Adidas, the renowned sports apparel giant, has taken swift action to halt the sale of German soccer jerseys featuring the player number “44” due to concerns that the stylized depiction of the digits closely resembles a well-known Nazi symbol.
The jerseys, designed by Adidas for Germany’s soccer team ahead of the upcoming European championships, utilize a square font that, when used to represent the number “44,” bears a striking resemblance to the emblem of the Schutzstaffel (SS), a feared Nazi paramilitary group responsible for heinous crimes during World War II, including the genocide of 6 million Jews.
The German Football Association (DFB), responsible for the jersey’s design, responded to the controversy, asserting that any similarity to Nazi symbolism was unintentional.
“None of the parties involved saw any proximity to Nazi symbolism in the creation process of the jersey design,” stated the DFB in a statement on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, on Monday. However, to address the concerns, the DFB announced the creation of an alternative design for the No. 4.
“As a company, we actively oppose xenophobia, antisemitism, violence, and hatred in any form,” affirmed Adidas in a statement.
This incident adds to the ongoing debate in Germany surrounding Nazi symbols, particularly as the far-right AfD party gains traction in the polls, particularly in eastern Germany.
The issue surrounding the jersey’s lettering is just one in a series of controversies surrounding Germany’s national soccer team. Recent critiques include politically conservative fans disapproving of the pink away jersey presented by Adidas and outcry over a deal with Nike that will see the American company replace Adidas as the team’s jersey supplier starting in 2027.
This marks the first time in Germany’s post-war history that Adidas, a German company, will not produce the national team’s uniforms.
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