Adidas Abandons Use of Number 44 on German National Football Team Jerseys

The German company Adidas has decided not to use the number 44 on the jerseys of the German national football team for Euro 2024. Previously, social media users had noted that the design of the number on the jersey closely resembled the symbolism of the National Socialist German Workers' Party's SS (Schutzstaffel).

The German Football Association has announced that no player from the national team will wear the number 44, as all players will be wearing numbers 1 to 23 during the European Championship.

“We want to address the number 44 as quickly as possible. Adidas employs people from nearly 100 countries, and our company is committed to promoting diversity and inclusiveness. As a company, we stand actively against intolerance, anti-Semitism, violence, and hate in all forms,” said Oliver Brüggen, a representative of Adidas, to Bild.