Football and Fashion: A Brief History of Adidas and Football
Adidas and Football: an enduring relationship
Delving into a topic we have briefly discussed before, football and fashion, we look at the unique relationship between Adidas and football both on and off the field.
It is a relationship that blossomed in the 50s and led to Adidas being intertwined with football clubs, players, and fans. Fan culture and the ‘3 stripes’ have been intertwined for years in modern football culture, but how did it all start? And what role does Adidas play in today’s footballing landscape?
The Dassler Brothers - The beginnings of Adidas.
In 1924 brothers Adolf and Rudolf Dassler founded the ‘Dassler Brothers’ Shoe Factory.’ This would ultimately become the phenomenon that is Adidas.
The brothers were born in West Germany, and in the early 1900s Adolf was training as a baker, but when WWI broke out, he was forced to enrol in the army. Upon his return home in 1919, he decided to pursue his dream of becoming a shoemaker.
He converted his mum’s kitchen into a workshop, and after struggling in the post-war years, his brother Rudolf joined the business in 1924. They provided early competition for other shoemakers such as Reebok, in an age before Nike and Converse.
The Dassler Brothers’ First Patents
In 1925 The Dassler Brothers obtained their first patents: one for a running shoe with hand-forged spikes, and another for a football boot with nailed leather studs.
Their products began to infiltrate athletics and at the 1932 Olympics, and Arthur Jonath became the first athlete to win a medal wearing their shoes, winning bronze in the 100m. By the 1936 Berlin Olympics, 40 athletes competed in their shoes, including Jesse Owens, who won 4 gold medals.
3 years later, at the outbreak of World War II, the brothers were drafted into the army. A year later, Adolf was allowed to return home to manufacture goods for the military. At the end of the war, the brothers fell out and went their separate ways. Amazingly, Rudolf set up his new company, which would eventually become a big rival for Adidas, called PUMA.
The Iconic Adidas Gazelle - much loved by Football fans the world over.
Adidas is Born
After the split, Adolf rebranded and named the existing business Adidas, a combination of his nickname ‘Adi’ and the first letters of his surname.
Adidas entered the clothing market when Adolf had a lightbulb moment before the 1962 WC. He didn’t understand the impracticality of the baggie tracksuits supplied by Schwahn. He created a slim-fitting tracksuit with the iconic three stripes down the side, first worn by Bayern Munich the following season.
In 1972 to avoid counterfeit issues, Adolf created the famous Trefoli logo, which would feature on every piece of clothing. This logo has become the symbol of Adidas and is one of the most recognisable logos in the world.
The World Famous Adidas Logo
Adidas and their role in Football History
Over the years, Adidas has designed memorable kits, balls, and boots. They seem to be part of footballing history.
In 1954, the German national team hired Adidas as their boot supplier ahead of the World Cup, where they would win the competition for the first time. This particular shoe was later called “World Champion.”
A total of 450,000 were produced in that year alone. By the time the 1962 FIFA World Cup came around, Adidas were a household name in football boot manufacturing. In every game of the 1962 World Cup, at least one player was wearing a pair of Adidas boots.
Addidas Football’s
After successfully delivering boots, Adidas turned its attention to the main focus of the whole game, the ball.
In 1970, Adidas broke new ground by producing the official tournament ball for the 1970 FIFA World Cup. Named the Telstar, the ball was designed to help improve the visibility of the ball on black and white televisions.
Since this tournament, Adidas has provided the official match ball for every tournament to date. It is a relationship that has seen some legendary balls over the years.
Addidas and Football Kits
When it comes to football kits, Adidas has had success across the world at both international and club levels. Adidas has supplied winning kits to a further four teams since Argentina won the FIFA World Cup in 1978 wearing the famous 3 stripes.
At the club level in England, Adidas arrived in 1977 in the English game.
The 3 stripes were worn by Ipswich Town and closely followed by Middlesbrough. In the 80s, Adidas stepped up their game by gaining contracts with giants Manchester United in 1980 and Liverpool in 1985. This, accompanied by several smaller clubs, made Adidas a giant in the English game.
Adidas are still heavily involved in the English club game and continues to battle with the likes of Nike and Puma for a stronghold over club kit manufacturing.
Adidas and Football Players
As well as sponsoring the biggest clubs and nations, Adidas sponsor a host of elite football players. These players will rep the Adidas boots week in, and week out. In the past, Adidas sponsored the likes of Gerd Muller, Oliver Kahn, Philipp Lahm, David Beckham, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Zinedine Zidane, Franz Beckenbauer and Iker Casillas.
In the current game, they have the great Lionel Messi on their books. Along with Paul Pogba, Mo Salah and Toni Kroos. Each player is known for repping a specific type of Adidas boot, and Messi has his own exclusive Adidas range.
Adidas and Football Fans
As well as making a statement on the pitch, Adidas made statements on the terraces during the late 70s and 80s. The 3 stripes on the shoes were a common sight in the stands of English clubs and across Europe when the big boys went on their European Cup tours. Limited edition Sambas, Forest Hills, Stan Smiths and Trimm Tabs were becoming more in demand as fans looked to keep themselves in fashion.
The Adidas shoe that is most commonly linked with the terraces is the Gazelle. As the Adidas Superstar and Campus were taking over in the US, Gazelle’s were making their mark on the terraces in the UK.
As the 90s saw the rise of raves, Britpop, and Hollywood’s newfound love for hooligans in their films, and the football terrace scene started to die down. Luckily for Adidas, in recent years the 80s terrace fashion has come back into style and Adidas shoes are taking over the stadiums once again.
Adidas will continue to be one of the biggest brands in football. With its links to clubs, players and FIFA World Cups, Adidas will keep its place at the top of the game.
This piece is a collab between The School of Football and Josh Stedman
