Another Soccer War: Adidas vs. Puma

This soccer war has endured over six decades: Adidas versus Puma.

A brilliant article by Ruth Elkins of the Independent.

Rudi and Adi Dassler must have fought over a girl, is all I can say.

ADIDAS:
Founded: 1949
HQ: Herzogenaurach, Germany
Employees: 17,023 (2004 figure)
Pre-tax profits in 2005: €768m (£531m)
Sales in 2005: €6.9bn (£4.8bn)
2006 World Cup teams sponsored by Adidas: Germany, France, Spain, Japan, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina

PUMA:
Founded: 1948
HQ: Herzogenaurach, Germany
Employees: 3,910 (2004)
Pre-tax profits in 2005: €286m (£197m)
Sales in 2005: €2.4bn (£1.7bn)
2006 World Cup teams sponsored by Puma: Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Iran, Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Paraguay, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, Angola

I still have my Maradona Pumas in the basement somewhere, along with my adidas Tango!