Adidas wins World Cup race, but Nike kicks back at ground level

Frankfurt

WHEN Sami Khedira suits up to defend Germany's World Cup title in Russia next summer, his jersey will bear the three-bar logo of Adidas, which sponsors the team. But look at Khedira's feet, and you'll see Nike's swoosh on his Magista Obra II shoes.

The star midfielder is emblematic of a strategic shift in the decades-old sneaker wars.