Who's the poofter in the boots?

“Bobby Moore Superstar, walks like a woman and he wears a bra.” Went the chant at Hampden Park, when England came to play Scotland on their annual get together.

Questioning the manhood of an opposition player is a common ploy indulged upon by rival fans. More than likely this impacts on the terracing rather than the individual on the field but all that is immaterial when you are trying to help your team to win. A common indictment is to imply effeminacy in a player and what better way of knowing than the colour of a player’s boots. Up until FIFA World Cup 2002 Korea Japan it was only the very brave who sported coloured boots on the pitch but since Metro sexual David Beckham has broken the mould, now everyone on the field feels comfortable in coloured boots. Sociologists believe clothing has important social significance which tells much about the personality of the wearer. Humans see and react to visual signals emitted by clothing and this at a football match provides the safest distance to judge a stranger. No self respecting German fan would in a normal course of events wish to be confined in a lift with a group of lager swilling English fans, dressed accordingly. Fig leaf mentality may explain why we have covered up, but by far the major reason for clothing is decoration. The essential purpose of decoration is to beautify bodily appearance, so as to attract admiring glances from others and fortify self-esteem. Simply put boots outwardly represent a non-verbal sign of gender, presence, and personality. Many believe this is due to the encoded messages they contain which are recognized by our primal subconscious. Male footwear is part of a uniform to mark membership in a group, (I am a player). Western man embraces the idea that evolution compels them to compete in all areas of life from the soccer pitch to the corridors of power. In truth this competition is about sexual selection. Thus what an individual player looks like, how they dresses and groom themselves, may be of far more importance to a potential mate than whether he can beat his opposite number on the field. So Bec’s blue boots may have more to do with Victoria then Brazils’ defense. Style icons are real people with a vibration within, totally individual not fashion followers by fashion setters who are true to themselves. So what is with Beckham in ladies knickers? Some men prefer texture, fit or even the sensation of constraint in ladies clothing and why not. Modern masculinity is defined by being all that is not feminine, whereas femininity has always been slightly more pragmatic. Campness, male homosexuality and all associated eccentricities are an integral part of masculinity after all gay men are not women with willies. Yet the idea that they are, perpetuates straight male fears of losing their masculinity through the slightest frivolity. Think about that next time you are in the terracing.

Blades: Sinners or Saints?

Duty of care and compliance with Law 4, which states ‘a player must not use equipment or wear anything which is dangerous to himself or another player…’ make all players responsible for the upkeep of their boots tand o ensure that they are safe, regardless of the type of stud featured. Blades are a special type of stud, so-called because of their shape. Blades are designed to grip the turf, offering more stability for the player when jumping, landing as well as turning and pivoting. A particular concern relating to blades (cleats) is they are responsible for a significant increase in laceration type injuries. Rifts between Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsenal’s, manager Arsène Wenger are legend but one thing they both have in common is their dislike for blades. Indeed Ferguson has banned them from Old Trafford convinced they are the cause of needless injury. The studs have been blamed to slicing into flesh and causing injuries more usually seen in car crashes. The English Football Association has been collecting anecdotal evidence since their introduction and contacted FIFA in 2002 as to their concerns. Two years later FIFA had failed to reply. Medics have also joined the debate alarmed at the increase in injuries corresponding to the adoption of cleats on football boots. Injury rates in other football codes i.e. rugby league, has shown similar patterns. Despite these genuine concerns it appears to be no evidence-based research to indicate that new boots are more unsafe or produce more injuries than with traditional conical studs. An adidas spokesperson said in 2004, “our tests show that there was some wear to the uppers, but the Traxion studs were found to be smooth, flat and rounded-off with no sharp edges (which is consistent with our wear test findings of our internal and external testing bodies)…….Following the examination we are of the opinion that the injuries were an unfortunate accident, which of course do happen in contact sports such as football". As the number of players using blade style footwear increases then the number of injuries resulting directly from blades is proportionately increased. Currently there are fourteen manufacturers who retail bladed styles of boot. Responsible company’s advise blades should only be worn in certain conditions and clearly mark their boxes FG (suitable for firm ground) and SG (for soft ground). However in 2004 the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) issued a position statement: “RoSPA is concerned at the increasing number of reports involving blade studded soccer boots.” Dr David Jenkins, RoSPA's Product Safety Adviser said information about the number and severity of injuries caused by the blade studs should be made more widely known. This would enable players, managers and officials to assess the risk and take appropriate action to deal with it. In January 2005, Consumers Association Which? Magazine reported their concerns at the number of blade related injuries. Later the same year BBC Watchdog programme ran an exposè. Concerns were expressed at the number of laceration injuries thought to be associates but experts believe playing in blade style boots can also contribute to serious joint injuries, especially in children. Twisting injuries cause by increased grip of the cleat in the soft ground sends destructive forces through ankle and knee joints. The BBC approached the English FA, FIFA and all the boot manufacturers but the official response was there is no firm evidence to suggest blades cause any more injuries than traditional studs. A large proportion of football injuries are ligamentous and involve either the knee or the ankle. Shoe-surface traction is thought to play a specific role and likely to correlate with injury incidence. The correlation between footwear, performance and rates of injury was illustrated in the 90s when researchers established the fewer studs on the sole of the boot then the greater performance.. Concerns at preventing knee injuries caused by rotational forces during jumping and landing led to the discovery that by increasing the width of the stud position over the ball of the foot the less destructive rotation reported. These theories led directly to the development of the cleat (or blade) to replace the traditional stud on football boots to improve shoe-surface traction.

Interesting site
Sandal RFU

Bespoke Soccer Boots

Laser sintering may sound as if it belongs in Star Wars but the process could soon be used to make soccer boots that fit players' feet perfectly. Tailored shoes are built using a form of rapid 3D printing called selective laser sintering, in which a laser fuses together particles of a nylon-based material to build the shoe layer by layer. Customised boots start by scanning the foot with a laser to obtain a digital model. Using a pedar insole the subject carries out a series of exercises to determine the size and distribution of forces acting around the feet. That information is combined with other detailed analysis including leg structure and gait information to produce a blueprint template for the sole and stud arrangement. The shoes are then completed around the data. The hope is the player’s boot will not just provide a more comfortable boot but also give the vulnerable appendage greater protection according to the developers. Anything which reduces the potential for injury would be welcomed by the industry. Matching thickness, density and strength of the material for each sub-component gives optimal support without increasing the weight of the boot. The hope is the same software can be used to develop other protective clothing as well as other applications in aeronautics. Meantime London based company Prior2Lever (P2l) is working on prototypes soccer boots and if the project is a success plans are to proceed to the high street, where shops could print a pair of bespoke shoes in just a few hours.

The Pele Exhibition

Between games visitors to Berlin can visit the Pele Exhibition at the Berlin's Potsdamer Platz station which houses an exhibition which depicts the life of Pele. On show are a collection of trophies and memorabilia marking the career of the greatest footballer of all. Exhibits include the famous Number 10 shirt and black boots as well as the white ball he kissed after scoring his thousandth goal in 1969. All three of Pele's World Cup medals hang on the wall next to the sceptre and crown he was given by Yugoslavia's national team in a 1971 farewell match, declaring him king of soccer. There too is the FIFA Player of the Century trophy and a portrait of player by Andy Warhol. The Pele Exhibition will go on tour in Europe and Asia after the World Cup.

Interesting Book
Pele

And who would not want to play for Brazil?

Your name on a Brazilian Strip

All in the game: Sponsorship

It is a matter of record that before the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 Australia’s captain Mark Viduka (Middlesborough) was decked out in Puma gear for a photo shoot outside a sports store in Australia. Just one week later the same player was dressed in Nike gear. Sponsors have clambered on board to make the most of Australian soccer's rare appearance on the later stage of the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006. With the notable exception of Liverpoolwinger, Harry Kewell none of the Socceroos had individual sponsorships before their qualifying victory over Uruguay in Sydney, November 2005. Success has meant players can now negotiate a myriad of commercial arrangements. The work done against Uruguay definitely lifted the team’s status, and as national heroes, the Socceroos have become public property with much potential for commercial success. The use of player images to market the game and apparel make their endorsement a valuable asset. Now Viduka will be seen playing and training with the Socceroos in his Nike gear, as per contract. However the player is still allowed to wear his own Puma boots for matches and is free to do sponsorship work for Puma outside Socceroos time. In exchange for their co-operation, Australian players get 30 per cent of the Australian Federation's net sponsorship deal and will share this equally. Apparently the team sponsors are required to use at least four player images at a time to avoid undermining individual sponsorships, and to reinforce perceptions of a team game. Jostling for their moment in the World Cup spotlight are team sponsors Qantas , Nike, Hyundai , Powerade , Telstra , National Australia Bank(NAB), Westfield and SBS . A representative of Football Federation Australia has had to take advertising hoardings for Westfield and NAB halfway across the world and installed them around the training grounds so Australians would see them in the background when the Socceroos were training.

Go Aussie Go......

Teamgeist: strikers and keepers

Footballs are high-tech products, and the Teamgeist took three years to develop according to adidas . Something which has been noticable has been the number of long range goals scored from outside the penalty box. So far the tally is 20 per cent of the total scored in 2006 compared to 9.31% of the goals scored in 2002. The Teamgeist certainly favours the long kick and spot kick (dead ball) specialists. The new ball is a hit with adidas sponsored, David Beckham and Brazil's Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite (aka Kaká ). Germany's Torsten Frings (who plays for a national squad sponsored by adidas)agrees the Teamgeist is perfectly suited for long-range shots. The new ball has fewer seams with only 14 and not the 32 of its predicesors and has an air valve designed to avoid imbalance according to adidas. The Teamgeist is the roundest football ever made and these claims have been upheld by Stiftung Warentest , an independent German group who tested the ball. Meantime what do the keepers think? Jens Lehmann (Germany) and Paul Robinson (England) both agree the Teamgeist is very fast but does change its flight path in the rain. It feels like a plastic ball and can become extremely slippery in wet conditions and handles like a waterpolo ball which is a real hazard to goal keepers. By chance Robinson has an endorsement deal with Nike, a company which also outfits Lehmann's English club, Arsenal.

Boot Designers would prefer to be there

Now down to the last 16 and in the second stage Nike are sponsoring more teams (5), followed by adidas (4) Puma (3), Umbro (2),and Lotto and Marathon sharing one each. With Portugal and Netherlands and Spain and France the only opposing teams to sport the same sponsor Nike and adidas respectively.

Germany (adidas) vs Sweden (Umbro)
Argentina (adidas) vs Mexico (Nike)
Italy (Puma) vs Australia (Nike)
Switzerland (Puma) vs Ukraine (Lotto)
England (Umbro) vs Ecuador (Marathon)
Portugal (Nike) vs Netherlands (Nike)
Brazil (Nike ) vs Ghana (Puma)
Spain (adidas) vs France (adidas)

Most of this year’s Puma sponsored players are wearing grass camo boots . Like other World Cup 2006 these are ultra light and Puma’s lightest football boot to date. It has a super thin 0.4mm thick upper (ConTec). The outsole integrates anatomical stud positioning with pointed soft ground studs, designed to offer the better grip, maneuverability and rear foot stability, according to the manufacturers. Players wearing the grass camo boots are England’ s Peter Crouch, Yaya Toure, and Francisco José da Costa, better known as Costinha . The hi-tech Puma Grass Camo boots are coloured green to match the pitch. Makers suggest the boots help boost speed and agility abd their colour makes them hard to spot against the turf. Although following the bouncing ball would give an incredible advantage, to even the most short sighted defender. Puma’s biggest claim to soccer fame was boot endorsement from Brazil’s superstar Pele and Argentinean genius, Maradona . Puma remain manufacturers of quality soccer boots but remain very much in the shadow of adidas. Brother Adi and Rudolf Dassler fell out in 1948 and Rudolf started Puma as a rival company operating from the same Bavarian town of Herzogenaurach, Something Adi and his brother shared was a love for sport and the realisation neither would ever compete on the field. Instead they had the skills and foresight to design boots which would allow gifted players to soar. This is the same dream all football boot designers share including Australian Con Hatzilias . He too realised he did not have talent to ever play in the games highest competition but had the brains to design boots which might eventually get there. Of course Con is not the first Australian to seek the same goal although Craig Johnson (former Liverpool ) was an outstanding player during his career and went onto design the adidas predator . David Miers had other motivation for his Blade designed boot and although he is an agricultural scientist as a youth David was dogged by injury which influenced his playing career. Determined to improve the boot he eventually replaced the studs with a series of diagonal blades. When he realised this was a breakthrough in boot design he tried to interest sports companies in new invention. Like Johnson before him he experienced much resitance and reluctance to pick up his new design. Thanks mainly to AFL players Peter Daicos and Simon Madden cautioned against playing in the boots, their faith was such that they continued to play in blades. Simon Madden painted stripes on his boots to disguise them. When he was spotted wearing them the sponsor fined his club for breach of contract. The boots are now part of a sport museum exhibition where you can see the little stripes very poorly painted on them. Eventually the benefits of blade style cleats were recognized and now al the major companies include them within their premier range of boots across the football codes.

Soocer stars: Big time earners

Real Madrid's David Beckham is soccer's top-earning star, bringing in $US24 million ($32 million) a year from endorsements which is estimated three times his playing salary. His most lucrative deal is with Gillette , and estimated to be worth $US9 million over three years. Ronaldinho is the most commercially valuable football player in the world, according to a study by Omnicom Group subsidiary BBDO Germany . The player's endorsements include Nike, PepsiCo and Sony. Adidas have a long-term sponsorship deal with Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona, announced in February. The company believes he will make an ideal replacement for their two biggest stars, David Beckham and Zinédine Zidane . Messi inspired Argentina to a World Youth Championship in 2005 as well as producing dazzling displays for FC Barcelona in the Champions League earlier this year. Heralded as the new Maradona, the legendary Argentina World Cup star of the 1980s and 1990s who was voted best player of the 20th century by FIFA, the international governing body of soccer. Adidas have high hopes for Bayern Munich’s new signing, Lukas Podolski (previously with FC Cologne). The Polish-born striker enjoyed a sensational start to his international career, scoring seven goals in his first 13 appearances. The Prinz has picked up a significant portfolio of endorsements. Adidas have already created a Podolski line of boots. Up and coming talent Francesc Fabregas (Arsenal) is another exceptional young talent being looked at with interest by marketers. Unlike many of his contemporaries he is articulate, intelligent and charismatic which are all attractive qualities to marketers. Anyway who needs sponsors when you have divine intervention, not the Hand of God style, but the support of a genuine mystic with voodoo powers. Togbui Assiogbo Gnagblondjro III is a voodoo fetish priest and keen devotee of Togo. He has told the team they will go far in the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006. Now before you dismiss the power of the occult in football think of Wayne Rooney's broken metatarsal and how it has miraculously recovered in record time. Well whilst treatment and rest may have contributed the result really came through the works of HealRooney.com The site lets users rub the Rooney’s foot with the cursor and the player much needed strength to play in Germany. Seems to have worked and it looks like England will, need him!!

Ankle boots to soccer slippers

In the early years of football clothing was restrictive and worn for protection from the elements as much as decency. Hence British football was slow and not considered a spectator sport. Despite this the game’s popularity grew and clubs began to spring up across the UK. Players wore long laced boots, similar to engineer's boots and with a strengthened toecap in iron hard leather. In 1880 boots began to incorporate a strap, narrow on the inside of the foot, which crossed over the bottom two or three rows of eyelet's, winding to the outside of the foot. This gave greater protection to the toes as players used the dorsum of the foot to kick the ball. Today, players use the side of their foot to strike the ball, and then the toe was used to catch the ball and give it lift. To increase ground grip the soles incorporated metal tacks but Rule 13* prevented these in official matches. They were replaced in 1890 with new plugs made from layers of leather, the idea came from hockey boots. Studs (sometimes referred to as cleats) were positioned to avoid isolated pressure points and unnecessary irritation of the foot. In the area of the hindfoot they were located towards the outside of the sole to avoid buckling. The common formation was six studs, two distal and proximal to the metatarsal heads and two on the posterior aspect of the heel. By 1900 the soccer boot was a recognised entity. Boots became an essential part of the sport and by the beginning of the twentieth century, teams appear to wear the same boots. In 1922, Adi Dassler (co-founder of adidas) developed screw in studs which allowed players to select studs appropriate to the weather conditions. Whilst there was some variation in the arrangement of stud patterns on the sole of the boot, most professionals preferred the 4:2 or 4:3 ratio.

Most authorities agree major changes to football boots took place after the Second World War when many international fixtures took place. Improved air travel and popular transcontinental travel brought the soccer players from colder climates of Europe into contact with their counter parts in the Mediterranean and South America. Players in warmer countries wore less clothing with flexible soled boots more suited to the pitch conditions. The Latin game was played faster and provided opportunity for athleticism rarely seen in the traditional European matches. Media coverage meant more spectators appreciated the novel Latin styles and adaptation of their skills caused a revolution in play and clothing. The ankle boot lowered to become a soccer shoe freeing players to demonstrate athletic leaps and volleys. The new focus for design was aimed at kicking and controlling the ball on the ground and alternative methods of providing ankle stability were necessary. This often took the form of ankle bandaging (ankle vigours). With the introduction of artificial playing surfaces the need for long studs became redundant. Deep penetration was neither good for the surface nor advantageous to the player. Many poor performances and injuries had been reported so boot designers devised studs which gave maximal stability as the leg was anchored to the floor as well easy release when the foot needed to move quickly over the ground. The new soccer shoe had bristle (or cleat) soles and gradually these have been incorporated into the traditional soccer boot design.

*Rule 13#: No player shall be allowed to wear projecting nails, iron plates, or gutta percha on the soles or heels of his boots.

Hundred years of soccer boots

A century ago professional footballers received on average 2/6 (37c. Aus) per game and some were paid special bonuses in addition depending on their skill. The sum varied according to the size of the crowd but even the best players seldom got bonuses over 2/11 (45c Aus). Quality football boots made from russet calf with fluted toecaps sold at the same time for 8/6d ($1.26A) which was almost three and a half times what a player earned per game. Shin guards cost between 1/6d (22c Aus) and 2/11d (45c Aus), and football socks varied between 1/11d (30c Aus) and 4/11d (75c Aus). A hundred years later the cost of boots has dropped considerably and bares no comparison to the average wage, performance and appearance bonuses, professional players earn today. For that we need to be grateful but manufacturers are also being criticized for using questionable labour practice in their sport apparel. Although player's costumes have changed since early days of the game, football boots have undergone surprisingly few design changes in the last seventy years. The evolution of the modern boot has been a conflict between protection from the climate and injury against the freedom of the limb to perform better. Improved fitness of players combined with greater glittering prizes has had a positive spin on boot development but related changes appear surprisingly to be stylistic as the football codes have become more glamorous and not forged by a desire to play better or decrease the rates of injury. Published research supports there has been more injuries caused by boot innovations than appear to be resolved by new designs. This includes the adaptation and incorporation of new synthetic polymers. The incidence of football related injuries continue to be the focus for much concern but ironically safety changes to soccer boots are less likely to come from the professionals, as boot sponsorship has become a major source of income. Instead the genuine concern of Soccer Mums, especially in North America, where the game has become so popular with young children, their concerns and in particular their consumer dollar will forge better safety awareness.

Will we see him after the break?

Speculation mounts that England will be up to its full squad by the beginning of the competition. Wayne Rooney the Manchester United striker and star England player, has been spotted kicking ball which means it is now a question of watch and wait. Confronted by a spate of similar foot injuries to David Beckham , Danny Murphy , Steven Gerrard , Michael Owen , Gary Neville and Roy Keane it seems perfectly natural to seek a general cause. Some like Tommy Docherty echoes the opinions of some sports injury specialists suggesting the lightweight nature of current boots, designed for precision ball control and traction do not provide adequate protection; whereas other raise an eyebrow at the punishing training and game schedule set for players at the top of their profession. A factor that is hard to discount, in the face of the grueling and congested nature of the domestic season in Britain. Nike were adamant their boots did not contribute to the injury. Details remain confused but it appears Rooney suffered a fracture of his fourth metatarsal on his right foot and not a stress fracture (March Fracture or hairline crack), as was previously reported. The former takes time to heal and would not resolve within six weeks however even when completely rested. Norman Whiteside has cautioned players recovering from a broken metatarsal should not return to play even when they are 95 per cent healed as the fragile bone is likely to refracture and or the player may pick up another injury.
Contrary to the press and their interest in soccer elite stress fractures were first described by Aristotle in 200 BC, and entered medical literature in 1855 when a Prussian military physician called Breithaupt, described what is now known as a "march fracture" (stress fracture of the metatarsals). Metatarsal fractures represent approximately 25 percent of all stress fractures reported and are not limited to elite athletes or military recruits. They are seen in runners of all levels, ballet dancers, gymnasts, those engaged in high-impact aerobics, as well as people with rheumatoid disease, those with metabolic bone disease, and neuropathic conditions. Stress fractures are estimated to comprise up to 16% of all injuries that are related to athletic participation; running is the cause in most of these. Most stress fractures (95%) involve the lower extremities; the metatarsals are most commonly involved. It is more usual for the second and third metatarsal to fracture with the fourth being quite rare. In severe cases more than one middle metatarsal may be involved. There are several factors which contribute to the development of stress fractures and generally these occur as a result of a repetitive stress injury that exceeds the intrinsic ability of the bone to repair itself. Histologists believe bone is more susceptible to injury when there is a delay between osteoblastic and osteoclastic activity and when combined with unusual or prolonged tensional and bending stresses acting across the foot result in micro-fractures appearing as weakness in the small bone. Strong and repetitive stress on bone at the insertion point of muscles, resulting in focal bending stresses beyond the ability of the bone to tolerate will result in full fractures. Approximately 60 percent of people with a stress fracture have had previous occurrences and are a higher risk of a complete fracture (as in the case of Rooney). The second, third and fourth metatarsals are relatively fixed in position within the foot whereas the first and fifth remain moderately mobile. Greatest stress is placed on the middle three metatarsals when longitudinal twisting occurs due to prolonged pronation into propulsion. The first metatarsal can fracture but this is often due to abrupt trauma (traumatic fracture) whereas the fifth metatarsal can fracture relatively easy at its base where the peronei muscle is inserted. This is an avulsion fracture and associated with a lateral ankle strain. In footballers such as Michael Owen, this may have arisen during weightbearing or as likely when a tangerial force caused the ankle to abruptly invert during non weight bearing flight e.g. striking the ball or being hit by another boot. A true Jones fracture will arise when the proximal diametaphyseal junction is broken due to an overpull of the peronei muscles. Despite Owen and Rooney having metatarsal fractures these were likely to be quite different in their causation although overuse may have contributed. New boot designs do everything to improve foot function during the contact sport including protection the foot from injury. The trend within the new generation of boots is to encorporate a shell reinforcement similar to a racing car to support the arch during propulsion (and when the foot contacts the ball mid air). Cleat (or stud) position varies and favours player preference, but composition polyurethanes give wider opportunity to cope with take off and landing forces. Boots are more flexible and lighter in weight and some contain flexible metallic type sheeting within the mid sole which adapts to peak pressures between bone and stud position. These really contain all that is known about material science and biomechanics of the sport. The incidence of fractures of the middle metatarsals in elite soccer players is more than likely due to over training and playing schedules. Further fielding players with less than a 100% recovery supported by cortisone and or local anaesthetic injections are both controversial and reckless disregard for personal safety. Let us hope that does not arise in the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 .

Tone-def Allstars

A different World Cup song Who do you think you are kidding Jurgen Klinsmann

Soccer Kit Sponsorship

adidas have sponsored six national teams in the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 . These are Argentina , France , Germany , Japan , Spain ,
Trinidad and Tobago . The company have sponsored other national squads including Greece, Nigeria and China but they failed to qualify. Nike meantime sponsor eight teams. These are Australia , Brazil , Croatia , Netherlands , South Korea , Mexico , Portugal and the United States . Their design policy has been to incorporate unique designs for each uniform, such as numbers, colors, collars and detailing, all inspired by each country's soccer heritage. By individualizing national kits, Nike appear to be challenging the dominance of the three stripes of adidas and the red cat of rivals Puma . Nike held simultaneous events in Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Seoul, Amsterdam and Lisbon to present national team uniforms to the fans and media at the same time as they revealed their wares in Germany. Puma AG will sponsor 12 national squads and the red cat logo will be worn by Angola , Czech Republic , Ghana , Iran , Italy , Ivory Coast , Paraguay, Poland , Saudi Arabia , Switzerland , Togo and Tunisia. There are rumours Nike may respond to Adidas's acquisition of Reebok by buying Puma. Puma was created in 1948 by Rudolf Dassler, estranged brother of Adi Dassler. The two companies still have their headquarters in the tiny Bavarian town of Herzogenaurach but remain intense rivals. Other sponsors od national teams are Lotto (Ukraine and Serbia and Montenegro ) , Joma (Costa Rica ), Umbro (England and Sweden ), and Marathon (Ecuador ).

Puma pioneered signing soccer stars and in a Seventies World Cup final, Pele (Brazil) stopped kick-off to bend down and tie his shoelaces with cameras to the ready the world saw Pele in Puma boots. Currently adidas have 300 players under contract and wear the three-stripe boots even even when their national associations are partners of competitors. For instance, England's David Beckham will wear adidas shoes and a jersey by Umbro. However the same courtesy has not been extended to host nation Germany where they will be dressed head to toe in adidas kit. The squad have been warned if they do not comply then they will be dropped. Such dictatorial behaviour has already caused friction with players who have existing contracts and signature boots to promote. No problem with Ronaldinho who will wear Nike kit and Nike boots, and Francesco Totti shall have Puma AG gear for competition. No company publically declares how much they pay top players on the pitch but analysts estimate that Nike's contract with Brazil as well as deals with large football associations such as Germany are worth a double-digit millions amount annually.

A cautionary note has been hit by investment experts who warn whilst an increase in sales has been recorded due to the World Cup, predictions may be overestimated. Whilst the month-long competition will lift spending in Germany the boom may be short lived and the evidence from previous World Cups shows potential beneficiaries may see their stocks drop. Adidas-Salomon AG, dropped 4.6 percent in the last championship and 12 percent four years earlier.


Let the games begin......

Sponsors:The Rivals

A cumulative 28 billion fans watched the FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan 2002 , and FIFA officials expect 32 billion cumulative viewers to tune in this year. Companies are expected to spend more than $1 billion on advertising not including sponsorship fees, and marketing and hospitality during the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 . Being a World Cup sponsor can be lucrative and the popularity of the game in the US has prompted many leading companies to join adidas and sponsor the championship. Budweiser beer , MasterCard , Gillette , Yahoo! , McDonald's and Coca-Cola have all financial backers. adidas, expects to ring up $1.5 billion in soccer sales this year, up from a previous estimate of $1.27 billion. The German giant is leaving nothing to chance. adidas continues to be one of the event’s official sponsors and will supply the match ball in all 64 matches. Sales of the new TeamGeist , (soccer ball) are estimated to be over 15 million by the end of the year. Germany's Adidas-Salomon will shell out close to $200 million, while Oregon-based Nike who has no association with the FIFA World Cup will spend more than $100 million on various campaigns to promote their football apparel. This has caused much angst to their rivals as Nike’s high profile advertising in the past has successfully confused many consumers who remain convinced Nike is the major sponsor of the FIFA World Cup. After the '02 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, market research demonstrated more British consumers thought Nike was the official sponsor of the tournament. Part of Nike’s successful strategy has been to sign some of the world’s most celebrated soccer players, such as Brazilian star Ronaldhino to help spread the Nike message to soccer-obsessed young people around the globe. This year Nike included Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney to endorse their new boots but when he suffered an unconnected metatarsal stress fracture this created an unfortunate blip in Nike promotional plans. Nike have teamed up with Google to create the world's first social network for soccer fans, Joga.com . The website has about 800,000 members from across the world including Chile, Afghanistan, Malaysia, and New Zealand. Subscribers can see the Ronaldinho advert, chat about the games and anything else for that matter about the beautiful game. Nike’s marketing push has already paid off, according to the company, with sales of their soccer gear booming. adidas remains the global leader in soccer footwear with 38% of the market, according to NPD Sports Tracking Europe , Nike now controls 31% but their intent to supplant the German company in the only athletic sneaker category where it is No. 2 is real. A big commercial push during the FIFA World Cup comes at a time when global sales in Ath Leisure footwear in the under 35s is dropping. In both US and UK sales of trainers have faltered of late as more young adults prefer ro wear conservative shoes. This trend is the reverse of over 55 males who appear perfectly satisfied in tracksuits and trainers. Nike and Adidas have set their sights on the global pitch by targeting the higher-growth markets in Latin America and Asia. Asia-specific designs and a strong soccer presence have helped adidas overtake Nike in Japan. adidas have sponsorship the 2008 Beijing Olympics for $80 million; together with Reebok 's $70 million Yao Ming contract and a roster of retail outlets in China set to reach 2,400 by 2008. (adidas bought over rivals Reebok in a $3.8 billion deal earlier last year). China has an expanding middle class and an estimated 2.6 billion feet to fit, hence mainland is considered to be the real gem in the crown as far as marketing is concerned.

The Boots 2006

The days are counting sown to the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 . All the participating teams are gearing up for the world’s biggest event, Soccer boots are the most important item in a footballer’s kit. Today’s slippers are lightweight hardwearing designed to help control the ball and maintain stability of the foot and leg in a variety of weather and surface conditions. Fierce rivalry between boot manufacturers gives a WYSIWYG approach to latest the styles which will all be on show in Germany. Many claims are made for their products but in essence they are mere clones of each other. In the last competition played in Greece four years ago, heat was the main problem which was overcome by introducing cooling systems into the boot and clever use of biomaterials specific to cool the feet and remove excess sweat form the skin surface. The German secret will be weight, with the lightest boot on show. Now on average soccer slippers weigh less than the winner’s medal (just over 2000grams). Lightweight boots are built with blades on the base to give stability and help the speed of the athlete. So as not be confused the shoes by themselves do not make a slow player go faster, that would be deceptive advertising. Instead lightweight slippers with traction will not hinder the athlete’s movements and if they can travel fast their shoes will not hinder. Added support features which prevent the foot moving within the shoe relate more to comfort and energy conservation more than speed per se but many manufacturers promote these as selling points.
adidas launched the +F-50 Tunit , a soccer shoe that allows consumers to choose the upper; the insole; and the cleats, or studs to adapt to different playing conditions. Cleats are replaceable as is the shoe’s in sock and upper is available in 11 national team colours (including Australia). The Nike’s Mercurial vapor Total 90 series is another new kid on the block and will be on show at FIFA World Cup Germany 2006. The Nike Air Zoom Total 90 III FG is a lightweight shoe with a new asymmetrical and integrated lacing system which improves fit and touch on the ball, according to the manufacturers. Added heel support adds to greater player stability and injected midsole provides optimal comfort including reduction from stud pressure. Optimal traction is provided by a sole plate with new circular studs. The shoe is supported by spinal structural bars which is claimed to add motion control and improved stability during flight. Will it result in more goals at the games? Let's wait and see.