adidas have announced a significant milestone on the road to the FIFA World Cup 2014 Brazil by announcing a partnership with Brazilian giants Flamengo.
It has been 20 years since adidas and the club partnered together and the new 10-year deal, beginning in May 2013, represents a long term commitment to Brazilian football. The partnership adds Flamengo to the select group of top tier global clubs sponsored by adidas including AC Milan, FC Bayern Munich, Chelsea & Real Madrid.
Fernando Basualdo, president of adidas Brazil, said: “adidas is the leading brand in the worldwide football market and in Brazil we want to continue to establish a strong and lasting relationship with the fans. Our return to Flamengo is a major milestone in our history and a natural strategy of presence at this important time, as we approach the greatest sporting events in the country,”
This is the first time adidas and Flamengo have joined forces since a hugely successful period experienced by the club, particularly in the 1980s. This period saw the Rio club win some of its most important titles whilst in adidas kit, titles that included the historic victory in the FIFA Club World Cup in 1981.
Eduardo Bandeira de Mello, Flamengo’s President, said: “Flamengo welcomes with open arms a partner of great weight in our history that will certainly contribute again to great achievements and to the internationalization of the Flamengo brand. We are very proud to have adidas with us once again.”
