2024-04-01 14:28:50
The German European Championship jersey is already a bestseller. But fans will soon no longer be able to wear a shirt number.
At the international matches against France (2-0) and the Netherlands, the German national team wore their new jerseys for the 2024 home European Championships for the first time. The pink away kit in particular caused discussions among fans. Now the DFB team’s jerseys are once again on everyone’s lips. But this time for a different reason.
Specifically, it’s about the numbers on the back of the jerseys. These are in the 3D style of the 1990s. But that’s exactly what’s becoming a problem with a certain number: 44.
Although no player will wear this number at the European Championships, as the 23-man squad will have the numbers 1 to 23, fans can personalize their jerseys with any name and number in the Adidas fan shop – including 44. Problematic: On closer inspection, this looks uncomfortably similar to the SS rune, which is banned in Germany. Several people noticed this online.
Adidas spokesman: “We stand up against hate”
The SS (Schutzstaffel) was founded in 1925 by Adolf Hitler. The National Socialist organization served as an organ of terror and oppression during the Nazi era and as such was significantly involved in the Holocaust and other serious war crimes.
Adidas spokesman Olvier Brüggen told “Bild”: “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 all forms a.” And further: “We will block number 44 as quickly as possible.”
Because: Fans cannot flock their jersey with the 44 with names like “Hitler”, “Nazi” or the Hitler greetings “Sieg heil” or “Heil Hitler” because the website blocks this by referring to its own personalization guidelines. But names like Hitler’s Reich propaganda leader Goebbels or the war criminals Goering and Himmler were possible.
The DFB is said to have been unaware of the problem with the shirt number. However, the association also distanced itself from right-wing ideas in “Bild”.