I was compelled to create a numerical typeface for adidas after seeing the latest design the German sportswear giant will be using on its soccer shirts at the 2012 European Championship. Since the 1970s adidas has pioneered the use of bold numerical designs for football jerseys, but the latest effort appears to borrow heavily from that used by rivals Nike at the 1998 World Cup.

The Drei Streifen typeface is inspired by adidas’ “Three Stripes” motif, which has been frequently used on its shoes and clothing since 1949. Mine is not the first design to echo this iconic branding, but it is an updated take on the company’s significant sporting heritage at a time when soccer design is becoming increasingly influenced by external cultural forces.