Why Germany play in white despite it not being a colour on their flag

Fans are only just finding out the reason why Germany wear white, despite it not being a colour in their national flag.

There are few more iconic national teams than Germany, especially when it comes to the World Cup.

Their recent record hasn't been strong, however, having not made it past the group stages in 2018. They were also knocked out at the group stage in 2022, after their shock opening loss to Japan and failure to beat Spain on matchday two.

Before 2018, though, they'd made it to the semi-finals, at the very least, for the previous tournaments. You would have to go as far back as 1978 to find the previous time they had failed to make it to the quarter-finals.

Germany have also won three European Championships, in 1972, 1980 and 1996.

As well as the team being iconic, their kits are too. Their classic white kits are usually combined with a beautiful pattern, with their famous 1990 shirt one of the World Cup's all time classics.

But unlike a number of other nations, Germany's kit isn't based around their country's flag, which uses a tricolour of red, black and yellow.

The reason behind the nation's decision to play in white is because white features heavily in the flag of Prussia, the state that stretched from the modern day border of Russia to the border of France in the west.

The area known as the German empire had a white flag, originally with a cross in the middle. It was later replaced by a black eagle, which still features on their team emblem.

When the German national football team was set up in 1899, it was decided that they would adopt the Prussian colours.

And while Prussia was de facto dissolved in 1932, an act which was legally recognised in 1947 by an Allied decree, the German national football team, it was decided that the football team would retain the colours.

Germany are in action on Tuesday evening when they take on Netherlands in an international friendly at the Deutsche Bank Park.

Topics: Germany, Football, Football World Cup, Euro 2024

Ryan Sidle

Ryan is a journalist for SPORTbible with over eight years of experience. Passionate about all sports, he mainly covers football and F1 - Daniel Ricciardo once spent an entire interview referring to him as 'Ryan Gosling,' still his proudest moment.

@Sidler28