The iconic jerseys of Jorge Campos, or the secret of “The Little Parrot”
Who doesn’t remember the legendary Jorge Campos? But how many know that the eccentric Mexican goalkeeper used to design and hand-paint his own jerseys? And that he refused to wear any kits other than those from his own brand, “ACA Sport,” named after his beloved Acapulco, where “The Little Parrot” spent his childhood?
To compensate for his short stature as a goalkeeper—just 168 cm—and to distract opposing forwards, Campos would color his kits in dazzling, colorful, and neon shades, as well as in intricate labyrinths of striking geometric patterns. The colors and shapes were inspired by, and reminiscent of, the beaches of Acapulco.
An interesting story is that these kits meant so much to Jorge that they even led to fierce arguments and ultimatums from the Mexican federation and its sponsors. When contracts were signed with Umbro and Nike, Jorge was denied the right to use his own designs.
On the eve of the 1994 World Cup in the USA, he was even threatened with expulsion from the national team. But Jorge remained absolutely unyielding. The result? A compromise. “The Parrot” wore his own kits, but with the Umbro logo sewn onto them. This made him one of the sensations and an enduring icon of the World Cup in the USA.
The jersey in our collection is one of only 25 personally produced by and for the great Jorge Campos. He wore a different design in every match, and the kit in the photo is the one he wore during the loss to Norway in the group stage of the tournament. This is certainly the strangest jersey in our collection.
It weighs at least four times more than an equivalent “normal” kit, around 800–900 grams. Every part of it was hand-painted and colored by Jorge himself. It comes with a certificate from the foundation of the legendary Mexican goalkeeper. He, his kits, and his acrobatic saves will forever remain especially memorable in our minds and in the annals of Bulgarian football.
The broken goal. Stoichkov’s impossible goal. The Parrot. Kiryacheto. “The ball definitely hit some Mexican on the head,” “That fantastic, that incredible Bobby Mihaylov!”
And the rest will forever be history…
Who doesn’t remember the legendary Jorge Campos? But how many know that the eccentric Mexican goalkeeper used to design and hand-paint his own jerseys? And that he refused to wear any kits other than those from his own brand, “ACA Sport,” named after his beloved Acapulco, where “The Little Parrot” spent his childhood?
To compensate for his short stature as a goalkeeper—just 168 cm—and to distract opposing forwards, Campos would color his kits in dazzling, colorful, and neon shades, as well as in intricate labyrinths of striking geometric patterns. The colors and shapes were inspired by, and reminiscent of, the beaches of Acapulco.
An interesting story is that these kits meant so much to Jorge that they even led to fierce arguments and ultimatums from the Mexican federation and its sponsors. When contracts were signed with Umbro and Nike, Jorge was denied the right to use his own designs.
On the eve of the 1994 World Cup in the USA, he was even threatened with expulsion from the national team. But Jorge remained absolutely unyielding. The result? A compromise. “The Parrot” wore his own kits, but with the Umbro logo sewn onto them. This made him one of the sensations and an enduring icon of the World Cup in the USA.
The jersey in our collection is one of only 25 personally produced by and for the great Jorge Campos. He wore a different design in every match, and the kit in the photo is the one he wore during the loss to Norway in the group stage of the tournament. This is certainly the strangest jersey in our collection.
It weighs at least four times more than an equivalent “normal” kit, around 800–900 grams. Every part of it was hand-painted and colored by Jorge himself. It comes with a certificate from the foundation of the legendary Mexican goalkeeper. He, his kits, and his acrobatic saves will forever remain especially memorable in our minds and in the annals of Bulgarian football.
The broken goal. Stoichkov’s impossible goal. The Parrot. Kiryacheto. “The ball definitely hit some Mexican on the head,” “That fantastic, that incredible Bobby Mihaylov!”
And the rest will forever be history…
