Adidas confirms soccer growth targets in 2006

German sporting goods firm Adidas expects sales with soccer products to "significantly" exceed more than 1 billion euros (US$1.2 billion) in 2006, which would cement its position as market leader with soccer gear. In 2004, the year of the European Cup in Portugal, Adidas had soccer sales of 900 million euros.

The firm planned to sell more than 500,000 jerseys of the German team, its top sponsoring partner. In 2002, when Germany lost the World Cup final game versus Brazil, Adidas sold 250,000 German jerseys.

An industry source quoted by Reuters also said that Adidas raised its market share with soccer shoes in the key German market to 51% by end-December, up 4% compared to six months ago. The firm also improved its global market share after reaching 35% at the end of June, the source added.