The breakthrough for the Dassler brothers came during the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin when they supplied track spikes to American athlete Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals. This success drew international attention to their brand and solidified their reputation as creators of superior sports footwear.

The turning point for the brand came during the 1936 Berlin Olympics when American track-and-field star Jesse Owens donned shoes reportedly gifted by Adi Dassler, garnering international attention and setting the stage for Adidas’s global recognition.

During the 1950s, Adidas gained significant popularity as soccer players started using the company’s shoes, which were lightweight and included screw-in cleats. The firm subsequently expanded into recreational items, launching soccer footballs in 1963. Four years later, Adidas started producing clothing.

Founded by sports shoe manufacturer Adi Dassler in 1949, the name Adidas became world-famous in 1954 following the victory of the German team in the World Cup, the “miracle of Berlin”. Up until the 1960s, Adidas dominated the global sports shoe market together with rival Puma (founded by Dassler’s brother Rudolf), until Nike arrived on the scene.