Adidas unveils Algeria’s new kit as Morocco rekindles cultural dispute over design

Adidas’ unveiling of Algeria’s new home jersey on Wednesday has stirred fresh controversy in Morocco, where sections of the media accused the German sportswear giant of using traditional Moroccan zellige motifs in the design.

The white kit, featuring gold accents, was presented by Adidas as a creation inspired by the sand dunes and rocks of the Sahara Desert.

The subtle geometric patterns across the stripes, according to the company’s description, represent tire tracks on desert terrain — not cultural symbols.

Despite this, Moroccan outlets and commentators were quick to claim that the jersey’s design resembled zellige — a form of decorative tilework historically associated with Moroccan architecture.

Several local publications argued that the motifs integrate zellige patterns directly into the fabric and accused Adidas of appropriating Moroccan cultural heritage.

They further noted that zellige was registered by Morocco as a cultural property with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 2015.

The debate quickly escalated online, with social media users amplifying calls for Morocco’s Ministry of Culture to intervene, echoing a similar episode from 2022.

That earlier dispute also involved Adidas, when Algeria’s pre-match jerseys drew complaints from Rabat for allegedly using zellige-inspired motifs.

At the time, Moroccan officials claimed the company had recognized the issue and agreed to withdraw the design following consultations — though Adidas never confirmed that such an admission was made.

This latest row, however, has been met with skepticism across much of North Africa.

Algerian observers and football fans dismissed the claims as baseless, pointing out that the new design’s gold patterns are far more abstract and visually closer to desert or dune textures than to traditional tilework.

Some noted that similar geometric patterns have appeared in designs for other Adidas teams, including Argentina, without sparking controversy.

Critics have described Morocco’s reaction as hypersensitive and politically charged, arguing that no cultural infringement has taken place.

Anyone who sees zellige tiles in this should consult an ophthalmologist, one Algerian outlet wrote, mocking the accusations as a fixation on seeing Morocco at the centre of every design.

The dispute underscores how football kits in North Africa have become flashpoints in broader cultural and political rivalries.

CAN 2025: Le Zellige marocain encore une fois sur les maillot de l’Algérie? https://t.co/rwUcnnMaKW pic.twitter.com/6uEUYH7G2K

— Hespress Français (@HespressFr) November 6, 2025

While Adidas has not issued a statement beyond its official description of the design, the company appears determined to stand by its creative interpretation.

As the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations approaches — a tournament set to take place in Morocco — the controversy adds another layer to the long-standing competitive tension between the two nations, extending well beyond the pitch.