There are few places where football is lived with the same passion, emotion and sense of identity as Italy.
From the great stadiums of Milan, Rome and Naples to the tight streets, local pitches and concrete terraces of the provincial game, calcio has always been about more than what happens on the pitch. It is tied to place, family and community; expressed through flags, banners, colour, noise and some of the most spectacular supporter culture anywhere in football.
There is style too. Italian football has always looked different. The shirts, the typography, the architecture of its stadiums, the fashion on the terraces and the choreography of the ultras have created a visual culture recognised far beyond Italy.
For a generation of British football supporters, that fascination intensified during the summer of 1990.
Italia 90 arrived on British television screens with packed piazzas, dramatic stadiums, Pavarotti and a tournament that became part of football folklore. It also introduced millions to another way of experiencing the game.
What followed only strengthened the relationship. During the 1990s, Serie A became the destination for many of the world’s greatest footballers. British audiences followed them through Channel 4’s Football Italia, discovering clubs, cities, stadiums and supporter cultures that often felt a world away from the English game.
That influence remains.
Lower Block has documented Italian football extensively, working with photographers across the country to explore the people, places and rituals surrounding calcio. From the ultras of Milan, Inter, Catania and Verona to Scudetto celebrations in Naples; from Venice, Genoa and Turin to abandoned stadiums, grassroots pitches and the enduring architectural beauty of the San Siro.
Forza Italia – A Journey Through Calcio Culture brings that work together alongside selected Lower Block Editions and archival prints.
A celebration of Italian football through photography – its passion and style, its stadiums and streets, its heritage and identity.
Explore the Italian Football Culture Collection →
Lower Block Editions
Selected Prints
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San Nicola SunsetPrice range: £50.00 through £75.00 -
AC Milan Tifo – San SiroPrice range: £50.00 through £75.00 -
San Siro SpiralsPrice range: £130.00 through £175.00
From the Italian Archive