Aldyr Schlee, a professor who designed the Brazilian soccer team’s signature jersey, now instantly recognizable around the world, died on Nov. 15 at a hospital in Pelotas, Brazil. He was 83.

The Associated Press, which reported Mr. Schlee’s death, said he had skin cancer.

Mr. Schlee was a professor for 30 years at the Federal University of Pelotas and an award-winning journalist and author, the Agencia Brasil website reported, but he was best known for the jersey he designed.

The jersey can trace its origins to 1950, when Uruguay beat Brazil in the World Cup, which was hosted by Brazil. Brazilians considered the loss to be the worst soccer defeat in their history. The losing team wore an all-white uniform then, and after the loss, it decided it wanted a more patriotic look.

A newspaper in Rio de Janeiro, Correio da Manhã (The Morning Mail), sponsored a contest in 1953 to come up with a new design. The only requirement was that the jersey had to use the colors of the Brazilian flag: blue, green, white and yellow.