A row in Germany has broken out over the decision by the national football body to switch the supplier of the national team’s kit from Adidas to Nike.
Adidas is a German company, founded a century ago by the Dassler brothers, while Nike is American.
Despite criticism the German football association said the deal made financial sense and would also help support grassroots soccer.
According to the BBC Adidas has supplied the German national kit for 70 years but was outbid by Nike.
According to reports Nike will pay €100 million to supply the kit, double what Adidas was paying.
German politicians from across the political spectrum criticised the decision.
Robert Habeck, the minister of the economy, and from the Green Party, was quoted as saying: ‘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.’
Karl Lauterbach, from the Social Democrats and who currently serves as the minister of health, said it was the ‘wrong decision’.
And the premier of Bavaria, Markus Soder, from the centre-right Christian Social Union, said that German football should not be a ‘pawn’ in corporate battles.