Adidas CEO Gulden: Over three million Germany jerseys sold – more than three times as many as at the 2022 World Cup

Jersey sales triple

"Wir sind super zufrieden mit den weltweiten Verkaufszahlen," Gulden told journalists. The blue away jersey is also going down significantly better with fans than, for example, the pink jersey at the 2024 home European Championship. This makes the DFB jersey one of the best-selling items of the tournament. Adidas remains the official outfitter of the German national teams until the end of 2026; from 2027 onward, the US company Nike will take over.

In parallel, sporting preparations for the group-stage finale against Ecuador are in full swing. The team coached by national coach Julian Nagelsmann has already qualified as group winner for the knockout round after victories against Curaçao (7:1) and the Ivory Coast (2:1). Sportingly, Thursday is therefore primarily about match practice, rotation and avoiding further injuries.

Schlotterbeck's emotional farewell

The absence of Nico Schlotterbeck is hanging over the squad like a shadow. The central defender suffered a torn ligament in his left ankle during the 2:1 against the Ivory Coast and is no longer available for the remainder of the 2026 World Cup. Via Instagram, Schlotterbeck issued an emotional appeal to the fans: "Lasst uns zusammenstehen und zeigen, dass wir in guten wie in schwierigen Momenten hinter dieser deutschen Mannschaft stehen und sie auf ihrem Weg zum WM-Titel unterstützen!," he wrote.

Midfielder Nadiem Amiri expressed his sympathy at the DFB press conference in Winston-Salem. "Das ist eine ganz bittere Sache," Amiri said. Schlotterbeck's absence weighs heavily; at the same time, it is important to give the injured player "gesunden Abstand" so that he can process the situation. Antonio Rüdiger, meanwhile, praised Jonathan Tah, who will now be called upon even more: "Er ist der neue Chef. Jeder hat seine Zeit, jetzt ist seine Zeit."

Rain, travel and press conference

During training on Tuesday morning, the players had to endure heavy rain. For a good 20 minutes, it came down heavily in Winston-Salem, and dark clouds gathered over the German base camp. It was not until around 10 p.m. local time, as the match between Norway and Senegal was just ending, that another thunderstorm could be seen south of the camp. The DFB delegation will travel on to New York on Wednesday, where the official closing press conference with Julian Nagelsmann and Deniz Undav is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. local time.

Striker Jamie Leweling of VfB Stuttgart is also making headlines. The 23-year-old had hinted, after being assigned jersey number nine, that in the event of a German World Cup title he would get the legendary triangle haircut of Brazilian superstar Ronaldo from 2002. "Wenn wir das Finale gewinnen, mache ich mir die Frisur auf jeden Fall – das ist ein Versprechen an Deutschland," Leweling said. On social media, he has already changed his profile picture, and Ronaldo also gave him a signed Brazil jersey.

Leweling and the haircut promise

The enthusiasm surrounding the German team is reflected not least in the jersey sales figures. According to Gulden's words, order numbers have roughly tripled compared to the 2022 World Cup. The issue with the letter "V" on jersey printing, which had caused discussion in the first days of the tournament, has also since been resolved, the Adidas CEO explained. The DFB jersey is thus one of the most eye-catching fashion items of this World Cup.

The match on Thursday in East Rutherford will be officiated by the American Tori Penso. She has already refereed the match between Czechia and South Africa (1:1) at the current finals. Four years ago in Qatar, the Frenchwoman Stéphanie Frappart had officiated Germany's match against Costa Rica (4:2), securing herself an entry in the football history books.

From the political sphere, Bundestag President Julia Klöckner (CDU) has announced she will attend, sitting in the stands for the group-stage finale. Meanwhile, Ecuador is also preparing for the duel. In "Little Ecuador," a neighborhood in Queens, New York, anticipation for the match is high.

In the German camp, attention is already turning to the knockout round. "Gelbe Gefahr" – meaning a yellow-card suspension – does not threaten German players until the quarterfinals. ARD expert Bastian Schweinsteiger is nevertheless recommending more rotation, including in goal. Nagelsmann announced a "Mix" and pointed to ready players who were "heiß" for their playing time.

With six points and a goal difference of 9:2 after two matchdays, the German team has the best record of all teams. Behind them follow potential round-of-16 opponent France as well as the USA, each with two wins and a 6:1 goal difference. The omens for the final group match could therefore hardly be better – even if Schlotterbeck's absence somewhat dampens the mood.