Sweatshirt Football To The Footballers

On 22 May 1968, as strikes swept across France, a group of footballers did something extraordinary: they occupied the headquarters of the French Football Federation and hung a banner from the balcony reading "Le football aux footballeurs!" (French for: Football belongs to the footballers, or Football to the Footballers).

The protesters accused the Federation of abusing its power to enrich itself and a handful of elite clubs, while professional players were fobbed off with low wages and miserable contracts. They demanded that membership contributions be used to improve football infrastructure at every level of the game. The occupation lasted five days, and it worked! Under pressure from the players' union, the media, and prominent footballing figures, the Federation was forced to withdraw its most controversial plans and gradually open up greater participation in the running of the game at both national and local level.

More than half a century later, football is still governed by officials and suits rather than the players themselves. Worse still: today's top officials are richer, the corruption more brazen, and the impunity more staggering than ever. The global governing body of football has for decades operated less like a sporting institution than a criminal cartel. Bribery scandals, vote-rigging, money laundering, and officeholders enriching themselves at the expense of millions of grassroots players are the order of the day.

The design for May 2026 by Indonesian illustrator Nanu Nano shows two players in front of an imaginary international federation building. One of them, barefoot in a Brazilian jersey, embodies the beauty of the traditional game. He reminds us of a time when technique, wit, and elegance still mattered more than muscle and efficiency. The other player wears a Palestinian jersey, symbolising the resilience of ordinary and marginalised people in the face of oppression around the world. He also reminds us that the genocide committed by Israel, and supported by Germany, has already claimed the lives of hundreds of Palestinian footballers; among them Suleiman al-Obeid, the "Palestinian Pelé", shot dead on 6 August 2025 while waiting for food aid alongside other civilians in the south of the Gaza Strip.

The “Football to the Footballers” design is dedicated to every child on every dusty pitch and in every alleyway around the world who dreams of becoming a professional footballer or simply wants to play. The future belongs to them, and so does football. Not to the greedy men in Zurich.

Attention: Made to order production

You order and we produce the item exclusively for you! Together we avoid overproduction and lessen the impact on the environment. Therefore, the average delivery time is a little longer and takes up to 15-20 working days to Germany and the EU, after receipt of payment. Thanks for your understanding! More info can be found under “Shipping and Delivery”.

Important: Please take enough time to choose the right size for you. You can find the size chart at the end of the product picture gallery. Since all products are made especially for you, we kindly ask you to take sufficient time when selecting your size. Unworn goods with material or printing errors can of course be returned for a complaint.

Brand and Manufacturer: Earth Positive, Continental Clothing

Material: 100 percent organic cotton

Printing and Finishing: High quality skin and ecofriendly print, direct-to-garment (DTG) or direct-to-film (DTF), depending on design and textile.

Care: Important care instructions are available at the bottom of our website

Please note on colours: Since every screen displays colours slightly differently and textiles may vary slightly depending on the batch and material, minor colour deviations between the product image and the delivered item are possible. This is completely normal when printing on fabric and does not constitute a defect.

Please note: If, in exceptional cases, your size or colour is not available, we reserve the right to send you an alternative organic textile of equivalent material quality from another Fair Wear Foundation member company.

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Product Safety (GPSR)

This product complies with the requirements of the EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR – Regulation (EU) 2023/988).

Responsible person (EU): Anton Wundrak Mantovanini, dna merch | Solidarische Textilien, Richardstr. 60, 12055 Berlin, E-Mail

For questions regarding product safety, please contact the person named above.