Adidas Resolves Dispute with Morocco over Algeria’s National Team Jersey Design

The saga around the Fennecs’ new jersey continues. "Following constructive discussions between Adidas and the Moroccan Ministry of Culture, we can confirm a positive resolution of the recent problem of the football jerseys worn by the Algerian national team," says a statement from the sportswear manufacturer.

The German company explained that in the face of the turn of events around the "Zellige", it opted for an amicable settlement with the Moroccan Ministry of Culture. The department had indeed summoned the brand to withdraw its new collection of jerseys for the Algerian national football team, pointing to the undue appropriation of symbols of the "Moroccan cultural heritage."

"The design was indeed inspired by the Zellige mosaic pattern and was never intended to offend anyone," Adidas acknowledged, expressing, on this occasion, its "deep respect for the people and artisans of Morocco." The brand says it "regrets the controversy surrounding this matter."

In reaction to this public acknowledgment, the Ministry of Culture felt that the case will have "highlighted the importance of defending our cultural heritage" and "the ancestral know-how of Moroccan craftsmanship."