Scandal over soccer kit

Nazi symbol! Adidas deletes DFB jersey number

The jerseys of the German national soccer team(Bild: APA/dpa/Daniel Karmann)

Scandal over Germany's national soccer team kit! The design of the new numbers printed on the players' backs has caused an uproar and the number 44 has now been removed from the range, as announced by outfitter Adidas. The reason for this is the similarity to the symbol of the "Schutzstaffel" during the Nazi regime.

At the end of the Second World War, symbols reminiscent of the National Socialist regime under Adolf Hitler were banned - including the SS rune, which resembles two lightning bolts standing next to each other.

The jerseys of the German national soccer team(Bild: APA/dpa/Daniel Karmann)

You can design your own jerseys
The number 4 of the German national team jersey also bears this similarity. Even if none of Julian Nagelsmann's players wear the 44 on their backs, it has so far been possible to have a kit with this number created in the online store. For example, it was possible to choose the name of a well-known Nazi personality for the jersey - a highly problematic case of re-activation in combination with the double 4.

Jonathan Tah plays with the 4 on his chest and back.(Bild: APA/AFP/Ina FASSBENDER)

"We will block the number 44 as quickly as possible," assured Adidas spokesman Oliver Brüggen. "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." Just a few days ago, it was announced that the German Football Association will be relying on Nike as a supplier from 2027. Adidas will probably want to avoid scandals like this in the remaining years ...