Germany is Adidas’ home team and reached the 2014 World Cup final. Photo: AFP

The Argentinian team overcoming the Netherlands in the semi-finals brought a brand victory to the sports company Adidas (Germany) when both teams that reached the final had their uniforms sponsored by this unit.

Both defeated their Nike-sponsored opponents (Brazil and the Netherlands).

`Sponsoring the teams in the final is the biggest prize for brands,` said John Kristick, CEO of advertising brokerage firm GroupM.

Adidas has turned Lionel Messi, the main striker of the Argentina team and its `strategic card`, into the center of its advertising campaign at this World Cup.

Adidas has a long history of cooperation with FIFA and the World Cup since the 1950s, winning a contract to supply balls from 1970 to 2030. A company representative said the value of football-related goods in 2014 exceeded 2 million.

`The recent victories of the German national team have ensured that Adidas is the most seen brand at the World Cup finals,` said Herbert Heiner, CEO of Adidas.

Nike, the American sportswear company that is Adidas’s leading competitor, sponsored 10 of the 32 teams participating in the 2014 World Cup but was not really successful.

Neymar (Brazil), Nike’s main striker after Ronaldo, in the round of 16 match had to leave the field on a stretcher and go straight to the hospital after colliding with an opposing player.

Another sports brand, Puma, was not present through the costumes of the teams that reached the next round, but its presence in past matches and the final match is undeniable.

List of costume sponsors playing with the team at the 2014 World Cup:

1. Nike (American company, 10 teams): Australia, England, Brazil, Croatia, France, Greece, Netherlands, Portugal, Korea, USA.

2. Adidas (German firm, 9 teams): Argentina, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Colombia, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, Spain.

3. Puma (German company, 8 teams): Algeria, Cameroon, Chile, Ghana, Italy, Ivory Coast, Switzerland, Uruguay.

4. – Burdda (Swiss firm): Belgium.

– Joma Sport (Spanish company): Honduras.

– Lotto (Italian company): Costa Rica.

– Marathon Sport (Ecuadorian company): Ecuador.

– Uhlsport (German company): Iran.