In 1954, West Germany won the FIFA World Cup thanks to revolutionary Adidas boots with screw-in studs.

The 1954 FIFA World Cup final took place on July 4 at the Wankdorf Stadium in Bern, Switzerland. The match featured the legendary Hungarian 'Golden Team' which had gone unbeaten for 32 consecutive games before this final. Heavy rainfall created extremely slippery conditions that favored the underdogs due to a technical innovation by Adolf 'Adi' Dassler, the founder of Adidas.Dassler provided the West German national team with the 'Argentina' model boot, which featured the first practical screw-in studs. These studs were made of nylon and could be swapped out for different lengths depending on the weather and pitch conditions. On that rainy afternoon, the German players switched to longer studs to maintain stability on the waterlogged grass while the Hungarians slipped and tired quickly.Physics played a major role as the longer studs increased the pressure per square inch on the ground, allowing the players to penetrate the soft mud and reach the firmer soil underneath. This superior traction allowed the Germans to execute quick turns and sprints that their opponents could not match. The resulting 3-2 victory became a symbol of Germany's post-war recovery and established Adidas as a global leader in sports technology.Historical records from the German Football Association (DFB) confirm that Dassler sat on the bench during the match to personally manage the equipment. This event is widely cited by sports historians as the first time footwear technology directly influenced the outcome of a major international championship. The 'Miracle of Bern' remains one of the most significant upsets in sporting history, driven by engineering as much as athleticism.