Scotland fans have been left disappointed after their canine companions were omitted from a sportswear brand's World Cup dog jersey collection. Adidas launched a range of football strips for dogs on Monday as part of its "home jerseys pet collection," featuring countries such as Colombia, Japan, and Argentina, but notably not Scotland.
Scottish Fans React
Paul Goodwin, co-founder of the Scottish Football Supporters Association (SFSA), expressed disappointment on BBC Radio Scotland's breakfast show on Wednesday. Despite numerous dog breeds originating north of the border, Adidas did not include Scotland in the lineup. Goodwin noted that the SFSA broke the news on social media, and fans were not impressed.
"We've had a couple of people since we posted originally, which started as a bit of fun in a post," Goodwin said. "We've had a few people – we've had Coco from Auchterarder, whose owner has come back and said, 'we want one as well.' They sent us a lovely picture of an adapted shirt, but it's not the same thing."
Goodwin added: "If I was a marketing person at Adidas, I would be lapping up all the free publicity and maybe thinking about a late submission to the Scottish Football Association."
Why Scotland Was Excluded
According to reports, Scotland was left out of the pet jersey line-up due to an anticipated lack of demand. However, the decision has not sat well with Scottish fans, especially as the men's national team prepares for its first World Cup appearance since 1998. In June, Steve Clarke's team will face Haiti, Morocco, and Brazil in the group stage.
Adidas has been approached for comment regarding the exclusion. The SFSA hopes the brand will reconsider and include Scotland in future collections.
