it like no other: a season of a trophy and of Alcochete, glory and wound in the same cloth. Effort, Dedication, Devotion and Glory were never just words.