Cameroon's 2002 Vests Headline List of 7 Controversial National Team Kits

• Germany fans have been banned from buying the national kits with the number 44
• The latest designs have been likened to the controversial SS logo from WWII
• This is not the first time a shirt design has caused outrage in the football world

Germany’s national kit has been the subject of controversy in recent days thanks to a questionable design in the number ‘4’.

Giant sports apparel brand Adidas has now come forward to ban football fans from customizing the German national shirt with the number ‘44’.

According to The Guardian, this is because of a gaffe that was realised by Adidas and the German football team in terms of the design of the font.

The design has an eerie resemblance to a logo used by a paramilitary from the World War, with initial concerns being brought forth by the historian Michael König.

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The Schutzstaffel (SS) was a military group of Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich, which carried out mass killings of Jewish people in various parts of Europe.

Questions have also been raised about the pink colour of the jersey, which critics have claimed is untraditional and a cash grab.

Sports Brief now looks at some of the most controversial shirt designs in recent history:

1. Fiorentina’s 1992 away kit

In 1992, the football community was left baffled at how Fiorentina was allowed to print a very controversial shirt design.

Their away kit had to be banned midway through the 1992/93 season as the geometric shapes resembled that of an insignia coined by Hitler.

2. Cameroon’s 2002 home kit

The Indomitable Lions tested the system in 2002 by coming up with a sleeveless shirt design that resembled tank tops more than football jerseys.

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FIFA denounced the design by PUMA as vests and the kit was ultimately banned before the 2002 World Cup.

3. Cameroon’s away kit, 2004

Cameroon’s kit design was on the spot again two years later, this time in messier circumstances.

PUMA released a one-piece kit for the Indomitable Lions for the Africa Cup of Nations, and this instantly attracted attention from FIFA, who issued a $154,000 fine and a six-point deduction to Cameroon in their World Cup qualifying group.

The case went to court as PUMA filed a lawsuit against FIFA, and the case was eventually dropped.

4. Palestino FC home kit, 2014

Chile-based outfit Club Deportivo Palestino unveiled a controversial home kit for the 2014 season.

It didn’t take long for some critics to note that some numbers in the shirts resembled the map of Palestine before Israel was created.

The green, red and white theme on the shirts also resembled the Palestine flag and many football fans knew this was no coincidence.

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5. Brazil’s third shirt, 2013/2014

In the spirit of following the trends amid the rise of Instagram and Twitter, Nike took a huge gamble in 2013 with the Brazilian third kit.

The uniquely designed shirt comprised five stars at the front, and there was a sleeve badge that looked out of place. Also, the limited edition ‘blackout’ kit was, of course, black in colour, something that was not received too well by the Brazilian Football Association.

Notably, the shirt was never used at the 2014 World Cup, and Brazil instead went for their classic Blue away jerseys as an alternative to their traditional yellow.

6. Argentina home kit, 1994

This was another case where a shirt caused controversy in the build-up to a World Cup.

Argentine Football Association President Julio Grondona was displeased with the inclusion of black stripes which Adiddas had added to La Albiceleste’s renowned blue and white shirt and production was halted immediately.

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7. Mexico home kit, 1999

Mexico’s case in 1999 was quite unique as their shirt was not banned by their Federation or FIFA, but the country’s federal government.

The government never gave a concrete reason for banning the all-green shirts which had the Mexican national shield at the front.

Euro 2024 qualified teams

Sports Brief also reported on all the teams that have qualified for the highly-anticipated Euro 2024.

Ukraine, Poland, and Georgia booked their spots in the major tournament after winning their respective play-off finals during the latest international break.