As most transfer windows open across European football Puma is facing off in the battle for brand supremacy throughout the continent.

Puma has looked to the top of the Barclays Premier League to begin its push against established outfitters like Nike or Adidas. Manchester City stars Sergio Aguero and Yay Toure are brand ambassadors for lines of football footwear and warmup apparel. Athletico Madrid striker Ramadel Falcao will endorse Puma in 2013 as will former Arsenal player Thierry Henry, a curious choice considering he’s currently playing in America with the Red Bulls. The players faces will be featured in print ads and social media campaigns.

If Puma can replicate the success it had across Africa, the company can expect to see growth again after a down year. Puma has sponsored 10 national teams in Africa where there is a market of nearly 1 billion people.

While the European continent is much smaller than the land on the other side of the Mediterranean Sea, Under Armour and Warrior Sports have proved to be more popular than the Puma cougar in the Western world. If Puma sticks to their plan of downsizing its range of products during the next two years their dedication to the timeless sport of football could boost sales. Now is the time to begin a campaign that will target large numbers for the Euro and World Cup tournaments.