Adidas hints at Bafana Bafana comeback as SAFA drops Le Coq Sportif
Iconic moment: Bafana Bafana's Siphiwe Tshabalala celebrates after scoring South Africa's iconic opening goal at the 2010 World Cup held in the country. German sportswear apparel company Adidas have hinted they could be making the team's kit at next year's World Cup in North America. Photo: Gabriel Bouys/AFP
Image: Gabriel Bouys/AFP
German sportswear apparel company Adidas have hinted on their social media channels that they will be taking over as the kit maker for the World Cup-bound Bafana Bafana.
Bafana Bafana booked their spot in North America on Tuesday night with an emphatic 3-0 win over Rwanda, and the South African Football Association subsequently announced the next day that their relationship with French sportswear brand Le Coq Sportif will be coming to an end in December.
“Our relationship started with many challenges but inspired a lot of on-field success for all our national teams, specifically our senior teams, Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana. We want to thank Le Coq Sportif for the partnership and we wish them well in their future endeavours,” SAFA CEO CEO Lydia Monyepao said in a statement.
Posting images of Thalente Mbatha and Ronwen Willians – who wear Adidas boots – on their social media channels, the Germany company had the words “count is in” on the photos.
“When belief becomes a reality. For the first time since 2010, all roads lead to the 2026 FIFA World Cup for Bafana Bafana,” they said in the post.
The post lead many to believe that Bafana Bafana, who were famously kitted out by Adidas during their last appearance at the World Cup in 2010, will once again be wearing jerseys made by the company in next year’s edition.
If the partnership is confirmed, it would mark a symbolic reunion between Bafana Bafana and one of football’s most iconic brands. The potential return of the three stripes evokes memories of the nation’s proudest footballing moments on home soil in 2010 – a fitting way to usher in a new era as South Africa prepares to take on the world once more.
IOL Sport