The Full History of PUMA

In a quiet town called Herzogenaurach in Germany, two brothers lived. Their names were Adolf Dassler and Rudolf Dassler. They were born in a small, hardworking family. Their father worked in a shoe factory. After World War I, times were hard in Germany. But Adolf, also called “Adi,” loved to make shoes. He started making sports shoes in his mother’s laundry room in 1924. His older brother Rudolf, who was more social and good at selling, joined him. Together, they created a shoe company called Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik (Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory).

The two brothers were a strong team. Adi made the shoes. Rudolf sold them. They wanted to make the best sports shoes in the world. In 1936, something big happened. Jesse Owens, a Black American athlete, wore their handmade shoes during the Olympics in Berlin. Owens won four gold medals. The whole world looked at the Dassler brothers’ shoes. Their small German company suddenly became famous.

But then came World War II. The factory was used to make army gear. After the war, something inside the brothers broke. No one knows exactly what happened. Some say it was political. Others say it was jealousy, ego, or a family fight. One story says when Adi and his wife jumped into a bomb shelter, Adi said, “The dirty bastards are back again,” meaning the enemy planes. But Rudolf thought Adi was talking about him and his family. That was the final spark in a fire that had been growing for years.

In 1948, the brothers split forever. The factory was divided. The workers were divided. Even the town of Herzogenaurach was divided. People called it “the town of bent necks” because locals would first look at your shoes before talking to you. If you wore Rudolf’s brand, you didn’t talk to Adi’s supporters—and vice versa.

Rudolf started a new brand. He wanted something fast, wild, strong. So he called his company PUMA. The name came from the big cat. He also wanted a powerful logo. At first, it was a square and a D. Later, it became the leaping puma that we all know today.

Adi created his own company too. He called it adidas, a short form of “Adi Dassler.” These two companies were born from the same house, same family, same blood—but became rivals for life. They became two of the biggest sports brands in the world.

PUMA started strong. In 1952, they released the ATOM, one of the first football boots with screw-in studs. It was used by the West German football team. PUMA became the brand for serious athletes. In the 1960s, they launched the PUMA KING football boot. It was worn by legends like Pelé, Eusebio, and later Diego Maradona. There’s a famous story from the 1970 World Cup: just before a match, Pelé bent down to tie his shoes. The cameras zoomed in on his boots—PUMA boots. That one moment made PUMA a global star. But it was not a lucky shot. It was part of a secret marketing deal.

The story goes that Pelé was banned from signing deals with brands because Adidas and PUMA had made a “Pelé Pact”—a silent agreement not to fight over him. But someone at PUMA broke the pact. They paid Pelé secretly. That tie-your-shoes moment was a bold trick—and it worked.

Through the 1970s and 1980s, PUMA became known for style and sports. They made shoes for basketball players, runners, and boxers. But they also became a streetwear brand. In the hip-hop world of New York, in breakdancing, and on the streets of Berlin, PUMA was cool. It had an edge. It wasn’t always clean, but it was real.

Still, not everything was perfect. While adidas grew into a giant, PUMA often struggled. It was smaller. It made mistakes. Sometimes it changed CEOs too often. Sometimes it failed in marketing. In the 1990s, Nike came in strong and took over much of the market. PUMA was losing its ground.

But PUMA refused to die. In the early 2000s, under new leadership, the brand re-invented itself. They focused not just on sports, but also fashion. PUMA made deals with designers like Jil Sander and stars like Rihanna. Suddenly, PUMA was not just for athletes—it was for models, rappers, and fashion icons. Their “PUMA Suede” sneakers became a symbol of both sports and street style. They balanced two worlds.

They also made smart moves in football. They signed national teams like Italy and players like Antoine Griezmann and Marco Reus. PUMA kits were seen in the World Cup, on playgrounds, and in city streets.

There are some interesting facts you might not know. PUMA once made racing boots for Formula 1 drivers. In fact, they made fireproof racing shoes. They worked with BMW, Mercedes, Ferrari. It wasn’t just about sneakers—it was about high speed and danger.

Another strange fact: The town of Herzogenaurach remained split for decades. The Dassler families never made peace. Even workers were told not to talk to the “other side.” Only in 2009—yes, 60 years later—did PUMA and adidas play a friendly football match. That was the first handshake.

There’s a dark side too. During World War II, both brothers were members of the Nazi party. Their factories used forced labor from prisoners. After the war, this history was hidden. Today, it’s not ignored, but not celebrated either. It is a shadow that lies behind the company’s early success.

In 2007, a big change happened. A French luxury company called Kering (which also owns Gucci, Balenciaga, and more) bought PUMA. That gave the brand money, power, and global reach. But in 2018, Kering reduced its stake. PUMA became more independent again. And it kept growing.

Today, PUMA is one of the top sports brands in the world. It stands alongside Nike, adidas, and Under Armour. It is still headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany. It makes shoes, clothes, and gear for football, basketball, running, motorsports, and more. Their ambassadors include Neymar Jr., Usain Bolt, and Rihanna. Their slogan? “Forever Faster.”

But if you look closely at that leaping cat, you see more than just a logo. You see a story of two brothers. A story of pride, pain, passion, and legacy. A story of broken bonds and billion-dollar empires. You see how a quiet town gave birth to two global giants—and how a family fight changed the world of sports forever.

That is the story of PUMA.

Not just a brand.

A legacy that still runs.

A name that still leaps.

And a heart that never stopped beating—even when the world changed around it.