German football’s decision to drop Adidas as its kit supplier sparked dismay in Berlin on Friday, with the Economy Minister blasting the switch to US sportswear giant Nike as a lack of “patriotism.”
“For me, Adidas and black-red-gold always belonged together,” Habeck said, describing the pairing as a “piece of German identity.”
With the homegrown sportswear brand and the economy both experiencing tough times, Habeck said that he “would have hoped for more patriotism” from the German Football Association (DFB).
The DFB said on Thursday that it would end its decades-long partnership with Adidas, selecting Nike as its new supplier from 2027.
German national teams have worn Adidas gear since the 1950s, and the partnership became synonymous with the success on the pitch.
The shock announcement came just a few months before the men’s European football championships are set to kick off in Germany in June.
The deal with Nike, which will run through 2034, was “by far the best financial offer” on the table, DFB chief executive Holger Blask said in a statement.
According to the Handelsblatt financial daily, the contract with the US company was worth around 100 million euros ($108 million) a year, twice as much as the reported value of the Adidas deal.
The loss of the German national team contract is a bitter blow for Adidas, which recorded its first loss in 30 years in 2023.
With AFP
