Germany redesigns soccer uniform that some say evokes Nazi insignia
Ahead of the European championship, Adidas halts sale of customizable jerseys; German federation denies resemblance to SS symbol, but intends to update uniform regardless
The design for the numeral four on Germany’s national team shirts will be changed ahead of the European Championship over concerns that the number “44” bears a marked resemblance to the symbol used by Nazi SS units, according to the German soccer federation (DFB).
The new kit, launched just before Germany is to host the quadrennial soccer tournament from June 14 to July 14, debuted during an exhibition match that it won 2-0 over France last month.
After social media users pointed out that the two fours together resembled the insignia of the Nazi Schutzstaffel (SS), Hitler’s murderous paramilitary force responsible for mass killings during the Holocaust, the federation announced that it would be changing the numeral’s design.
Adidas, the federation’s official supplier, has also halted the sale of jerseys with personalized numbers in their online shops. Although no German soccer player will wear a jersey with the number 44, since team shirts for the Euro 2024 are numbered from 1-23, fans are usually able to customize jerseys online with a name and number of their choosing.
The federation posted on statement on X, formerly Twitter, saying that it checks the numbers 0-9 and then submits the numbers 1-26 to UEFA for review, and found no similarity to the Nazi symbol.
“None of the parties involved saw any proximity to Nazi symbolism in the development process of the jersey design,” the organization announced. “Nevertheless, we take the information very seriously and do not want to provide any platform for discussions. Together with our partner 11teamsports, we will develop an alternative design for the number 4.”
The German FA (DFB) will change the number 44 design of their new kit after fans and media raised its resemblance to the symbol used by Nazi SS units in the World War II era.
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No Germany player is expected to wear a number 44 jersey as the team's shirts… pic.twitter.com/4UZHkrRWl8
— DW Sports (@dw_sports) April 1, 2024
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) will have to approve the updated design for the numeral 4 font before it can be displayed on the tournament uniform.
In Germany today, the stylized SS symbol is banned and its use can result in criminal prosecution.
Adidas spokesman Oliver Brüggen told the German news agency dpa that the federation and 11teamsports were responsible for the design of the names and numbers on the shirts.
On top of the SS controversy, the German federation recently decided that it will end its decades-long partnership with Adidas starting in 2027, swapping its long-time supplier out for a seven-year contract with Nike.
