Armillary sphereMuay Thai cutFull coat of armsXS to 4XL
In short: What you carry on your leg is not a logo but a navigation instrument — the armillary sphere, emblem of the Portuguese discoveries, wrapped around the shield of the five quinas. Two vertical panels in green and red, Muay Thai cut. 8 sizes, XS to 4XL. €39 in XS, €44 from S to 4XL.
The most loaded emblem in the whole range
The large gold circle on the left leg is an armillary sphere: an astronomical instrument made of rings representing the celestial circles, used to find your position at sea. It was the personal emblem of King Manuel I, under whose reign Vasco da Gama reached India. Portugal kept it at the centre of its flag — a country that put a navigation tool on its national banner.
Inside it, the white shield carries five small blue escutcheons arranged in a cross, each marked with five white bezants. These are the quinas. Legend has it they recall five Moorish kings defeated at the battle of Ourique; historians read them instead as the evolution of a medieval coat of arms. Around the shield, the seven gold castles.
The red and the green themselves date from 1911 and the Republic. In short: this short carries more symbolism than any other model in the collection.
What the shorts look like
Two vertical panels: green on the left across roughly a third of the width, red over the rest — the exact proportions of the Portuguese flag. The full emblem, armillary sphere and shield, sits astride the join of the two colours, low on the left leg, and covers a wide area.
The wide elastic waistband repeats the green and red split. On the red section, a label carries the logo and the words ESPRIT BOXE — FOR THE GLORY in white. Satin finish.
The Muay Thai cut, and why it matters
Every country short in this collection shares one cut: short leg, high side split over the hip, wide elastic waistband. That is not styling. The high split clears the hip completely, which is what a head kick and a clinch need — the two movements Muay Thai is built around.
In practice these work for Muay Thai, kickboxing, K-1 and MMA training, and they are just as usable in boxing for gym work and club shows: the leg stays free and nothing catches during footwork.
Technical specifications
Worth knowing: this is the most detailed short in the country range — the complete emblem is reproduced, sphere, shield, quinas and castles, where the other flags work on flat blocks of colour. It reads close up and at distance. For sanctioned amateur bouts, check the corner colour your association assigns.
Getting the size right
European cut — take your usual size. Most Muay Thai shorts on the market are Thai-made and sized accordingly, which is why almost every seller tells you to order one size up. These are cut to European sizing, so that correction does not apply. Eight sizes, XS to 4XL, where the bulk of the market stops at XXL. The elastic waistband absorbs a swing in waist measurement, which helps through a fight camp. If you train in a groin guard, go one size up.
Also worth a look
Frequently asked questions
Do Muay Thai shorts run small?
Thai-made shorts do, which is why the usual advice is to order one size up. These are a European cut — take your usual size. Eight sizes run from XS to 4XL. Between two sizes, or if you wear a groin guard, take the larger one.
What is the difference between Muay Thai shorts and boxing shorts?
Muay Thai shorts sit above the knee with a high side split and a wide elastic waistband, which clears the hip for kicks and clinch work. Boxing shorts run longer with the waistband above the navel, marking the low-blow line. These are the Muay Thai cut, and they carry over to boxing training without trouble.
What is the emblem on the Portuguese flag?
An armillary sphere — a ring-built astronomical instrument used for navigation, and the personal emblem of King Manuel I. Inside it sits the national shield with its five blue escutcheons, the quinas, and the seven gold castles around the border.
What do the quinas mean?
The five blue escutcheons on the white shield, each bearing five white bezants. Tradition links them to five Moorish kings defeated at the battle of Ourique; historians read them as the evolution of a medieval Portuguese coat of arms.
How do you wash Muay Thai shorts?
Machine wash inside out at 30 °C / 86 °F, no tumble dryer, and never put an iron directly on the panels. Skip the fabric softener: it coats the weave and slows how fast sweat moves through it.
Are these unisex?
Yes. The cut is the same for men and women — only the size changes, and the range opens at XS, which is not true everywhere.
