BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - In contrast to his cabinet colleagues Robert Habeck and Karl Lauterbach, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has not commented on the German Football Association's change of supplier from Adidas to Nike. "The Chancellor says: This is an autonomous decision by the German Football Association," said Deputy Government Spokesman Wolfgang Büchner in Berlin on Friday.

Previously, both Economics Minister and Vice-Chancellor Habeck (Greens) and Health Minister Lauterbach (SPD) had criticized the DFB's decision to let its contract with Franconian company Adidas expire and switch to US sporting goods manufacturer Nike in 2027. "I can hardly imagine the German jersey without the three stripes. Adidas and black, red and gold have always gone together for me. A piece of German identity. I would have liked a bit more local patriotism," Habeck explained.

Lauterbach had written on X (formerly Twitter) that he considered it "a wrong decision where commerce destroys a tradition and a piece of home". Numerous other leading German politicians such as CSU leader Markus Soder and Hesse's Minister President Boris Rhein (CDU) also criticized the DFB's decision./mkl/DP/men