After one round of matches, teams representing the brand of the three stripes, including Mexico, Germany and Argentina, had snared 51.85 per cent of the points available to them.

It is an extremely close-run race though, with Puma second on 50 percent and Nike bringing up the rear on 43.3 per cent.

The five teams supplied by other kit-makers are performing at comparable levels too, with a combined tally of 46.7 per cent.

Indeed, with one game from the second round of matches already played - a goalless draw between hosts Brazil and Mexico - Adidas had dropped back to level pegging with Puma on 50 per cent.

Nike have the consolation of supplying the team that produced the most eye-catching performance of the tournament's early stages - Holland, with its astonishing five-goal demolition of world champions Spain.

Nike may be trailing Adidas in the battle of the brands but do sponsor The Netherlands, who produced the best result of the first round of World Cup matches, beating Adidas-sponsored defending champions Spain 5-1, including this memorable goal from Robin van Persie
©Getty Images

Partly as a consequence of this, Nike teams also scored the most goals during the 16 first round matches with 17, against 14 for Adidas, 12 for Puma and six for others.

The three major brands each have between eight and 10 teams competing in Brazil.

Nike has the edge with 10 teams - Australia, Brazil, Croatia, England, France, Greece, Holland, Portugal, South Korea and United States.

Adidas has nine - Argentina, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Colombia, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia and Spain/.

And Puma has eight - Algeria, Cameroon, Chile, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Italy, Switzerland and Uruguay.

Five further kit manufacturers have one team each.

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