Klopp jokes with Kompany at official Adidas farewell

During the official farewell ceremony of Adidas at headquarters, national team coach Jürgen Klopp (59) made the hall laugh by referring to the striking clothing style of Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany (40), and he did so with plenty of self‑deprecation.

It is the end of an era in international football. Since 1954, Die Mannschaft has continuously played in the kits of German Adidas, a partnership that produced four world titles.

Financial reason for Nike switch

But from 1 January 2027, the German football association (DFB) will switch to the American rival Nike. Nike is said to put more than €100 million on the table each year, double what Adidas was willing to give.

There is considerable interest in the German national team’s arrival under the new sponsor. In the run‑up to the switch, the squad descended today to Herzogenaurach to thank the Adidas staff, among other things by handing out lunch from food trucks.

During a podium interview at the event, the discussion mainly focused on his first months as national coach and the direction he wants to take, but our compatriot Vincent Kompany also came up. When Klopp was asked which specific Adidas clothing line he liked best, he laughed and pointed to the luxurious Y‑3 collection that Kompany regularly wears on the sidelines at Bayern Munich.

While Kompany is often praised for his fashionable outfits, Klopp does not see himself walking around in them at all. “I do see that style on Vincent Kompany, but it’s not for me,” joked the 59‑year‑old coach, “If I wore that, I’d look like a clown.”

With the light‑hearted comment about Kompany’s wardrobe, Klopp made the hall laugh, but last month he examined our compatriot in a very different way. Although the two always spoke about each other with great mutual respect, Klopp on television expressed serious tactical doubts about Kompany’s playing style in Munich. He openly suggested that Bayern’s extremely attacking and high defensive line in top matches could sometimes prove fatal. Today, however, Klopp kept it to a light‑hearted quip.