Puma leaps ahead in Euro 2012 battle of the brands

By David Owen

June 20 - Puma is setting the early pace in the battle of the big sporting brands at the 2012 European Championship.

However, adidas' heavy guns have survived a highly competitive group stage of the tournament, which has been unfolding in Poland and Ukraine, and the brand of the three stripes looks well placed to take the overall crown.

Puma had the smallest representation among the 16 countries that started the tournament, with just two teams – Italy and the Czech Republic – wearing its kit.

Yet the brand of the big cat has maintained a 100 per cent record, with both sides succeeding in reaching the knock-out phase.

Umbro, which is owned for the time being by Nike, has lost two of its three teams, with just England progressing to the quarterfinals.

Nike itself has not fared that much better, with three of its five teams – including the disappointing Dutch – having already caught the plane home.

Adidas sides have achieved only a 50 per cent record, with no more than three of the six making it through.


However, these include Spain and Germany, two of the favourites to win the competition.

In terms of wins, adidas teams are well ahead with nine so far, largely thanks to the efforts of the Spaniards and Germans, who have achieved victory in five of their six matches.

Nike sides have won four games and the others three each, with two of the Umbro victories notched by England and Sweden on the last night of group matches.

Adidas is assured at least one semi-finalist, since two of its teams – Germany and Greece – will now play each other in the last eight.

Puma will take on Nike when the Czech Republic lines up against Cristiano Ronaldo's (pictured above) Portugal tomorrow, and Umbro when Italy take on England three days later (June 24).

The remaining quarterfinal is an Adidas v Nike clash, with Spain crossing swords with France in a repeat of their last-16 clash in the 2006 World Cup in Germany.