German soccer to part ways with national brand Adidas

The 1954 World Cup final in Switzerland is known as the “Miracle of Bern”. Led by Ferenc Puszkasi (1927-2006), West Germany defeated Hungary, the reigning world champions, 3-2 to win their first World Cup title. One of the keys to West Germany’s upset was soccer cleats. It was raining heavily in Bern, where the final was played, and the German players wore shoes with studs (gongs on the bottom of the shoe) that screwed into the ground, allowing them to perform without slipping. Adidas founder Adi Dasler (1900-1978) provided the shoes to the German national team, and from then on, Adidas sponsored the German national soccer team. The “Chariot Corps” won the 1974, 1990, and 2014 World Cups in Adidas uniforms, including their time in the West Germany.

But after what seemed like an eternity, Adidas’ partnership with the German national soccer team has come to an end. The German Football Association (DFB) announced today that it has signed a sponsorship deal with Nike that will run from 2027 to 2034, with Nike providing equipment for all DFB national teams and sponsoring German soccer. 안전놀이터 추천 The American company is the No. 1 global sporting goods brand and a fierce rival to Adidas in the soccer market. The news sent Adidas shares down 2%, while Nike shares rose 1%.

“Nike made the best offer, and thanks to the commitment we have made with Nike, the federation can look forward to a financially stable future,” said DFB treasurer Stephan Grunwald, explaining why the federation chose Nike over Adidas, the homegrown brand that has sponsored the national team for over 70 years. German soccer has been in a slump lately. Since winning the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the team has suffered the humiliation of being knocked out in the group stage at both World Cups. They were knocked out by South Korea at Russia 2018 and Japan at Qatar 2022. The long slump has also left the DFB in financial trouble. The DFB posted a deficit of €4.2 million in 2022, and German media estimates suggest the deficit was even higher last year.