However, Hort dies at the age of only 51 in 1987 so he is not able to finish the global restructuring of his company. Adidas is slowly steering towards troubled waters. In 1990, when Germany becomes Football world Champions, of course equipped by adidas, the company becomes a corporation, but retains its family ownership. When Bernard Taple purchases 80 percent of adidas stock, it marks as the end of adidas as a family owned company. But in 1994 trendsetters like Madonna become to wear classic sports shoes and apparel of the 1970’s. Also the leadership of Robert Louis Dreyfus accelerates deep changes throughout the company and, dear ladies and gentlemen, the „Predatorâ“ shoe is introduced. It sets the new standards in the football world. It will be an honour to show you the magnificent shoe before we come to the end. Due to this and few other events adidas reports a clear upward trend in sales and profit. Especially the year 1996 – called the „big year“ is important. Six years after the family-owned company was transformed into a corporation, adidas goes to public, similarly being listed on the Frankfurt and Paris Stock Exchanges. By the way adidas has chosen the same year to celebrate past successes and triumphs still to come – symbolized by the concept „We knew then, we know now“. In unison a new logo, which stands for the performance and future of the brand is launched (slide). At the Olympic Games in Atlanta (1996) adidas equips 6,000 participants from 33 nations and supplies products for 21 out of the 26 sports. As a rule no other brand has been so closely associated with so many athletes in so many sports over so many years like adidas. A new generation of adidas athletes symbolizes the innovative technologies and contemporary design of adidas products. For the past few years, adidas has entered the future with an extensive communication campaign and together with young top athletes – basketball superstar Kobe Bryant, tennis player Anna Kournikova, football player David Beckham. Six years ago, adidas announces the acquisition of the French Salomon Group, the worldwide leading producer of winter sports equipment. The newly formed group is named Adidas – Salomon AG and to sum up the situation Robert Louis Dreyfus is announced as the „Manager of the Year“ by the Manager Magazine. In the year 1999 the company opens its new Headquarter offices in World of Sports in Herzogenaurach. In 2000 adidas becomes the official supplier and licensee of the European Soccer Championship in Holland and Belgium and outfits European Champion France.