PUMA has stolen a march on its bigger German rival Adidas and will be the number-one brand at the Soccer World Cup 2006 in Germany, with 11 qualifiers ensuring that PUMA has more logos on the pitch than its rival.
The company will be the Official Technical Supplier of on-field, sideline, training and representation apparel as well as equipment to 11 national teams at the upcoming 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
Where PUMA has really shown clever long-term thinking is by signing deals with Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast - they already had Tunisia, which means they have four of the five (80%) African teams at the World Cup.
"This is a tremendous statement for PUMA and once again underlines our commitment to football, with the aim of further strengthening PUMA as one of the leading football brands," said CEO and Chairman Jochen Zeitz.
All associated PUMA national teams will be endorsing the dominating brand's new v1.06 statement product concept, which will be launched at the African Cup of Nations in Egypt in January 2006.
Chelsea team-mates Michael Essien of Ghana and Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast should grab quite a few headlines in Germany, and Adidas and Nike must be kicking themselves for not investing in African talent - PUMA also has Cameroon and Senegal, who just missed World Cup qualification but will be among the favourites at the African Cup of Nations.
With the play-offs completed on 16 November, the following PUMA-contracted national teams are confirmed for participation in next year's major sporting event: Czech Republic, Poland, Ghana, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Switzerland, Italy, Togo, Ivory Coast, Tunisia and Paraguay.
The flamboyant Italians, one of the World Cup favourites, will play in a sexy new away kit designed in collaboration with fashion designer Neil Barrett, who has worked with Prada and Gucci. The kit made its debut in Italy's 3-1 drubbing of Holland in Amsterdam on 12 November 2005.
"We take great pride in being the brand with most national teams at next year's event and would like to congratulate all eleven Federations for their wonderful achievement, as well as those PUMA associated Federations that battled hard throughout the qualification," said Zeitz.
