Soccer - 16 August 2006
Adidas, the German sportswear giant, is set to negotiate a new lower-value deal for its sponsorship of the DFB, the German soccer association, if, as seems likely, the national team’s players win the right to wear their own boots when representing their country in future.
The players were reported to be ready to go on strike ahead of today’s friendly match against Sweden but it is reported that a compromise has been reached under which they will wear Adidas boots for the game in Gelsenkirchen tonight but will have a free choice starting with Germany’s European Championship qualifier against Ireland on September 2.
The DFB’s sponsorship contract with kit supplier Adidas, the German sportswear giant, insists that the players wear Adidas boots, as well as shirts, shorts and socks. However, this has proved restrictive to several team members, including Miroslav Klose, the top scorer at this year’s World Cup, who are forced to change from rival brands of boot when they turn out for their country.
Any change to the agreement is likely to come at a cost to the DFB, whose deal with Adidas runs until 2010 and is worth €4 million ($5.1 million) per year.
Adidas said it was going to have talks with its partners very soon.