Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, based in Belo Horizonte, competes in the national top flight and is best known for its association football side, and Walkouts presents signed football shirts and memorabilia that reflect that long tradition. Founded on 2 January 1921, the club began life as Società Sportiva Palestra Itália, a team formed within the Italian community, and its origins remain central to the modern identity. The city of Belo Horizonte remains the club’s home and its first paragraph of modern success is tied to the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A.
Home games are staged at the imposing Mineirão, a stadium synonymous with big Copa do Brasil nights and state finals, and the club’s cabinet includes a headline domestic record of six Copa do Brasil titles. Internationally Cruzeiro has reached the summit with two Copa Libertadores, a mark that underpins its continental reputation; the club is also listed by the IFFHS among the higher ranked global sides at position 59 in their standings.
The history is marked by memorable finals and memorable opponents, including the 1966 national championship series against Santos and decisive continental legs in the 1976 and 1997 Libertadores campaigns, while the state derby known as Clássico Mineiro has defined local pride. Cruyfeats on the pitch produced eras recognised for distinctive kits and sponsor badges, and collectors often trace provenance back to these named matches and venues such as Mineirão and continental finals played across South America.
Anniversary releases after 1970 have special appeal, from the 1996 commemorative runs to centenary tributes and the club’s centenary season that carried a detailed crest treatment. Shirts produced for milestone seasons are chased because they often carry unique patches and short production runs tied to the anniversary theme, which makes certain retail runs noticeably rarer than general releases.
Seasons that drive collector demand include title years and continental triumphs, notably the 1976 Copa Libertadores win, the return to continental glory in 1997 and the 2003 domestic campaign that produced unprecedented success across competitions. Collectors prize shirts from those seasons because of match photography, patching used in decisive legs and because several away and alternate colourways were sported in high‑profile fixtures.
Fans seek signed retail shirts as much as match‑issued pieces, and genuine fanshop items, limited early runs and player‑issue variants are actively collected; retailers and private sellers often supply provenance notes and a Centenary 2021 retail run has been a recent focal point for authenticated sales, with many pieces offered alongside a COA to confirm signature provenance. Regional releases and short window retail editions from supplier eras are commonly highlighted by sellers.
For collectors the tangible cues matter: framed shirts from the 2003 domestic treble season and a noted white away shirt linked to 1997 Libertadores legs are core highlights because they connect to decisive fixtures and visible match photography. Final provenance is supported by era notes such as Topper, Adidas and Umbro supplier periods, and by comparing shirts from 1976, 1997 and 2003 against period images; Walkouts lists items with those references and encourages direct inspection of photos and documented provenance.
