By Chris Wright
Wool is a bit chintzy at the best of times so, in honour of Mr Di Canio’s choice of outfit for his maiden whirl on the Sunderland touchline this weekend, Pies thought we’d compile an odyssey of football’s worst/naffest knitwear ordeals.
Staring with the man himself…
1. Paolo Di Canio
Ask yourself: Would a fascist wear lavender Argyle? We think not…
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (image via Telegraph)…
As far as his sartorial bent was concerned, Ron started how he meant to go on…
3. Roberto Mancini
Pootle from The Flumps turns up to take a Man City training session again…
4. Gigi Buffon
It’s impossible to tell where the cardigan ends and the scarf begins…
5. Mario Balotelli
Feathers McGraw in wool form…
6. Joachim Loew
Fun fact: Jogi’s famous blue cashmere pull-over, which he wore religiously throughout the 2010 World Cup, sold for €1 million at auction after the tournament…
7. Jean Makoun
He’s trying to hide it, but there’s a Bill Cosby special behind that Villa shirt…
8. Phil Brown
Careful Phil! Creosote stains are a devil to get out of cashmere…
9. Scott Parker
The man least likely to wear “Regatta chic” steps out in Regatta chic…
10. Andrea Pirlo
Pissed as a fart…
11. Djibril Cisse
This man is a victim. Pity him…
12. Mario Balotelli
If Mario wants to dress as a cloud then who are we to stop him?
13. David Beckham
Shoots for “Steve McQueen”, lands on “Daniel O’Donnell”…
14. David Beckham
With a hat to match…
15. Cillian Sheridan (Kilmarnock)
His mam made him wear it…
16. Vladislao Cap (impeccably-dressed former Argentina coach)
Luxurious…
17. Pep Guardiola
Straight from the 1989 Dunlop catalogue…
18. Sergio Aguero
Sergio’s first day at big school…
19. Thierry Henry
And you thought the cardy Thierry wore at his Barca unveiling was a stinker!
20. Hidetoshi Nakata
You just know he takes his typewriter to the park…
Anymore for anymore? Feel free to alert us to any footballing knitwear mishaps we may have missed…