<p>Ahead of the Germany-hosted Euros 2024, Adidas stopped sales of Germany’s number 44 kit due to apparent Nazi links. The #44 jersey bore resemblances to the Nazi Schutzstaffel (SS). The SS committed several genocidal deaths during the Holocaust and WWII. Adidas’ #4 jersey will also get a redesign.</p>



<p>“We will block the personalization of the jerseys in our online store,” Adidas spokesman Oliver Brüggen told media. This would include not being able to put one’s name or number on the jersey.</p>



<p>The DFB, Germany’s ruling soccer body, stopped the delivery of jerseys with the number 44. They also announced they would design a new #4 and double-check numbers zero through nine.</p>



<p>“People from around 100 nations work at Adidas. Our company stands for the promotion of diversity and inclusion, and as a company we actively oppose xenophobia, anti-Semitism, violence and hatred in any form,” Brüggen said.</p>



<p>Although Adidas attracted heavy criticism, spokespeople from the sportswear company said that the DFB and 11teamsports were responsible for design of names and numbers.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Adidas has banned fans from getting the number 44 on the back of its new Germany kit. Reason being is that the font makes the numbers look like the white supremacist/neo-Nazi SS lightning bolts symbol. <a href="https://t.co/TYXpw5sMWC">pic.twitter.com/TYXpw5sMWC</a></p>— World Soccer Talk (@worldsoccertalk) <a href="https://twitter.com/worldsoccertalk/status/1774832072919507071?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2024</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h4>Adidas’ rift with Germany deepens</h4>



<p><a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/germany-national-team-tv-schedule/">Germany</a>, Adidas’ home country and their biggest source of pride, recently decided to switch from Adidas to Nike from 2027 onwards. With the decision, they ended four World Cups, three Euros, and countless iconic moments. </p>



<p>Sources state Nike <a href="https://theathletic.com/5365042/2024/03/26/germany-adidas-ending-partnership/">offered</a> Germany a nearly $108-million contract per year to don the Swoosh, over two times the amount Adidas offered. Representatives at both Nike and Adidas were shocked by the deal — Adidas did not anticipate any competition and Nike was surprised that the DFB would turn its back on history.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240401_WST_498604_Adidas-44-1200x670_7cef6452.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-498643" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/Adidas-44-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/Adidas-44-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/Adidas-44-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/04/Adidas-44.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<p>A huge reason why Germany took the big deal was because of France’s expiring contract with Nike, which could make Nike’s deal cheaper.</p>



<p>“Nike made, by far, the best financial offer. We were additionally impressed with the content of their vision, which also included a clear commitment to supporting amateur and grassroots sport, as well as the sustainable development of women’s football in Germany,” DFB president Bernd Neuendorf wrote in a statement.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="&apos;Typisch Deutsch&apos; | Germany Home Jersey for UEFA EURO2024" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zR5TtSuWD3Y?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
</div></figure>



<p>With neither party taking any responsibility for the mishap, it shows a lack of communication and connection between Germany and Adidas. It seems both will have to face their problems alone.</p>



<h4>Euro 2024 looks promising for Germany</h4>



<p>By the time <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/how-to-watch-euro-2024-on-us-tv/">Euro 2024</a> rolls around, Adidas will have fixed the error and Germany will be training in their Herzogenaurach team camp. <em>Die Mannschaft</em> has some challenging fixtures ahead, with matches against <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/scotland-national-team-tv-schedule/">Scotland</a>, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/sweden-national-team-tv-schedule/">Switzerland</a>, and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/hungary-national-team-tv-schedule/">Hungary</a> waiting.</p>



<p>However, Germany looks exciting to watch ahead of the tournament. A 2-0 win over <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/france-national-team-tv-schedule/">France</a> and a 2-1 win over the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/netherlands-national-team-tv-schedule/">Netherlands</a> show Germany is well behind their early exit at the World Cup. This team has not come to mess around.</p>



<p>“We have a great coach, we have great players. I am seriously optimistic that backed by the fans we can achieve something at this tournament. At least the semi-finals,” Neuendorf told media.</p>



<p>Stadiums in Berlin, Munich, Dortmund, Stuttgart, and more will host over 51 games. The ten venues cover all the main regions of Germany and all boast over 40,000 seats.</p>



<p><em>Photo: Adidas</em>.</p>

Germany bans fans from buying #44 kit over Nazi link

Adidas recently stopped sales of Germany national team kit with number 44 due to Nazi links ahead of Euro 2024.

Germany bans fans from buying #44 kit over Nazi link - World Soccer Talk

<div><figure class="image"></figure></div>
<p>The soccer film <a href="https:\/\/amzn.to/3lE2ft6" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Victory</a> puts a sporting twist on the propaganda during WWII in Nazi Germany.</p>
<p>When FIFA staged the first World Cup in 1930, the tournament only had 13 nations. The contemporary version, such as <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/category/world-cup-2022/">Qatar 2022</a>, has 32. In 2026, that number balloons up to 40.</p>
<p>That first tournament, Uruguay, the host, emerged victorious as the first team to lift the Jules Rimet. The original gold-plated trophy featured the spread-eagled ‘Nike,’ the mythical Goddess representing ‘Victory’.</p>
<p>Italy’s back-to-back titles (1934 and 1938) occurred during The Great Depression. After the <em>Azzurri</em> won consecutive World Cups, Adolf Hitler envied the national power Prime Minister Benito Mussolini gained. This led the Führer to channel his energy toward the evolution of German soccer in order to use it as propaganda. Unfortunately for the Azzurri, Italy solidified its position as masters of soccer in the antebellum period before Hitler invaded Poland. Due to the cataclysm of World War II, the quadrennial World Cups of 1942 and 1946 were not staged.</p>
<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Trailer HD | Victory | Warner Archive" width="500" height="281" src="https:\/\/www.youtube.com/embed/MO2yuDWi-IA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
<p>Flash forward to the early 1980s. The history of Nazi-occupied France spawns a fictional screenplay produced into the sports film <a href="https:\/\/amzn.to/3lE2ft6" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Victory</a> (1981). Also titled <em>Escape to Victory</em>, it starred legendary soccer hero Edson Arantes do Nascimento, commonly known as Pelé. The Brazilian is the only <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/2022/04/24/what-country-has-the-most-world-cup-soccer-titles/">three-time World Cup Champion</a> with Brazil.</p>
<h5>Fantasy Fútbol</h5>
<p><a href="https:\/\/amzn.to/3lE2ft6" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Victory</a> took place in Nazi-occupied France before Germany surrendered in 1945 – the last vestige of Nazi xenophobia. Pelé stars as a prisoner of war recruited to a team of Allies who train to compete against the German national team. A Third Reich member who heads the P.O.W. camp organizes the match as a propaganda stunt for Nazi Germany.</p>
<p>However, in the film’s climax, as French Resistance and British Officers scheme for the Allies’ escape from the Third Reich, an epic match is played between the Allies v. Germany. Film director John Huston made a shrewdly observed sports film consisting of distinguished players who grace the screen in the climactic match.</p>
<h3>Soccer legends in the film <em>Victory</em></h3>
<h5>Pelé – Brazil</h5>
<p>After suffering from a torn meniscus in ’66, Pelé contemplated retirement. However, he persevered triumphantly and won the World Cup in 1970. The trophy in Mexico is perhaps the highlight of his career.</p>
<p>When Mexico was eliminated in the Quarter Final of that tournament, El Tri fans rooted for the Seleção, metamorphosing Aztec stadium in Mexico City into the vibe of Maracanã, Pelé’s home stadium in Rio de Janeiro.</p>
<h5>Osvaldo Ardiles – Argentina</h5>
<p>The midfielder won the World Cup with Argentina in 1978. Later, he managed over a dozen sides including Newcastle United and Tottenham. In the movie, he performs a ‘Rainbow Flick’ – a famous move where the ball flicks from the player’s heel over the top of a defender’s head.</p>
<h5>Bobby Moore – England</h5>
<p>The Captain of England won World Cup ’66. Bobby Moore is considered a legend of West Ham United, the club where he made 544 appearances spanning three decades. He was the first, and most recent, England captain to hold the original Jules Rimet trophy, presented by her majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.</p>
<h5>Paul Van Himst – Belgium</h5>
<p>A legend of the Belgian national team who scored 233 goals in an illustrious career for his club Anderlecht.</p>
<h5>Kazimierz Deyna – Poland</h5>
<p>Deyna’s brilliant performance for Poland during World Cup ’74 piqued the interest of AC Milan and Real Madrid. However, communism halted his plans to play in western Europe. Eventually, Deyna arrived at Manchester City in the late 1970s. He scored 12 goals for City.</p>
<h5>Mike Summerbee – England</h5>
<p>The legendary English forward who scored 47 goals during his tenure for Man City performs in the fictional match against Germany.</p>
<h5>Hallvar Thoreson – Norway</h5>
<p>The former Captain of Norway, known for scoring the game-winning goal against England in a 1982 qualifier.</p>
<h5>Co Prins – Netherlands</h5>
<p>The Dutch star whose glory days came with Ajax, the club where he would score 33 goals in the early 1960s, joins the motley crew led by Pelé.</p>
<h5>Werner Roth – USA</h5>
<p>Finally, the American Hall-of-Famer, who acts as the Captain of the German team. A Yugoslavian-born, naturalized American whose family moved to the U.S. during his youth. Werner Roth is in the American Soccer Hall of Fame. He played for U.S.M.N.T. from 1972 to 1975 and for the New York Cosmos – a former professional club. Werner Roth shares much screen time in the final match, playing against co-star Pelé.</p>
<h3>The Match: Germany vs. The Allies</h3>
<p>The Allies face the Germans at Colombes Stadium in Paris – home of the 1938 World Cup Final. The soccer field is used as a metaphor for battle. In 1945, George Orwell’s essay, ‘The Sporting Spirit,’ offered an intriguing perspective on the lifeblood of sports.</p>
<blockquote><p>“Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules, and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence. In other words, it is war minus the shooting.”</p></blockquote>
<p>In <em>Victory</em>, the armies on the pitch are the Germans versus the prisoners of war. When the showdown begins, the Germans dominate. Bad luck and harsh calls for the Allies lead to a 4-1 deficit at the intermission. During halftime, the Allies use their acerbic wit to escape from a tunnel below the pool in their locker room. The tunnel leads to the Seine River and eventually the English Channel.</p>
<p>However, the Allies refuse their surreptitious escape. Instead, the return to the match with an obstinate determination to defeat the Germans. They play with the propulsive rhythm of a roaring train in the 2nd half with desperate attack. Finally, The Allies defeat the Führer’s side in a gut-wrenching finale that inspires the doff of a hat. The Allies reverse the match into a showdown of fancy footwork and a last-second foul—leading to a penalty kick and the roar of the milling French crowd chanting, “Victoire!”</p>
<p>At last, the story is enlivened by the apercus of Sylvester Stallone – the American goalkeeper – and Michael Caine, the team captain, whose entire performances are imbued with brio.</p>
<p><em>Victory</em> is available on <a href="https:\/\/amzn.to/3lE2ft6" target="_new" rel="noopener">various streaming platforms</a>.</p>
<p><em>PHOTO: Getty Images</em></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="Xcyw4SFZ2B"><p><a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-soccer-movies/">The Ultimate Guide to Soccer Movies</a></p></blockquote>
<div class="ckeditor-em"><iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);" title="“The Ultimate Guide to Soccer Movies” — World Soccer Talk" src="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-soccer-movies/embed/#?secret=xhF0cEHGu4#?secret=Xcyw4SFZ2B" data-secret="Xcyw4SFZ2B" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>


In the soccer film Victory, a number of legends of the game come together in a fictional movie to overcome Nazi Germany's propaganda.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "Nazi"

UEFA Euro 2024

Germany bans fans from buying #44 kit over Nazi link

Pele

Greatest soccer film ever made? Victory deserves a consideration