The first World Cup I attended in person was the 1974 tournament in West Germany. What caught my eye back then were the players’ jerseys—each had three distinct stripes running from the shoulder down the sleeve as an accent.
More than half a century later, those “three stripes” are still a common sight, now almost a classic design. Even Japan’s 2026 World Cup kit features them clearly in white on a blue background.
But when I first saw those three stripes in 1974, they felt incredibly fresh.
That’s because, before then, soccer jerseys were extremely simple. At the club level, striped kits like Inter Milan’s or AC Milan’s vertical stripes weren’t unusual. Celtic wore green and white horizontal stripes without squad numbers, with large numbers on their shorts. Arsenal had the unique red body and white sleeves designed by legendary manager Herbert Chapman in the 1930s. Ajax’s white-and-red kit, which helped them win three consecutive European Cups (now Champions League) until 1973, was also eye-catching.
But national team kits were mostly plain, single colors. England wore white, Scotland navy, Wales red, Ireland green. France and Italy both wore blue—though the shades were clearly different. The Netherlands, of course, wore orange.
They usually had no design or decoration. Among soccer powerhouses, only Argentina wore celeste y blanco (light blue and white vertical stripes) and Peru wore a red sash.
So those three stripes on the sleeves were a big deal.
Those three stripes are, of course, Adidas’s trademark. Since the 1950s, shoe designs had been distinctive, and Adidas’s three stripes were especially famous.
When I started playing soccer in the 1960s, even Japan had shoes imitating the three stripes (though that wouldn’t be allowed today). Adidas ads appeared in soccer magazines.
But I hadn’t seen Puma shoes until the 1966 World Cup film *Goal* showed Eusébio, the top scorer, wearing Pumas. I wondered what brand those wavy lines belonged to.
In 1974, Adidas placed the three stripes on jersey sleeves, shorts side panels, and sock tops. That broadcast to the world that most World Cup teams wore Adidas kits. It marked the beginning of soccer’s commercialization, which became more pronounced after the 1970s.
However, there were two exceptions.
One was the host nation, West Germany, who won the tournament. Their kits did not have three stripes—despite their training gear having them. The white-and-black jerseys remained plain. Adidas respected the tradition of plain white for their home country (West Germany only added three stripes from the 1982 World Cup onward).
The other exception was Johan Cruyff, the Dutch superstar who defined the tournament.
The Netherlands of 1974 used a high defensive line, offside traps, and attacking from all positions, pressing the ball high up the pitch. That was “Total Football.”
They wore Adidas kits, so their orange jerseys had black three stripes on the sleeves. But captain Cruyff alone wore two stripes instead of three.
In the photo, Jonny Rep (No. 16) has three stripes, while Cruyff (center) has two.
That was because Cruyff had a personal contract with Puma, Adidas’s rival. It’s unthinkable today, but Adidas gave him an exception.
Adidas was founded by German shoemaker Adolf “Adi” Dassler, combining his nickname with his surname. (His brother Rudolf founded Puma.)
Adidas’s shoes skyrocketed to fame at the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland.
At that time, Hungary was considered unbeatable, having gone undefeated in international matches for four years (28 wins, 4 draws), including a 6–3 victory over England at Wembley in 1953. Nicknamed the “Mighty Magyars,” they were heavy favorites.
But the final in Bern’s Wankdorf Stadium was hit by heavy rain. While Hungarian players struggled on the muddy pitch, West German players wore Adidas’s newly developed screw-in stud boots, gaining an advantage. West Germany came from behind to win 3–2 and claim their first World Cup.
Adidas went on to dominate soccer, and Adolf Dassler strengthened ties with FIFA, becoming an official supplier. Since 1970, Adidas has provided the official match ball for every World Cup.
In the 1970s, Adolf’s son Horst Dassler took over, founded the sports marketing agency ISL, and leveraged connections with IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch and FIFA president João Havelange to commercialize global sports.
Half a century later, soccer kits are more varied than ever. The 2026 World Cup will see the USA wearing a bold red-and-white striped design. Alongside traditional makers Adidas and Puma, Nike—founded in the U.S.—now forms a third major force, competing fiercely in the market.