Accra, Ghana, February 11, 2008
PUMA® wins 6th African Cup of Nations Title and extends Ivory Coast Partnership

For the sixth time a PUMA sponsored football team won the African Cup of Nations (ACN): Egypt beat the also PUMA sponsored Lions from Cameroon 1:0 in Sunday’s final, extending their record number of titles to six.

“Egypt’s victory is the glorious end to a tournament that was incredibly successful for us,” said Jochen Zeitz, PUMA Chairman and CEO. “Our brand visibility at the African Cup of Nations clearly not only strengthened but expanded our position as one of the top three football brands. This is a great starting position for the World Cup 2010 in South Africa, where PUMA will once again be the most dominant brand in African football.”

The contract between the Egyptian Football Association and PUMA was signed in January 2006 and PUMA will support the team beyond the World Cup in South Africa until December 31, 2010.

As the official supplier to a dozen national teams across Africa, PUMA was worn by nine of the 16 teams in the tournament. PUMA gained brand visibility throughout 87.5% of the tournament, showing the strongest brand visibility on the pitch. That being, in 28 out of the 32 games, at least one PUMA team was present, equating to 42 hours of on-pitch action. In the semi-finals, all teams were supplied by PUMA – making PUMA the most prominent brand.

In the light of PUMA’s ongoing and long-term commitment for the African football, PUMA and the Fédération Ivoirienne de Football (FIF) also announced a multi-year extension of their successful partnership beyond the 2014 FIFA World Cup. “The Ivory Coast is one of Africa’s – and the world’s – most talented teams, as we’ve seen at the 2006 World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations the past two weeks,” said Zeitz. “PUMA is proud to work with the FIF and support Les Elephants for many years to come.”

Les Elephants, as the national team is called back home, have been one of Africa’s top teams for several decades, losing in the semi-finals in this year’s ACN against winner Egypt after having won the African Cup of Nations once (1992). In 2006, the team made its first-ever World Cup appearance. Aside from their exciting style of play, Les Elephants are also known for their colorful orange pop-colored uniforms. The extension was made official last week by PUMA Vice President Horst Widmann and FIF President Jacques Bernard Anouma at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Photo Credits: Robert Ashcroft/ PUMA
Westford, MA & San Francisco, December 15, 2008
PUMA SIGNS AS A FOUNDING PARTNER AND OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF WOMEN’S PROFESSIONAL SOCCER

Today, global sportlifestyle brand PUMA and Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) announced an exclusive partnership making PUMA an official founding partner of WPS and an official sponsor of all WPS franchises. The multi-year partnership makes PUMA the official sport and lifestyle apparel, footwear and equipment supplier of WPS, including the official WPS Match Ball. In addition to on-field performance wear, PUMA will outfit the athletes and teams at all WPS-related events, activities and WPS appearances in sportlifestyle apparel. This partnership kicks off with the inaugural season in April 2009 and will see PUMA collaborating with WPS to enhance the game of women’s soccer and will act as the foundation in the PUMA Women’s category.

“PUMA has built up a strong momentum in women’s soccer over the past 10 years collaborating closely with pioneering partners that have redefined the game on a global and local stage. Today, we are proud to be one of the founding partners of Women’s Professional Soccer in what promises to be a new pioneering chapter for women’s soccer,” said PUMA Chairman & CEO Jochen Zeitz. “The WPS partnership provides PUMA with a perfect platform to reinforce the brand’s positioning as the most desirable sportlifestyle brand in the world as well as underline our continued commitment to women’s sports.”

With the WPS partnership, PUMA further underlines its commitment to women’s soccer where it already has long-term partnerships with the likes of two-time FIFA™ World Player of the Year Marta da Silva of Brazil, who was drafted by the WPS Los Angeles Sol, U.S. National Team star Leslie Osborne, who will be playing for WPS in the Bay Area, and several Club teams in Europe including Swedish champion’s Umea IK, UEFA Women’s Cup Champions in 2003 and 2004.

“To have PUMA, the world’s leading sportlifestyle brand, as a founding partner in Women’s Professional Soccer is a great endorsement for our league,” said Commissioner Tonya Antonucci. “We are proud to have PUMA’s commitment to support, supply and grow the league and we recognize the creative, stylish and unique ways PUMA will promote WPS and women’s soccer on the whole.”

PUMA will have a presence in each market and stadiums for WPS games, as well as the WPS All-Star Game, WPS playoffs and WPS Championship game. PUMA and WPS have agreed to cross-promotional marketing opportunities via national print media, online media and television. This agreement also marks PUMA as an official licensee of the WPS for items including on field and sportlifestyle apparel, footwear and a wide variety of accessories.

PUMA is a leader in the game of soccer with a European portfolio of five National Teams, including current FIFA World Cup™ holders Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Czech Republic. In addition to being the official supplier to these European teams, PUMA has a long standing relationship with 11 African soccer Federations including the current CAF African Cup of Nations™ holders, Egypt, Ghana, Cameroon, Angola, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia and Namibia. In the U.S., PUMA has worked with all-star Major League Soccer athletes such as Matt Reis, Brian Ching and Dwayne De Rosario.

Bratislava, Slovakia, February 27, 2012
PUMA ANNOUNCES NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH SLOVAK FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

New Slovakia Home and Away Kits Launched Ahead of Turkey Match

Global Sportslifestyle brand PUMA today announced a new partnership with the Slovak Football Association, becoming the Official Supplier of apparel and equipment for all the associated Slovak National Football teams, including the men’s A team, Olympic , Junior and the Women’s National Football team. The new PUMA Slovak National Home and Away kits were also unveiled at a press conference in Bratislava.

The Slovak “A” team will debut the new home kit during the game against Turkey on the 29 February 2012. The team will also wear these playing kits throughout its 2014 FIFA World Cup™ qualifying campaign, as Slovakia look to build on the success of reaching the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Paul Gautier, PUMA Czech and Slovak Republic General Manager said; “We are excited to work with the Slovak Football Association. The Slovak Republic has a rich football history and we believe a strong future. We are confident that this new partnership with the Slovak Football Association will contribute to the continued positive development of the PUMA brand in Slovakia.

Slovak Football Association president Ján Kováčik added: “This partnership agreement with PUMA is very important to us. PUMA has such a strong global reputation and expertise in developing technical apparel and distributing licensed product, and we are very happy to confirm this partnership. ”

Alongside the partnership announcement, PUMA unveiled the new Slovak National Home and Away kits. These new kits are part of the PUMA Power12 collection which also includes the PowerCat 1.12 football boots. The kits are based around the Slovak National flag colours; the Home shirt is designed in white with blue details and the Away shirt is blue with white details. Both kits include the Slovak National Emblem on the left chest side and PUMA branding. The design of the kit reflects the dynamic and modern character of the Slovak National Team.

The Kit´s POWER technology was developed using 3D motion analysis, a scientific method for detection and quantification of human movement. Details of this analysis are incorporated into the design of the outfits and ensure that the player moves with minimum power and energy.

The press conference was held in the EXIsport store in Eurovea Galleria, Bratislava before the Slovak Footballer of the Year declaration. The new kits were presented by Slovak National Football team players – Kamil Kopúnek, Juraj Kucka and Michal Brezanik. The press conference was also attended by Ján Kováčik (Slovak Football Association president) and Paul Gautier (PUMA Czech and Slovak Republic General Manager).

Herzogenaurach, germany - February 8, 2018
PUMA AND SENEGAL FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCE LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP

PARTNERSHIP WILL START FOR THE WORLD CUP 2018

PUMA and the Senegalese Football Association (Fédération Sénégalaise de Football, SFA) today, mutually announced a long-term agreement that will see the “Lions of Teranga” outfitted in the PUMA brand beyond the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

The Senegal National Team, will debut its new PUMA kit and training line in the upcoming FIFA window in March.  They will be seen on the world’s stage at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, which will be the second time in the history that Senegal will play a World Cup.

We are delighted to welcome Senegal back to the PUMA Family again. They are a great team with many promising talents who stood out during the qualification for the World Cup. With PUMA’s long history in African football and the characteristics of the Lions of Teranga with their style of play and joyfulness, it is a perfect fit to PUMA and our Forever Faster positioning” said Bjørn Gulden, Chief Executive Officer for PUMA.

I am pleased to confirm our partnership with PUMA. They represent a major international brand and we already know their professionalism and their commitment for African Football. We are looking forward to playing with our new kits.” said Augustin Senghor, President of the Senegalese Football Association.

The Senegal National Team, nicknamed the Lions of Teranga, will debut its new PUMA kit and training line in the upcoming FIFA window in March. 

The Senegal National Team joins the roster of federations like The Football Associations of Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Czech Republic. PUMA Football clubs, including Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal FC and soon Olympique de Marseille are also part of PUMA's portfolio, as well as some of the world’s best players such as Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, Sergio ‘Kun’ Agüero, Cesc Fàbregas, Mario Balotelli, Hector Bellerin, Marco Reus, Julian Weigl, Gianluigi Buffon and Yaya Touré amongst others.

herzogenaurach, germany - april 15, 2019
Puma becomes official partner of spanish football league "LaLiga"

Sports company PUMA has entered into a long-term agreement with the Spanish football league, LaLiga, to become the league’s Official Technical Partner. Starting from the 2019/20 season, PUMA will produce the official match ball for all games in Spain’s top-flight leagues; LaLiga Santander and La Liga 1|2|3.

With a total audience of 2.7 billion viewers in 183 countries annually and more than 80 million followers on social media, LaLiga is one of the world’s leading sport leagues. This sponsorship will significantly expand PUMA’s on pitch visibility and strengthen its position as a leading global football brand. 

Both companies share a long history but also a young spirit and a vision for growth that will be boosted by this alliance.

PUMA is adding LaLiga to a strong roster of PUMA football players, including some of the best players in LaLiga: Luis Suárez, Antoine Griezmann, Jan Oblak, Samuel Umtiti, Santi Cazorla, Marc Bartra, and Giovani Lo Celso. The start of the 2019/20 La Liga season will also see the addition of two new clubs: Girona FC and Valencia CF.

PUMA's values of being brave, confident, determined and joyful, fit perfectly with those of LaLiga: Teamwork, Overcoming, Equality, Respect and Tolerance, Fair Play and Authenticity. The two companies share an international vision, passion for having the best product and transforming society through the universal values of sport.

“We are extremely proud to have partnered with one of, if not, the best football league in the world,” said Johan Adamsson, PUMA’s Director of Sports Marketing. “The ball is the most essential element in football, this sponsorship is the epitome of performance. La Liga has some of the world’s best teams and players and this is another step in our efforts to achieve ‘No Football without PUMA and it ensures an even stronger global reach for our brand.”

Juan Carlos Díaz, LaLiga’s Marketing and Commercial Director added: "It is an honor for an historical sports brand like PUMA, that dresses great teams, important sportsmen and recognized artists, to want to associate with LaLiga, the best football national league in the World, and contribute all its technical quality to our ball, which is such an important element of our competition. We are convinced that this agreement will be very fruitful for both companies and will allow us to continue facing our future challenges."

For pictures and the Press Release download the Media Kit below.

herzogenaurach, germany - november 21, 2019
PUMA and Borussia Dortmund extend partnership

Sports company PUMA and German football club Borussia Dortmund have signed a long-term partnership extension, which will see PUMA continue to develop products to match BVB’s energetic and fast-paced football and cater to the needs of the club’s fans around the world.

PUMA and BVB first joined forces during the 2012/2013 Bundesliga season. Since then, the club has won the German cup, the German Supercup, reached the Champions League Final and has become increasingly relevant as a global football brand. Known for its passionate fans and formidable atmosphere, BVB is one of the world’s best supported teams. It has recorded the highest average home attendance in world football over the past five years.

“Borussia Dortmund is one of our most important partners,” said PUMA CEO Bjørn Gulden. “We love the fans of this club and the atmosphere they create at the Signal Iduna Park. It is quite possibly the best stadium atmosphere in the world.”

BVB chief executive officer Hans-Joachim Watzke said: “For many years, PUMA has been more than a supplier and a sponsor for BVB. It has been a heavyweight in the shareholder structure of our club, too. This shows the enormous identification of PUMA and its staff across the world. Our partnership has grown and extends far beyond the boundaries of a normal business relationship. We would like to add another chapter to our joint success story in the coming years.

Borussia Dortmund’s managing director Carsten Cramer added: “Borussia Dortmund and PUMA share the same philosophy of intensive football and an emotional fan experience. PUMA is one of the most creative and dynamic sports brands on the planet and yet it has retained a family feel. We’re proud that two companies with such a positive energy will continue to bounce off each other going forward.”

Under the terms of the deal, PUMA will continue to supply kits to all BVB teams and create replica and fanwear products. The company also has separate agreements with BVB players such as Marco Reus, Julian Weigl, Axel Witsel, Lukasz Piszczek and Marwin Hitz.

 

Herzogenaurach, germany, february 18, 2021
PUMA SIGNS WORLD CUP WINNER AND CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RECORD BREAKER RAPHAËL VARANE
Global sports company PUMA has signed a long-term partnership with Real Madrid and France national team star Raphaël Varane. As one of the fastest defenders in world football, Varane will step into the PUMA ULTRA silo, PUMA’s lightweight speed boot.  

Having made waves as one of the best defensive prospects in football, Varane made his international debut at just 19 years old, going on to make over 70 appearances for his country. He represented France in both the 2014 World Cup, where he was nominated for the Best Young Player award, and the 2018 World Cup, playing in every minute of every game en route to France’s victory.

 

“Raphaël Varane is a fantastic signing for us”, said Johan Adamsson, Global Director of Sports Marketing and Sports Licensing at PUMA. “He has achieved so much in the game at just 27 years old. He is technically gifted, in combination with great speed and strength and is considered one of the best defenders in the game today.”

Following the announcement Varane spoke about his excitement in joining the PUMA family and his goals for the future.

 

“I am delighted to join the PUMA family at this stage of my career and during a very exciting time for the brand“, said Raphaël Varane. “PUMA felt like a natural fit for me and I am thrilled to join the home to some of the greatest players in football history. I feel we share many common values, in particular PUMA’s outlook on sustainability, which opens up the possibilities of working together in areas beyond just football.”

Varane made his professional debut for Lens at 17 years old before making over 300 appearances for Real Madrid. He has won an incredible 18 major trophies at club level, including three LaLiga titles, one Copa Del Rey, four Champions Leagues and four Club World Cups. At just 24 years of age, Varane won the Champions League title for the third time, becoming the youngest player to achieve such a feat.

herzogenaurach, germany, march 23, 2021
INTRODUCING THE NEW WAVE: PUMA SIGNS ‘SPEED KING’ KINGSLEY COMAN
Global sports company PUMA has signed a long-term partnership with FC Bayern München and France star Kingsley Coman. A leader of his generation, Kingsley is one of the most exciting and explosive wingers in world football. He has registered a top speed of 35.68 km/h in the Bundesliga this season making him one of the fastest players in the league so he will naturally step into the ULTRA – PUMA’s next-gen speed boot silo.

Kingsley had a truly remarkable 2019/20 season with FC Bayern München as they captured the continental treble for the second time in the club’s history, becoming only the second team in Europe to achieve such a feat. Kingsley crowned off the season by scoring the winning goal in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain, taking home the man of the match award in the process. Kingsley now ushers in an exciting new wave with PUMA.

“Kingsley Coman is a special talent and one of the best young players in the world today. He has explosive speed, acceleration and exceptional technical ability”, said Johan Adamsson, Global Director of Sports Marketing and Sports Licensing at PUMA. “Kingsley is a star and we are extremely happy to welcome him to the PUMA family. He has won a wealth of trophies already at such a young age and we see an even more exciting future ahead of him.“

Having made his debut at just 16, Kingsley became PSG’s youngest ever player. After bursting onto the world stage Kingsley has won nine straight league titles, winning the league in every season of his career. Adding to his impressive haul, Kingsley has won 11 domestic cups, the UEFA Supercup, FIFA Club World Cup and the Champions League, during his time at FC Bayern München, PSG and Juventus.

Following the announcement Kingsley spoke about his decision to join the PUMA family and his goals for the future.

“I am very happy to join the PUMA family. I love their vision for football, and their plans for me are very exciting”, said Kingsley Coman. “Like me PUMA are about speed and a big priority for me was the boots. The ULTRA boots are a perfect fit for me. In the future I want to achieve great things with PUMA in our collaboration. I am excited about what we have planned on and off the pitch, giving me a platform to express myself outside of football too.”

Kingsley made his senior international debut on November 13th, 2015 in a victory against the then World Champions Germany. He was subsequently selected for UEFA Euro 2016 and following a number of stellar performances, he was nominated for the Young Player of the Tournament award. Kingsley has since earned 20 caps for France, scoring 5 goals as he now sets his sights on this summer’s European Championships.

herzogenaurach, germany, march 19, 2021
SHE’S BACK. SARA BJÖRK RETURNED TO ELITE LEVEL FOOTBALL THIS WEEKEND FOLLOWING THE BIRTH OF HER CHILD

Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir has defied the odds and battled through many hurdles to make her long awaited return to elite level football this weekend when Olympique Lyonnais faced Dijon in Ligue 1 Féminine.

An extraordinary four months after giving birth to her son, Sara returned to the pitch to crown off an incredible journey that has seen her achieve the goal she had set herself when she first learned of her pregnancy.

Back in September of 2021, Sara began working closely with PUMA to document her journey as she prepared to give birth and attempt to return to elite level sport. The journey has featured blogs and social content amplified through PUMA’s ‘She Moves Us’ platform to raise more awareness of the difficulties female athlete’s still face when becoming pregnant.

Many athletes encounter challenges and uncertainty over their careers when faced with the prospect of pregnancy. Many athletes struggle due to lack or support with early retirement a reality for most. Due to the stigma and issues female athletes have faced, Sara wanted to inspire a generation of female athletes to not give up on their dreams and to push for change at all levels to help athletes who want to start a family and return to play at the highest level.

Sara’s journey will culminate in the release of a special documentary later in 2022. The short film will give unprecedented access to Sara’s story and give insight to the challenges female athletes face when deciding to start a family. 

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Herzogenaurach, Germany, April 8, 2022
PUMA signs multi-year deal with Brazilian Athletics Federation
Global sports company PUMA has signed a multi-year contract with the Brazilian Confederation of Athletics (CBAt) effective July 2022, that will see Brazilian athletic teams in PUMA apparel for the first time at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, USA, this summer. The partnership includes sponsoring 24 adult and youth teams, including male and female athletes.

“We are very proud to partner up with the Brazilian Confederation of Athletics, which is the first time ever that PUMA sponsors a Brazilian national sports team, so it will be a landmark.” said Fabio Kadow, Marketing Director PUMA Brazil. “Their successful track record in world class athletics, with 19 Olympic medals, makes this partnership a perfect fit for PUMA.”

"Partnering with PUMA is a huge responsibility for us and a source of great pride”, said Wlamir Motta Campos, CBAt´s president. “I'm sure the athletics community will embrace PUMA, because we're talking about a product of excellence, a fantastic technology that will help the performance of our athletes."

PUMA has a long and rich history in Track & Field, having sponsored the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association since 2002. The brand also kits out several national federations including Cuba, Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, Dominican Republic, Norway, Switzerland, Portugal and South Africa. Individual PUMA sponsored athletes include World Champion 400m hurdler Karsten Warholm, pole vault star Armand "Mondo" Duplantis, triple Olympic medalist Andre De Grasse, long distance runner and Olympic medalist Molly Seidel, and triple jumpers Patricia Marmona and Will Claye.

Herzogenaurach, Germany, May 3, 2022
Rossoneri wear RE:JERSEY – AC Milan players don special PUMA jerseys as part of innovative recycling project
The players of AC Milan wore special jerseys before the start of their Serie A match against Fiorentina on Sunday, which were made with an innovative garment-to-garment recycling method as part of PUMA’s RE:JERSEY project. AC Milan’s women’s team will also wear the jerseys ahead of the Serie A match against Inter FC on May 7.

With RE:JERSEY, PUMA aims to reduce waste and pave the way towards more circular production models in the future. Sustainability is also a key value for AC Milan, which has committed to sustainable and social responsibility initiatives, with a particular focus on younger generations.

While PUMA’s football kits on the market today are already made from 100% recycled polyester, the RE:JERSEY shirts worn ahead of Sunday’s game are made with 75% repurposed football jerseys. The remaining 25% comes from SEAQUAL ® MARINE PLASTIC[1].

“We are excited that AC Milan has joined us to be a part of the RE:JERSEY project,” said Matthias Baeumer, General Manager BU Teamsport at PUMA. “As we want to take more responsibility when it comes to the end of life of our products, RE:JERSEY is an important step in garment-to-garment recycling.”

In the recycling process used for the RE:JERSEY project, even old garments that feature logos, embroideries and club badges can be used, as the material is chemically broken down into its main components (depolymerization). Colors are then filtered out and the material is chemically put back together to create a yarn (repolymerization) that has the same performance characteristics as virgin polyester.

As part of the project, AC MILAN and PUMA will set up collection bins, where fans will be able to donate their old polyester items, which will be used for the RE:JERSEY project.“

AC Milan is a Club that truly believes in the social value of football. Sustainability is an important value for all of us at the Club, we need to do our part to protect the future of our planet, so we are delighted to join this initiative with our partner PUMA and be part of the RE:JERSEY project,” said Casper Stylsvig, Chief Revenue Officer at AC Milan.

 

 

[1] SEAQUAL ® MARINE PLASTIC
SEAQUAL® MARINE PLASTIC is a sustainable and fully traceable raw material from SEAQUAL INITIATIVE that is made from marine litter, or in some cases from end-of-life fishing nets or other plastics used in aquaculture (such as those used in mussel and oyster farming). For more information, visit https://www.seaqual.org

Herzogenaurach, Germany, May 11, 2022
“Not having fun is a waste of time!” - PUMA CEO Bjørn Gulden and Giorgio Chiellini talk about leadership
PUMA CEO Bjørn Gulden and Giorgio Chiellini, who captained the Italian national football team to success at Euro2020, talked about their careers, outstanding leadership skills and the importance of having fun, in a video interview published as part of the sports company’s annual report.

In a professional career that spans more than 20 years, Giorgio Chiellini made more than 420 appearances for his club, Juventus, and became one of the most capped players in the history of Italy’s national team. 2021 was an extremely emotional year for him, as he won Euro2020 with Italy.

“I shared my feelings with my teammates and with the people at home in front of their TV screens. This was probably the secret of my performance,” he said. “I wanted to enjoy and celebrate all the emotions the tournament brings with it.”

In 2021, PUMA recorded its best-ever performance both in terms of revenues and operating profit. Bjørn Gulden, who also started out as a professional football player, said that leadership was a very complex topic and it depended on each person individually.

“You need to find your way and see that your style has an impression on people,” he said. “Giorgio’s attitude as a leader inspires me. You can see, when he’s on the pitch, he makes the other ten players better and that’s the job of a leader.”

When it comes to attitude, both agreed that having fun is crucial to stay motivated in the long term:

“Not having fun is a waste of time. You spend most of your time at work. I strongly believe that if you like what you do, you perform better,” said Bjørn Gulden.

At 37 years old, Giorgio Chiellini says he wishes he had realized the power of a positive attitude earlier.

“I managed to change my state of mind during my career (…) Now I can pay more attention to the situation than I used to when I was angry or yelled at my teammates. I lost a lot of energy on the pitch like that,” Giorgio Chiellini said.

For the full video interview, please visit PUMA’s 2021 annual report by visiting https://annual-report.puma.com/2021/en/.

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