Niclas Füllkrug reflects on ‘last time with the three stripes’ as Germany’s 70-year Adidas partnership draws to a close

Niclas Füllkrug reflects on ‘last time with the three stripes’ as Germany’s 70-year Adidas partnership draws to a close Germany international Niclas Füllkrug has reflected on the impending conclusion of the German national team’s historic partnership with Adidas, expressing his appreciation for the opportunity to wear the manufacturer’s final national team shirt. Speaking at Tuesday’s DFB press conference in Herzogenaurach, the 33-year-old Werder Bremen striker discussed the personal significance of Germany’s special black jersey and recalled fond memories of the national team’s training camp during the 2024 European Championship. The German Football Association’s decision to end its relationship with Adidas after more than seven decades remains one of the most significant commercial developments in German football history. The partnership will officially conclude on December 31, 2026, with American sportswear manufacturer Nike taking over as Germany’s equipment supplier at the beginning of 2027. “I’m really happy to have a chance to wear this special black jersey,” Füllkrug said, referring to the forthcoming end of the German national team’s historic partnership with Adidas. “An era is coming to an end. It’s the last time with the three stripes. I’m really happy to have the opportunity to take this jersey home with me and hang it in my closet because it has a special significance.” Germany’s historic relationship with Adidas comes to an end The relationship between Germany and Adidas dates back to the country’s first World Cup triumph in 1954, when West Germany famously defeated Hungary in the Miracle of Bern. Adidas founder Adolf “Adi” Dassler worked closely with the national team, supplying lightweight football boots equipped with interchangeable screw-in studs that proved particularly useful in the wet conditions of the final. That victory helped establish Adidas as an internationally recognised sporting brand and marked the beginning of an association that would become inseparable from the identity of German football. Over the following decades, Germany celebrated further men’s World Cup triumphs in 1974, 1990, and 2014, as well as European Championship victories in 1972, 1980, and 1996, with Adidas accompanying the national team throughout. The manufacturer’s distinctive three stripes also became part of the visual identity of the German national teams across generations. The DFB’s announcement in March 2024 that Nike would replace Adidas therefore prompted considerable controversy. Politicians from across Germany’s political spectrum criticised the decision, with then-Economics Minister Robert Habeck describing Adidas and Germany’s national colours as part of the country’s identity. Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder and other prominent political figures similarly expressed disappointment that a longstanding German partnership would be dissolved in favour of an American competitor. The DFB nevertheless defended its decision, arguing that Nike had submitted the strongest offer during a competitive tendering process and that the agreement would help secure the federation’s financial future. The new partnership will run from January 2027 until December 2034, bringing an end to an association spanning more than 70 years. Niclas Füllkrug recalls special memories from Germany’s Euro 2024 camp The historical significance of the partnership is particularly evident in Herzogenaurach, the Franconian town where Adidas was founded and continues to maintain its global headquarters. Germany’s national team used the company’s purpose-built Home Ground facilities during the 2024 European Championship, creating an environment intended to strengthen the connection between players, their families, and the national team. For Füllkrug, who represented Germany during the home tournament, the memories of that summer remain particularly meaningful. “It was nice to come back here in the evening during the hosted European Championship [in 2024],” Füllkrug said of Herzogenaurach. “The families were here. The kids were happily running around the ‘home ground’. Even the night after we got eliminated by Spain in the quarterfinals, there was a nice ‘community feel’ in this environment and it was very nice to be here.” GGFN  |  Peter Weis