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Health Minister Karl Lauterbach

Photo: Sean Gallup / Getty Images

The German Football Association's (DFB) change of supplier from Adidas to Nike also seems to be a concern for politicians. »Adidas should no longer be the national jersey in football? A US company instead? I think it's a wrong decision where commerce is destroying a tradition and a piece of home," wrote Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) on X. He also posted a photo of himself in an Adidas training jacket.

From 2027, all German national teams will be equipped by Nike. The DFB is thus ending a decades-long partnership with Adidas. Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) showed no understanding for this, according to "Bild". “The success story began in 1954 with the unforgettable World Cup victory, which gave our country self-confidence again,” said Söder. »That's why it's wrong, a shame and also incomprehensible that this story should end now. German football is pure home – and not a pawn in international corporate battles.«

Söder wants more “straightforwardness”

“The national team plays in three stripes – that was as clear as the fact that the ball is round and a game lasts 90 minutes,” said Söder. He would have liked more “straightforwardness” from the DFB, despite the association’s economic problems. In 2022, the DFB is said to have made a loss of several million euros. As the “Handelsblatt” reported, the deal with Nike brings 100 million euros annually into the DFB coffers. Significantly more than Adidas previously paid.

Already on Wednesday evening, a few hours after the DFB announced the partnership with Nike, Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) also commented on the topic. »I can hardly imagine the German jersey without the three stripes. For me, Adidas and black-red-gold always belonged together. A piece of German identity. “I would have liked a bit more local patriotism,” Habeck told the dpa.

The Thuringian Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow called the change in supplier “strange”. If Adidas or Puma are a trademark for German quality, "then I would be happy if the national team also advertised German quality to the outside world," said Ramelow on RTL/ntv. »This reduction solely to money and dollar signs really gets on my nerves. I don’t need patriotism for that.”

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