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    Germany end 70-year adidas partnership in favour of new kit supplier as furious fans say ‘that’s not right man’

    GERMANY have announced the end of their 70-year partnership with adidas.The national team’s kits will instead be supplied by Nike from 2027 in a deal which runs until 2034.Nike will replace Adidas as Germany’s kit supplier from 2027 in a seven-year dealCredit: AFPIt brings to an end their long-running Adidas partnership, with the deal confirmed by the DFB.In an official statement, DFB president Bernd Neuendorf said: “We’re looking forward to working together with Nike and we’re pleased with the trust placed in us.”The future partnership allows the DFB to fulfil central functions with a view to a comprehensive development of football in Germany in the coming decade.”However, it’s also clear that we will fully commit to achieving joint success with our long-standing and current partner adidas, who German football owes a great deal to for more than seven decades of cooperation, until December 2026.”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe news has angered fans on social media, though, with one commenting: “That’s not right man.”Another added: “Insane.”A third fan also wrote: “Embarrassing.”Meanwhile, one more said: “Shocking…”Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSAdidas have already revealed Germany’s kits for Euro 2024, where the host nation will face Scotland, Hungary and Switzerland in Group A.The new home shirt is in Die Mannschaft’s traditional white with black, red and yellow on the sleeves in a nod to the German flag.Young stars set to shine at Euro 2024In contrast, the away jersey is far brighter with a combination of pink and purple blended together.Adidas will once again produce the national team’s kit for the 2026 World Cup if Germany qualify as well as next year’s Women’s Euros before the Nike deal starts in 2027. More

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    England kit row as fans blast ‘meaningless’ change to St George’s Cross and Nike and FA reject demands to recall it

    NIKE and the FA have “no plans” to recall the new England home kit amid a row over its altered St George’s flag.The Three Lions’ strips were unveiled on Monday with the traditional red cross altered to one with navy, light blue and purple.England’s new kit has a changed St George’s flag on itCredit: Nike/XSome Three Lions fans have called on the shirt to be changedCredit: Twitter / EnglandIt is thought to be a nod to the 1966 World Cup winners’ training kit – which contained blue, red and purple.The change led to some labelling the shirt “woke” as they called on the manufacturer to revert back to the usual colours.But according to The Mail, Nike will not succumb to pressure from some England fans.A Nike spokesperson said: “The England 2024 Home kit disrupts history with a modern take on a classic.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”The trim on the cuffs takes its cues from the training gear worn by England’s 1966 heroes, with a gradient of blues and reds topped with purple.”The same colours also feature an interpretation of the flag of St. George on the back of the collar.”The only concession from the American brand was that a tweet describing it as a “playful update” which “appears on the collar to unite and inspire” was “clumsy language”.Nike are said to be receiving support from the FA who “completely stand by” the slight tweak.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSIt is understood the flag alteration was the work of a Nike designer, but was also signed off by the FA.And the FA insist the decision was made to “honour the classic colour regime of 1966 training gear”.How Jude Bellingham is key to England winning Euro 2024The 2024 kit was agreed upon two years ago and the unlikely decision to create and distribute a new one would take between six and nine months.TalkSPORT host Simon Jordan has slammed the decision to alter the St George’s Cross.He said: “I don’t quite understand why Nike want to have a playful brief on our identity.”Is our national identity a joke, is it something we’re ashamed of? I think our national identity is something we should be proud of. I don’t find it offensive, I find it unnecessary. “Rather than reclaim it, what we’ll do is put up a meaningless cross that has no value to it and represents nobody.”No other country would allow this to happen, they wouldn’t allow it to be done on their national shirt.READ MORE SUN STORIES”This is the same Nike that couldn’t even be bothered to produce Mary Earps shirts. I don’t think we should be taking lessons from Nike on the values of this country.”And the FA are absolutely complicit in this. The FA will have their virtue-signalling fingers all over this.”The altered badge is said to be honouring the 1966 training kitCredit: PA More

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    Mary Earps receives ‘never again’ promise from Nike as England Lioness makes history with SPOTY award

    MARY EARPS claims she has a commitment from Nike to never repeat their replica jersey farce.The England and Manchester United stopper believes other giant sportswear companies will now flood the market with women’s football tops.
    Mary Earps won the Sports Personality of the Year award on Tuesday nightCredit: PA
    Nike eventually put Earps shirts on sale after furious backlash from fansCredit: Getty
    In July, Earps voiced her anger that fans could not buy a Lionesses keeper shirt because the FA’s kit suppliers were not prepared to manufacture and then sell them.
    Nike reversed that decision after Earps helped Sarina Wiegman’s side to the World Cup final, saving a penalty in the final defeat to Spain in Sydney.
    Twice since it has gone on sale and sold out quickly on both occasions.
    Earps, 30, said: “I am just happy that it was sold. It was more about the principle.
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    “It’s been a long, work-in-progress and the public have got behind me.
    “Now it’s a conversation of, ‘OK, how many?’ And that’s a very different conversation to what it was before.”
    Earps was speaking after winning the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award on Tuesday in Salford.
    It is the second year in a row a female footballer has won SPOTY after striker Beth Mead got it in late 2022.
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    Earps won the Golden Glove at the World Cup in the summerCredit: Reuters
    Asked if brands like Umbro and Adidas may now start selling women’s shirts, Earps replied: “I would like to think so.
    “I’ve had a commitment from Nike it will never happen again. Hopefully other sports brands will follow suit.
    “The messaging being sent out was really damaging. Now you don’t have that. People can be whatever they want to be. Representation and visibility is so important.” More

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    England Lionesses keeper shirts sell out in FIVE minutes after Mary Earps’ huge Women’s World Cup row with Nike

    LIONESSES goalkeeper shirts finally went on sale this morning – and they sold out within a matter of minutes.A batch of the shirts went on sale at 8am and were sold out by 8:05am amid high demand.
    England goalkeeper shirts sold out this morningCredit: Getty
    Mary Earps urged Nike to sell them ahead of the Women’s World CupCredit: Getty
    The number put on the official England online shop was comparable to that of the men’s strips prior to a major international tournament.
    Mary Earps was left “hugely disappointed” ahead of this summer’s Women’s World Cup after Nike failed to put any goalkeeper shirts on sale.
    The Manchester United star also revealed that she had been “fighting behind closed doors” and “trying to go through the correct channels” in a bid to find a solution.
    Nike initially decided against selling the shirts, but made a U-turn in August.
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    A limited quantity was released on the Nike website in October without warning and sold out almost instantly.
    Some later appeared on eBay for DOUBLE the price.
    Two shirts were sold for an astonishing £199.99, while another went for £174.99.
    Earps played a crucial role in England’s journey to the Women’s World Cup final earlier this year.
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    Although the Lionesses suffered a 1-0 defeat to Spain, the United keeper was awarded with the Golden Glove.
    She has since been named as England Women’s Player of the Year and BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year. More

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    Nike gives Mason Greenwood update as star shows off shoes on Instagram

    NIKE have issued a Mason Greenwood update after the footie star showed off his shoe haul on Instagram.The 22-year-old Getafe forward shared a snap of himself wearing fresh Nike trainers on the social media site earlier this week.
    Mason Greenwood is currently on loan at GetafeCredit: Rex
    The forward posted on Instagram wearing Nike Air Max 97sCredit: Instagram
    Greenwood also sparked speculation after uploading a snap featuring a number of different coloured Nike shoes spilling out of a bag.
    One photo showed a pair of £9,000 platinum Cactus Plant Flea Market Pure Platinum Nike Dunk Lows – covered in Swarovski crystals.
    While he also flashed his £2,113 Desert Moss trainers.
    Nike sponsored the ex-England star before cancelling his contract in 2022 after he was arrested by cops.
    However, all charges – which Greenwood has always denied – were dropped in February 2023 by the Crown Prosecution Service.
    Now, the sportswear giant have confirmed that Greenwood is no longer linked to Nike, despite the recent post.
    “Mason Greenwood is no longer a Nike athlete,” a spokesman told The Sun.
    The popular brand also confirmed that they no longer had any relationship at all with Greenwood.
    Most read in Football
    Greenwood has not signed a new contract with any boot maker since Nike cut him loose.
    This means that the striker is free to sign with a rival sponsor should he choose to do so if approached.
    Players without boot sponsors often play in blackout boots with no logo.
    This could be because they are not endorsing a specific brand and do not want to be associated with a company until they get paid.
    Others, such as Vinicius Jr, have also worn blackout boots in protest before.
    However, Greenwood had fans talking after he continued to sport the prominent Nike “swoosh” logo despite his axing.
    The striker has also been spotted wearing old Nike Mercurial Superfly 4 boots this year.
    Greenwood “mutually agreed” to leave United on August 21 following a probe into his January 2022 arrest.
    The forward was provided with a pathway back to football by La Liga side Getafe.
    The Spanish club announced the deal just minutes before the summer transfer window deadline arrived on Friday.
    Greenwood has bagged three goals and three assists in ten games, settling into Spanish life with his partner and baby daughter.
    It isn’t yet known whether the Red Devils will look to sell the attacker next summer or loan him out again.
    United will receive no loan fee and will cover the majority of his £75,000-a-week wage during his time in Spain.
    Greenwood still has two years left to run with the option of a further 12 months had the club wanted to take it up.
    Failing to offload him would have left the club facing a payment of nearly £8million.
    The striker also shared a pic of a bag full of Nike trainersCredit: Instagram More

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    Mason Greenwood shares photos of Nike shoes despite ex-Man Utd star being dropped by sponsor after arrest

    MASON Greenwood has shared photos of Nike shoes despite the sponsor dropping the e ex-Manchester United star.The 22-year-old striker shared a snap of himself wearing Nike trainers but it is unclear if he has re-signed with the popular sportswear brand.
    Mason Greenwood posted on Instagram wearing Nike Air Max 97sCredit: Instagram
    The striker also shared a pic of a bag full of Nike trainersCredit: Instagram
    Nike sponsored the ex-England star before cancelling his contract in 2022 after he was arrested by cops.
    However, all charges – which Greenwood has always denied – were dropped in February 2023 by the Crown Prosecution Service.
    Greenwood has not signed a new contract with any boot maker since Nike cut him loose.
    But has now shared a post on Instagram of him wearing Nike Air Max 97s.
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    Greenwood also sparked speculation after uploading a picture featuring a number of different coloured Nike shoes in a bag.
    Players without boot sponsors often play in blackout boots with no logo.
    This could be because they are not endorsing a specific brand and do not want to be associated with a company until they get paid.
    Others, such as Vinicius Jr, have also worn blackout boots in protest before.
    Most read in Football
    But Greenwood has continued to sport the prominent Nike “swoosh” logo despite his axing.
    The striker has also been spotted wearing old Nike Mercurial Superfly 4 boots this year.
    In February, the sportswear company confirmed that Mason Greenwood is no longer associated with them.
    This was despite the ex-Prem ace updating a social media page to include a link to them.
    Greenwood “mutually agreed” to leave United on August 21 following a probe into his January 2022 arrest.
    The forward was provided with a pathway back to football by La Liga side Getafe.
    The Spanish club announced the deal just minutes before the summer transfer window deadline arrived on Friday.
    Greenwood has bagged three goals and two assists in nine games, settling into the Spanish way of life with his partner and baby daughter.
    United will receive no loan fee and will cover the majority of his £75,000-a-week wage during his time in Spain.
    Greenwood still has two years left to run with the option of a further 12 months had the club wanted to take it up.
    Failing to offload him would have left the club facing a payment of nearly £8million.
    The Sun have contacted Nike for comment.
    Greenwood has been plying his trade on loan at GetafeCredit: Rex More

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    Biggest feet in football from Ibrahimovic’s size 12s to Maguire and his gigantic boots with Arsenal Invincible top dog

    FOOTBALL players and fans alike are obsessed with the boots worn on the field.From Jack Grealish’s record-breaking boot sponsorship deal with Puma to the arms race between Nike and Adidas that has spanned decades, football boots are no laughing matter.
    The global football boot industry is estimated to be worth nearly £20billion by 2028Credit: Getty – Contributor
    Jack Grealish signed a record breaking boot deal with Puma earlier this yearCredit: Puma
    Juan Mata poked fun at a former Man Utd team-mates gargantuan bootsCredit: Instagram
    In fact, it is estimated the global industry for football boots will be worth almost £20billion by 2028, with each year seeing an average market growth of 5.4 per cent from 2022.
    There are all type of boots from hard ground to artificial turf as well as no end to variations in style.
    Weight is also a huge factor for many elite athletes who try to maximise marginal gains. So what about the size of the boot itself?
    Some of the world’s best players such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are famous cases of using small boots, with Ronaldo going for a fit SMALLER than his actual foot size.
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    Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai revealed how his dad made him wear smaller boots to stop his feet from growing in an effort to mould them into the perfect shape.
    However, what about the top end of the scale?
    You may expect a behemoth such as Erling Haaland to feature on a list of footballers with the largest size feet, but you will be shocked to learn he only uses a 9.5 size boot.
    Fear not though, for we have compiled a list of football stars with some of the largest boot sizes in the world.
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    Paul Pogba – size 10.5
    Paul Pogba often used his size 10.5 boots as a reflection of his playstyleCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    Former Manchester United star Paul Pogba stands at 6ft 3″ tall and wears a size 10.5 Adidas boot. He was always something of a showman when it came to his boots.
    In 2017 he was seen wearing a boot with his face stitched on, while his 2022/23 boots after returning to Juventus featured a stunning blue and pink design.
    Thibaut Courtois – size 11
    Thibaut Courtois is often seen making stunning saves with his size 11 bootsCredit: The Times
    It should be no surprise to see a goalkeeper on this list and ex-Chelsea Thibaut Courtois is a prime example.
    On more than occasion his size 11 boots have saved Real Madrid from conceding, with a notable performance in the 2022 Champions League final against Liverpool coming to mind.
    Sol Campbell is another star who possibly wore size 11 boots after donating a pair of his size 11 Puma boots to the Small Steps Project.
    However, according to The Independent Campbell was brought a size 14 pair of trainers by a senior conservative aide while he was visiting a constituency for the party in 2015.
    Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Peter Crouch, Virgil van Dijk and Fraser Forster – size 12
    Zlatan Ibrahimovic was always a star who used acrobatic flicks to his advantageCredit: AFP or licensors
    Peter Crouch’s long frame managed to get him a number of goalsCredit: —
    There are a number of high profile footballers past and present who have worn size 12.
    It is not that surprising either considering each of these stars would not look out of place in the NBA.
    Standing between 6ft 4″ and 6ft 7″, these stars have all used height as a deadly weapon for their teams.
    Martial arts expert Zlatan Ibrahimovic was never one to shy away from an acrobatic goal, while Peter Crouch had a knack for getting his toe to the ball.
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    Virgil van Dijk established himself as one of the Premier League’s best defenders with a cultured ball-playing ability and defensive prowess boosted by his physicality.
    Messi praised Fraser Forster as having “the best goalkeeping performance I have seen” against him when Barcelona lost to Celtic in 2012, with the Tottenham reserve making 13 saves in that game.
    Manuel Neuer – size 12.5
    Manuel Neuer pioneered the modern style of goalkeepingCredit: AFP
    A player who pioneered the position of goalkeeper as we know it today, Bayern Munich star Manuel Neuer is the first name that comes for mind when saying the term sweeper-keeper.
    Cool as a cucumber playing out from the back and equally adept at shot-stopping, the German was helped in his acts by his huge frame underpinned by size 12.5 boots.
    Harry Maguire – size 13
    Harry Maguire wears size 13 bootsCredit: Getty
    Harry Maguire will be hoping to book a spot at Euro 2024 amid his struggles in the last couple of seasons at Man Utd.
    To do that he will need to ensure his size 13 boots are getting action on the pitch.
    Romelu Lukaku – size 13.5
    Romelu Lukaku was mocked by Man Utd team-mates for his size 13.5 bootsCredit: Rex
    Romelu Lukaku came in to replace Ibrahimovic at Man Utd and had no problem filling the Swede’s boots in his first season, considering his feet are a full size-and-a-half larger.
    While the size 13.5 boots have helped the Belgian’s keen eye for goal, it was also the butt of a few jokes with team-mates, with Juan Mata sharing a picture with the boots comically misplaced on his own feet.
    Nwankwo Kanu – size 15
    Arsenal Invincible Nwankwo Kanu wore size 15 bootsCredit: Getty
    But it did not stop him getting a reputation for having excellent ball controlCredit: PA
    But none of the previous names come close to the king of the football boot world – Arsenal Invincible Nwankwo Kanu – who wore a stunning size 15.
    The Nigerian forward starred for Arsenal in both their 2002 and 2004 title winning sides, scoring 44 goals across five and a half seasons with the Gunners.
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    And the size of his feet did not stop him from possessing silky ball control.
    Former team-mate Lee Dixon told The Athletic on Kanu: “He’d just control the whole training session. You literally couldn’t get the ball off him.” More

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    Chelsea’s new 2023/24 third kit a ‘thing of beauty’ with fans loving the throwback to first ever shirt from 1905

    CHELSEA supporters have reacted with delight to the club’s new third kit – a throwback to their first-ever shirt.Fans of Mauricio Pochettino’s team are now able to buy the latest offering as it went on sale.
    Chelsea have revealed their new third kit for the 2023/24 campaignCredit: Instagram @chelseafc
    The Eton Blue inspired design has proven to be a huge hit with supportersCredit: Instagram @chelseafc
    Chelsea’s Twitter account announced that it was now available for purchase with a short and sharp statement.
    It read: “Inspired by Eton Blue. A Chelsea original.
    “Our 2023/24 @nikefootball third kit pays homage to our first ever shirt, back in 1905.”
    And it seems to be a huge hit with supporters of the Premier League club as they quickly took to social media to share their love.
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    One response read: “Chelsea’s third kit is a thing of beauty.”
    Another declared: “We are winning the league with this kit.”
    “All three of this season’s kits are on fire,” said another happy punter.
    Another fan hailed it as “perfect” while a fellow supporter promised that they were “getting this definitely”.
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    The love-in for the retro throwback number continued as the images of the Nike designed kit continued to spread.
    “That is phenomenal,” said another, as a fellow fan said they were “delighted” with it.
    And another proudly declared: “Our 2023/24 kit is a thing of beauty. Love the nod to our heritage.” More