Puma have reignited a long standing argument with Adidas. Puma and Adidas both claim to be the first company to manufacture and market screw in studs for football boots.
Puma and Adidas were each founded by Dassler brothers, Rudolf and Adolf respectively (see previous post Adidas V Puma). They parted acrimoniously in 1948, from the firm they managed between them, Dassler OHG.
Adidas, the first screw in football boots
Adidas claim (view Adidas history, wriiten by Adidas), that just before the 1954 World Cup final in Switzerland, light rain turned to a downpour, having a major impact on the playing surface of the pitch. Fortunately for the German side, who were contesting the final with Hungary, Adidas the Germans football boot suppliers, had prepared the first screw in studs and kitted the German side out with long studs. The Hungarians were unable to grip the pitch like the Germans, the Germans went on to win the match 3-2, winning their first World Cup trophy.
Puma, the first screw in football boots
Just this week, Puma have released a statement claiming that they were supplying screw in studs as early as 1952 to leading footballers.
Puma claim they have documents that prove that they were developing screw in studs, as early as 1948. Named the “Super Atom”, Puma claim this football boot was the first manufactured football boot with interchangeable studs.
Puma state that in 1953, a year before Adidas claim the national team used the first screw in stud, FC Kaiserslautern won the German Championship, with seven of its players wearing Puma’s “Super Atom”.
Adidas V Puma
The feud between the two German company’s is fascinating. Having begun back in 1948 and continuing 58 years later.
Adidas are without doubt the larger of the two company’s today, but Puma are giving them a good run of late. Puma will have 12 World Cup teams wearing their shirts this year, whilst Adidas have 6. But, Adidas have the higher profile players wearing their football boots and are also the official sponsors of the World Cup.
Let the battle commence.
This is a great book, that was recommended to me by a reader of this blog, it documents the story of the Dasslers - Get the book Tor!
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November 6th, 2006 at 11:22 pm
When ADI DASSLER make the first sports shoe in 1920, Puma was just an animal of the jungle, not a sport shoe firm. Anyway, the best football boot in the world (2006) is the Adidas PREDATOR ABSOLUTE.
December 30th, 2006 at 1:17 pm
I believe it was the dutch shoebrand QUICK who invented the first screw in stud..
http://www.footballshirtculture.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=116&Itemid=26
January 23rd, 2007 at 3:34 am
I think it was Adidas.
February 2nd, 2007 at 3:09 am
Why is it PUMA has just come out with this evidence? It has been since 1954 that Adidas has claimed to have created the screw in stud, football boots. With over 50 years of time, wouldn’t these “documents” that “prove” that PUMA created the screw in stud have appeared sooner? With current indications, and unless any new evidence come out, the title of inventor shall lie with Adidas.
May 7th, 2007 at 3:49 pm
Ahem….. when Adi Dassler made the first sports shoe in 1920, he was working together with his brother, who after the war founded Puma. Which is exactly when Adidas was founded. Feuding brothers….. Maybe make sure you know what you’re talking about?
June 22nd, 2007 at 7:39 am
Adidas should have long been oriented on design more than functionality. It would be more likely that puma would engineer such shoe because of the technicality requirements they impose to themselves from day one. Puma may have just shrugged of such claim because we all know which shoe lasts longer than all the others, its puma. The formstripe design outperforms any side guide technology even up to date.