The 5 longest lasting technical sponsors (rest of the world edition) Around the world from South America to Japan in search of the longest collaborations between clubs and brands

In the memory of every fan, aficionado or simply soccer lover there are crests and brands that are indivisible from each other, and that even if actively involved have not contributed significantly to the successes and failures achieved on the field. All this was possible when, starting in 1970, all leagues allowed clubs to make agreements with major sports brands, given the numerous attempts in previous decades (such as the one between Vicenza and Lanerossi) to circumvent this prohibition.

Since the dawn of soccer, clubs have tried to make a profit by tying themselves to sponsors who would guarantee the money needed to cover costs. A mechanism triggered by the brands themselves that saw soccer as a very effective medium for advertising and that, over time, has proven to be a more than successful operation, as Daniel-Yaw Miller wrote in an article for The Business of Fashion, where he underlined the active role not only of the most classic sports brands but also of luxury brands that are increasingly interested in linking their name to that of a club. A combination that over the years has become essential, where one cannot survive without the other. After having summarized the most long-lived technical sponsors of both national teams and European clubs, we decided to take a tour of the world in search of the most representative and resistant brands.

1. adidas - River Plate

The Kaizer Chiefs, on the other hand, are the most recent team from Soweto, having been founded in 1970, but they quickly became the team with the most fans in Sub-Saharan Africa. If you're wondering yes, the British outfit was named after this very club when Lucas Radebe moved from South Africa to Leeds United. The Chiefs have been linked since 2000 with Nike, which has made several jerseys playing with the club's social colors, gold and black, in numerous graphic forms.