Whilst the same old giants of football fight it out again, there is also a mighty battle between the sports manufacturers on the pitch, each trying to gain valuable equity with the (average) 60 million viewers per match across the world. The brand warhorses Adidas, Nike, Puma and Umbro all have a strong presence an the kits - the Puma emblem is almost as large as the Italian badge, and also appears on each shoulder. The kit design has been relatively subdued compared to recent competitions, the only real exceptions being the French away kit, and the Ukraine kit with the claw marks rising up from the shorts onto the shirts. This sense of discretion may be reflective of our fashion desires, but I suspect that it is so that there are no ugly graphics to distract us from the logotype. If it also helps us to see who is is playing, all the better.
Well, who won? Brazil (Nike) are the top box office draw, and they appeared in three of the top four viewed matches of the early rounds. The home team Germany (Adidas), against history and form, became a popular 'second' choice team with their surprisingly positive football, only to be defeated in the semi-finals. England (Umbro) underachieved again. Italy (Puma) have probably the most beautiful kit, mainly because it's worn by the uber-cool Italians. And they actually won the competition, which Puma must hope stands for something, as that oversized cat will be seen on news front pages from Equador to Australia. The battle will now just be transferred back to our high street until the next sports competition…
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