adidas can already be sure of defending its title as the most successful football brand in Europe and the world. adidas is leading the way at the UEFA EURO 2012™ in every respect – in terms of product sales, brand visibility and innovative strength," said Herbert Hainer, CEO of the adidas Group, at a media event this afternoon in Warsaw prior to the first UEFA EURO 2012™ quarter-final game.

adidas expects to achieve record sales of well over € 1.6 billion in the football category in 2012, surpassing even record sales from the World Cup year 2010 (€ 1 .5 billion in sales). In 2008, the year of the last UEFA EURO, sales in the football category totalled € 1.3 bbillion.

Contributing to the record result is the fact that adidas will sell more than 7 million balls in the design of the 'Tango 12' in 2012, and thus more EURO balls than ever before. The Official Match Ball of the UEFA EURO 2012™ got very positive response from players, experts and consumers alike.

"The UEFA EURO 2012™ has once again underlined that the contribution of adidas to the world's most popular sport resonates extremely well with players, consumers and fans. We will utilise this momentum in order to further expand our global market leadership in football," commented Markus Baumann, Senior Vice President adidas Global Football.

Indications of the adidas brand's dominance in football were already clear at the beginning of the year: In the first quarter of 2012, sales in the football category were up 23%. adidas Poland also got off to a fast start into the year of the UEFA EURO in their home country, with total sales increasing 50% in the same period.

Thanks to the UEFA EURO 2012™, adidas has also come significantly closer to achieving its objective of becoming market leader in Poland by 2015 at the latest. In 2012, the brand has already reached its goal off becoming number one in the football category in Poland. In the Ukraine, the brand started the year as market leader both in the football category and overall, and has been able to further expand its leadership position.