Adidas dragged into football shirt spat between Morocco and Algeria

Ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Adidas have been pulled into a spat between Morocco and Algeria.

This is despite the fact the latter team won't even be travelling to the Gulf to partake in this winter's tournament.

Morocco, drawn into Group F alongside Canada, Belgium and Croatia have found a whole different way to take umbrage with their rivals, and it involves the issue of appropriation.

A new football kit released for the Algerian international team has drawn the ire of Moroccan football chiefs, with the culture ministry of the African nation verbally intervening in the spat.

The reason? It apparently features iconography rooted in Moroccan culture, and now the line has been drawn.

The new strip for Algeria features yellow, blue and off-blue geometric shapes. Adidas say that these are a tribute to the famous Algerian landmark of the Mechouar Palace, situated in Tlemcen.

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However, the Moroccan argument is that the design is similar to zellige - a mosaic style found in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, but produced and perfected in Morocco.

A legal notice was even issued to Adidas on behalf of the Moroccan culture ministry by lawyer Mourad Elajouti, who stated that the designs were "an attempt to steal a form of Moroccan cultural heritage."

Tensions between the two countries span back a number of decades and include a 1963 border conflict - the Sand War. Now it's a shirt that's flaring tempers.

A report by BBC suggests that Morocco have given Adidas two weeks to amend the designs.

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