One of the questions I kept asking my local friends during my first weeks in Palermo was: Why are the city’s football team’s colors pink and black? I’m blonde, I like pink, but I simply couldn’t associate it with football. And when I first saw the players in the club’s black-and-white photographs from the early 20th century, my brain completely refused to imagine their kits in pink.
There are several versions of the story, and of course the least exciting one is the one supported by historical letters and almost completely lacking in romance. So let me start with the most entertaining one.
The club is 125 years old, and its original colors were red and blue. Then, one day, after a disastrous wash, the red turned pink and the blue turned black. It certainly came as a surprise, but pink had one major advantage on the pitch—it could catch opponents off guard and make them lose focus. Whether that was ever a real motivation, I don’t know, but it’s my favorite version. Interestingly, many years later, shades of red and pink were indeed used on goalkeepers’ boots to distract opposing players.
The better-documented version can be summed up in just a few words. Pink represents the sweetness of victory, while black symbolizes the bitterness of disappointment. Some also say the idea was inspired by the liqueurs produced by the club’s English founders: sweet rosolio and bitter amaro.
Palermo is dressed in pink and black. As in many football cities across Italy, these colors have become the city’s unofficial identity. We Palermitans are pink and black. And right in the historic center, you can even find Trattoria Al Vecchio Club Rosanero—excellent food surrounded by an impressive collection celebrating the true fans of i rosaneri.