Adidas has faced criticism for its recently released German football kit that resembles the symbol used by Nazi SS units during World War II. The number 44 on the kit, when customized by fans, has been banned by Adidas to prevent any association with the SS rune. Historian Michael König was among the first to point out the questionable design of the kit, highlighting the symbolism attached to the SS rune used by the Nazi units responsible for heinous crimes against humanity. Despite an Adidas spokesman denying that the resemblance to Nazi symbols was intentional, controversy has persisted.
The German Football Association (DFB) and its partners were responsible for designing the numbers on the kit, which were reviewed by UEFA during the design process. Although initially there were no concerns about the symbol, an alternative design for number 4 will now be developed to address the issue. In addition to this controversy, some have criticized Germany’s choice of bright pink as their away color in their new football kit. While some supporters view it as a representation of diversity, others see it as a nontraditional choice aimed at generating revenue for DFB.
Despite these controversies, Germany is set to host this year’s European Football Championship in 10 different cities. Meanwhile, Germany’s decision to switch from Adidas to Nike as manufacturers of their football kits from 2027 has sparked criticism from Economy Minister Robert Habeck who accused them of lacking patriotism.
