Football on wheels

Football and cars are not only two sporting disciplines to be enjoyed on Sundays on the sofa or in their respective facilities, but over the years, they have had various points of contact, from sponsorships on club shirts to various players used as testimonials. A marriage that is convenient for both parties and that, in addition to football clubs, has also extended to the biggest and most important events on the planet: from the Champions League to the World Cup. These are very rich showcases for both the teams and the cars brands, which are able to move millions and millions of euros.

The presence of the car companies is continuous and profitable especially in Italy, Germany and France, not surprisingly the European nations with the largest factories, but it is not to be underestimated even in other nations and their championships. An alliance that has succeeded in creating a win-win relationship thanks also to the great passion of the fans, which does not stop at soccer alone, but also extends to the world of motors. 

In Italy, for example, the football-automobile binomial has very deep roots, going as far as collaborations that have made history, from the singular case of the Fiat logo on Torino shirts in 1944 to the long and iconic sponsorship of Opel on AC Milan shirts. 

Juventus and Torino, derby della Mole also on wheels

In Italy, the team we all associate with the world of four wheels is certainly Juventus, due to the obvious link between the Agnelli family and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Over the last twenty years, the Juventus team has almost always had sponsors linked to the family company on its chest: from New Holland Agriculture, a company operating in the agricultural machinery production sector and linked to Fiat, to the very recent Jeep, with the addition this year of the "4xE" linked to electric cars. And it is precisely with Jeep as a sponsor that we should remember one of the most particular Juventus jerseys of recent years, the 2019-2020 home jersey in which black and white were divided by a pink border. 

But in Turin it's not only Juventus, even the Granata team took the field in the derby della Mole in an automotive outfit. Since the 2013-2014 season, in fact, Torino FC has been tied to Suzuki, with the Hamamatsu-based company first serving as the club's Official Sponsor and then, in 2015, printing its "S" on the team's jerseys as main sponsor. And always linked to the world of motors, but this time on two wheels, it should not be forgotten the jersey worn in the winter of 2020 to celebrate Joan Mir's MotoGP World Championship victory right with riding the Suzuki. On that occasion, the "S" became silver with two laurel branches and the words "MotoGP Champion" and the silver and blue colors of the Japanese team on the sleeves.

Udinese and Dacia, a relationship that goes beyond the jersey

One of the most long-lasting sponsorship ties is the one that binds Udinese and Dacia since 2009. The well-known car brand of the Renault group has found in the Friulian team a faithful and safe partner on which to set its communication and marketing strategy. Then, in 2016, the peak of the collaboration was reached when the fusion of the two worlds took place with Udinese renaming its stadium, the now passed Friuli, in Dacia Arena. And this naming right allows the Udinese club to receive 500,000 euros per season just for using that name.

Among the initiatives related to jerseys, we recall the one in 2018 for the match against Lazio in which Udinese took the field with 11 different jerseys all designed by HS Football, the technical sponsor at the time. The uniforms were inspired by the patterns that have defined the history of the Friulian club, to promote and finance ideas and projects of eleven people chosen by Dacia itself. The jerseys were then auctioned on the Catawiki platform and Jakub Jankto's jersey sold for the highest price (1,600 euros), with the proceeds going to Michela Bonan to create a book on the history of Udine's factories. 

Rome-Hyundai, Venice-Dr and more 

In Italy, then, cars have also appeared on the back sponsors of the jerseys of Serie A teams. Roma and Hyundai have been carrying on a fruitful partnership since 2018 and the logo of the Korean company still appears on the back of the Giallorossi uniforms, immediately below the jersey number. The same is true for the newly-promoted Venezia that, as far as the retrosponsor is concerned, has decided to rely on DR, a car manufacturer from Molise that has decided to put its logo also on the shirts of the women's team of the lagunari that currently plays in Serie C. 

But in our championship there are many clubs that have brought the four wheels onto the field. From Perugia, first with Daewoo Matiz and then with Toyota, to Fiorentina, which switched from Toyota to Mazda and even wore the Volkswagen logo for a single match. It was 2014 and in the match against Inter, the Viola took the field with a special uniform, limited edition and then signed by every single player, with the brand of the German company. The jerseys were then auctioned off and sold for charity. The wording "Fiorentina per Firenze" also appeared on the chest, as the proceeds were destined to the city for the areas that were affected by the floods that year. 

Wolfsburg and Volkswagen, a bond that goes beyond football

The football team most linked to the world of cars, however, can only be Wolfsburg. The city of Lower Saxony, in fact, was created specifically as the base for the legendary Beetle, the vehicle par excellence of the German people. The club is also owned by Volkswagen, which has included the crest of the city - a castle and a wolf - to adorn many of the cars signed by the company. In 2003, more precisely from August 25 to October 10, the city also changed its name to Golfsburg for marketing reasons, on the occasion of the launch of the fifth generation Golf. 

The Wolfsburg stadium is obviously named Volkswagen Arena, with the logo prominently displayed on the green and white shirts. A very successful project, given that the team has been playing in the top division since 1997 and won the Bundesliga in 2009. Players of the caliber of Dzeko, Mandzukic, De Bruyne and Martin Petrov have played in the wolves' jersey. 

Manchester United and the never used Chevrolet

In August 2012, Manchester United and General Motors announced their multimillion-dollar partnership deal, which then became effective in 2014 when the Red Devils' jerseys featured the main sponsor Chevrolet. At Old Trafford, however, there has never been much love for the American brand. In the first years of collaboration, in fact, the company had made available to the players fifteen cars, but all remained parked in the sports center of Carrington since the superstars of the club preferred to drive their luxury cars. The only one on board a Chevrolet was the then coach Louis van Gaal, but for pure chance, since the Captiva he used to travel daily was already his property and therefore not linked to the sponsorship agreement. Since 2021, then, the American company has chosen to stop working with Manchester United and the reason would be due to the poor results obtained by the team on the field. 

Among the jerseys to remember of the Red Devils with the car brand as a sponsor, there is the third uniform of the 2020-2021 season. HCL kit, which takes you straight back to the 80s of the club, with the presence of the pattern "Dazzle Camo" that instead appeared even during the First World War. The artist Norman Wilkinson applied this pattern on the ships of the British Navy, as these particular geometric shapes allowed to alter the calculation of depth in the eyes of the enemies.

Italy, Germany and other nationalities linked to their brands

Even national teams throughout history have not shied away from sponsoring automotive brands from their respective countries. The Italian selection, for example, has been accompanied by FIAT for almost twenty years and in 2019 came the renewal of the partnership for a further four years. The automotive company is committed to providing the FIGC staff with cars for travel during official matches, friendly matches and retreats. In addition, the brand is present on the training uniforms of the Azzurri and on advertising spaces on the sidelines.

The German national team, on the other hand, is in a relationship with Volkswagen, which in 2019 took the place of another Teutonic four-wheeled multinational: Mercedes. The partnership will run for five and a half years and end on July 30, 2024. The Wolfsburg-based brand is also a sponsor of the German Cup. 

Totti, Beckham and the footballers faces on wheels

The teams, of course, but not only. Over the years, footballers and former footballers have also become testimonials for car companies. The most recent case is that of Francesco Totti, who has become an ambassador for Volkswagen with regard to electric cars, in order to bring the general public closer to this type of vehicle. The spot for the new ID electric range, in which Il Pupone is the protagonist, is ironic and funny, as he sees the keys to his car arrive with a remote-controlled mini Volkswagen. 

Marc Ter Stegen, Barcelona's goalkeeper, is also a testimonial for an automotive brand from 2020. The German is in fact the new face of Cupra, Seat's sports brand. A precise and well-considered choice, with the intention of making himself known in key markets such as Germany, given that the extreme defender is the number of the national team, and Spain. 

From the field to the seat of a car also for David Beckham, who has become Maserati's global ambassador. The "Spice Boy" is the protagonist of an amusing commercial for the Italian company in which he pirouettes on board the Levante Trofeo SUV, while his phone lists a very long list of work commitments.