When people talk about Cristiano Ronaldo's stint at the Bernabéu, they usually picture him in that crisp, classic white. It's the "Los Blancos" identity. But if you look at the 2016-17 season—arguably his peak as a clinical "Number 9"—there is one specific look that triggers immediate nostalgia for fans. The ronaldo real madrid purple kit. Honestly, it shouldn't have worked as well as it did. Purple is a risky color for a club with such a rigid tradition, yet that vibrant shade became the unofficial uniform of a European conquest.
It wasn't just about the aesthetics.
That specific Adidas away strip arrived at a time when Real Madrid was essentially untouchable. They were winning Champions League titles like they were preseason friendlies. Ronaldo was no longer the tricky winger who did thirty step-overs before crossing; he had evolved into a lethal, one-touch finishing machine. When he stepped onto the pitch in that purple jersey, the opposition knew they were in trouble. It’s a kit that represents the era of the "Duodecima"—the twelfth Champions League title—and a season where Real Madrid finally reclaimed the La Liga crown from Barcelona.
The Night in Cardiff Changed Everything
You can't talk about the ronaldo real madrid purple kit without talking about June 3, 2017. The National Stadium of Wales. The Champions League Final against Juventus. Usually, for a final, you'd expect Madrid to wear white, but because of a kit clash with Juve, they went full purple. It was a bold move.
Juventus had the "BBC" defense—Barzagli, Bonucci, and Chiellini. They were supposed to be an impenetrable wall. They hadn't conceded more than one goal in any game during that entire Champions League campaign. Then Ronaldo happened. Two goals. One in each half. Both while wearing that striking purple.
The first goal was a classic counter-attack piece of art. A quick exchange with Dani Carvajal, a precise low finish into the far corner, and then the "Siu" celebration right in front of the cameras. That image—Ronaldo mid-air, purple jersey flapping, under the Cardiff lights—is burned into the brain of every Madridista. It transformed a secondary away kit into a piece of sporting history. Most away kits are forgotten within twelve months. This one became a relic.
Why this design actually worked
Adidas took a massive gamble. Historically, Real Madrid’s away colors were often blue or black. Purple (or morado) has deep roots in the club's history—it’s even on the club crest’s diagonal stripe—but it hadn't been used as a primary shirt color in years.
The 2016-17 away kit featured a clean, crew-neck design with white accents. No flashy patterns. No weird gradients. Just a deep, royal purple. It was simple. On someone with Ronaldo's physique and presence, it looked imposing. It felt modern but respectful of the past. If you look at the technical specs from that year, the shirt utilized the "Adizero" technology, which was incredibly lightweight. This mattered because that season was one of the most physically demanding in Ronaldo's career, as Zinedine Zidane began to rotate him more frequently to keep him fresh for the big nights.
The Stats Don't Lie
Ronaldo’s numbers while wearing the away and third colors that season were ridiculous. People forget that 2016-17 was the year he scored back-to-back hat-tricks in the Champions League knockout stages against Bayern Munich and Atlético Madrid. While he wore white for those home legs, the confidence he carried in the ronaldo real madrid purple kit during away fixtures was palpable.
He ended the season with 42 goals in 46 appearances. Think about that for a second. Nearly a goal a game at the highest level of European football.
- Champions League: 12 goals (Top scorer)
- La Liga: 25 goals
- FIFA Club World Cup: 4 goals
The purple kit wasn't just a fashion choice; it was the skin he wore while cementing his fourth Ballon d'Or. It was the "Away King" era.
The market for vintage kits today
If you try to find an authentic 2016-17 ronaldo real madrid purple kit today, good luck. You'll need deep pockets. The "blockbuster" nature of that season has sent the resale value through the roof. On sites like Classic Football Shirts or through private collectors, a mint-condition version of this jersey can easily fetch hundreds of dollars.
Why? Because it’s a "Final" kit.
Collectors don't just want any jersey. They want the one that represents a trophy. Because Real Madrid wore purple during the trophy lift in Cardiff, it carries a weight that the standard white home kit sometimes lacks. It’s a marker of a specific moment in time.
What most fans get wrong about the "Purple" tradition
There's a common misconception that purple was a "new" or "experimental" color for Madrid during the Ronaldo years. That's actually not true. In the early 20th century, and specifically during the 1980s with the "Quinta del Buitre" generation, purple was a staple.
However, by the time Ronaldo arrived in 2009, the club had moved toward navy blue and black for away shirts. Bringing back the purple for the 2016-17 season was a deliberate nod to the club's "Castilla" roots. It was a marketing masterstroke by Adidas. They knew that a purple kit would stand out on a television screen, especially during 4K broadcasts which were becoming the standard.
Performance and Psychology
There's a lot of talk in sports psychology about color. Red is supposedly aggressive. Blue is calm. Purple is historically the color of royalty. For a club that calls itself "Real" (Royal) and a player who views himself as the best to ever play the game, the color fit the narrative perfectly.
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Ronaldo's playstyle that year was also "royal" in a sense. He didn't waste energy. He moved with a purpose. He waited for the ball in the box and executed with clinical precision. Every time he wore that purple shirt, he looked like a man who knew the outcome of the game before the whistle even blew.
Finding a "Real" one vs. a fake
If you're hunting for this specific kit, you've gotta be careful. The market is flooded with "Thai quality" replicas that look decent from a distance but fail the smell test upon closer inspection.
- The Crest: On the authentic "Adizero" player version, the crest is heat-pressed and rubberized to save weight. On the "Climacool" fan version, it’s embroidered. If you see a "player version" with a stitched crest, it’s a fake.
- The Stripes: In 2016-17, Adidas moved the three stripes from the sleeves to the sides of the torso. This was a massive design shift that year.
- The Font: The numbering and lettering that season were unique. They had a slightly rounded, modern look with the Real Madrid crest at the bottom of the numbers.
The Legacy of the Purple Jersey
The ronaldo real madrid purple kit basically marked the end of an era. Shortly after that season, the squad began to change. Morata left. James Rodríguez left. Eventually, Zidane and Ronaldo himself would depart.
It stands as a time capsule.
When you see a kid wearing that purple shirt today in a park, you don't just think "Real Madrid fan." You think "2017." You think of the overhead kick (though that was the following year in black, the momentum started here). You think of the sheer dominance of a team that refused to lose.
Honestly, it's one of the few kits that actually looks better with age. While some jerseys from the early 2010s look dated or "busy" with too many sponsors and weird piping, the 2016-17 away kit is timeless. It’s just purple. It’s just Ronaldo. It’s just winning.
How to buy and preserve your kit
If you're lucky enough to own one, stop washing it in the machine. Seriously. The heat-pressed "Fly Emirates" logo is notorious for peeling after five or six hot washes.
- Hand wash only: Use cold water and a tiny bit of detergent.
- Air dry: Never, ever put a football shirt in the dryer. The heat will destroy the synthetic fibers and the vinyl printing.
- Frame it: If it's a Ronaldo-printed shirt, it’s basically an investment at this point. Frame it and keep it out of direct sunlight to prevent the purple from fading into a weird magenta.
The ronaldo real madrid purple kit is more than just polyester. It’s a piece of the most successful era in modern football history. It represents a player at the height of his powers and a club that had forgotten how to lose. Whether you're a collector or just a casual fan, that purple jersey is the gold standard for away kits. It proved that you don't have to wear white to be a legend at Real Madrid.
Moving forward, if you are looking to add this to your collection, verify the SKU codes on the internal tags against official Adidas databases. This is the only way to ensure you are buying a piece of history rather than a modern reprint. Check reputable auction houses or certified vintage kit sellers rather than relying on generic marketplace apps where "too good to be true" prices usually indicate a counterfeit product.