The shirt in which Germany will play at the European Championships in their own country next summer has caused consternation even before the start of the tournament. The jersey with jersey number 44 looks suspiciously similar to the symbol of the SS, the infamous organization that sowed death and destruction under the leadership of Heinrich Himmler during the Second World War.
Not that a German international with shirt number 44 will play during the tournament, but fans could get their own copy via the Adidas website. And that doesn’t give a nice picture in the stands, or on the squares where people flock together to watch the match of ‘die Mannschaft’.
Sports goods manufacturer Adidas was initially unaware of any harm, but was shocked by all the reactions on social media. Result: sales of the new shirt of the German national team with jersey number 44 are immediately blocked.
“People from about a hundred countries work at Adidas. Our company stands for the promotion of diversity and inclusivity, and as a company we actively campaign against xenophobia, anti-Semitism, violence and hatred in all forms,” spokesperson Oliver Brüggen told the dpa news agency. “Attempts to promote divisive or exclusionary views are not part of our values as a brand.”
New sponsor
Adidas was also recently involved in a riot in Germany. The country was in an uproar when the national football association announced that it was breaking with the sponsor after seventy years. From 2027 onwards, the Mannschaft will play in Nike clothing. ‘A lack of patriotism’ is what Robert Habeck, the Minister of Economic Affairs, calls the break with national pride.
During the 1974 World Cup, Germany played in shirts from Erima, which became a subsidiary of Adidas in 1976. The shirts were also supplied by Erima during the subsequent final tournaments. From the 1980 European Championship onwards, Adidas itself was the clothing sponsor.
European Championship guide
View our extensive European Championship guide with fixtures, the dates of the Dutch matches, the host cities, the European Championship ball and ticket sales here.
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Tags: Adidas dust German shirt sales stopped immediately Foreign football
