20 Longest National Team Kit Partnerships
In football, there are some things that seem like it's have been forever. So it is with the kit makers of many national teams, who have been supplied by the same brand since many can ever imagine. Now football graphic experts @planetafobal take a look at the 20 longest kit partnerships of national teams.
Longest Kit Partnerships In National Teams Soccer
The longest partnerships in football are dominated by the big three brands of today: Adidas, Nike and Puma.
However, even though Nike just entered the market in the early 1990s, the Swoosh has several long-standing deals that stand out in the list. In fact, Nike did rarely lost any of the sponsored nations such as Brazil, Portugal and South Korea.
In some of the earliest cases, the ranking starts with the time that the logo was first present on the kits.
#20 Italy / Puma (17 years)
Italy left Kappa after the 2002 World Cup.
#19 Latvia / Adidas (18 years)
#18 Croatia / Nike (19 years)
Croatia was equipped by Lotto before Nike took over
#17 Argentina / Adidas (19 years)
Le Coq Sportif made Argentina's kit before.
#16 Moldavia / Jako (20 years)
#15 Estonia / Nike (20 years)
#14 Japan / Adidas (21 years)
Before Adidas took over, Japan did had various kit suppliers and designed their shirt themselves (just the logo of brand)
#13 Switzerland / Puma (22 years)
#12 Honduras / Joma (22 years)
#11 Portugal / Nike (23 years)
Adidas made Portugal's kits until the early 1990s.
#10 Brazil / Nike (23 years)
Nike took over th2 1994 World Cup champions from Umbro
#09 South Korea / Nike (24 years)
After several years with Rapido, South Korean were chosen by Nike to land in the growing Asian market.
#08 Netherlands / Nike (25 years)
Holland left Lotto after the 1994 World Cup
#07 Hungary / Adidas (25 years)
The Hungarians have been with the three straps for a quarter of a century that could be more if it were not for the fleeting appearance of Umbro in the early nineties.
#06 United States / Nike (25 years)
After the 1994 World Cup, when the US team was supplied by Adidas, Nike signed with US Soccer.
#05 Ecuador / Marathon (25 years)
After playing with Reebok shirts in the 1995 Copa América in Uruguay, Ecuadorians signed with a company from Quito that has managed to expand by currently dressing the teams from Peru and Bolivia.
#04 Czech Republic / Puma (26 years)
Puma has accompanied the Czechs almost since the former Czechoslovakia was dissolved (1993).
#03 Spain / Adidas (29 years)
In the early 90's, Adidas replaced Le Coq Sportif. After recent drawbacks (the RFEF threatened a possible termination) they extended their deal until 2030 .
#02 Germany / Adidas (40 years)
It is the longest-running contract in history at the national team level starting at the 1954 World Cup. However, Erima, who owned the brand, was the first to stamp its logo in many of the 60 and 70 until in 80 the three strips appeared.
#01 Austria / Puma (44 years)
The OFB (Austrian Football Association) and Puma officially started their relationship in 1974 but it was two years later when the "big cat" was present on the shirts itself
Which brand x national team relation is the most iconic in football? Can you imagine teams like Germany not playing with Adidas kit? Share your thoughts in the comments below and see the evolution of old and new football shirts on Football Kit Archive.
