4Teams supplies merchandize to Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup

Pedro & Pedro started their path, in the early 80s, producing clothing tags in their Vizela factory. By the turn of the century, however, a crisis loomed in and for Pedro Santos, the founder, it became clear that in order to stay afloat he had to change product. He took the pragmatic attitude – when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

“It was a dozen years ago. Since the looms we had were able to make 100% acrylic, we started making scarves and changed our name to 4Teams”, recalls Anthony Câmara, the company’s sales director, which rose from anonymity last summer, when the word spread that they were the suppliers of half a million official scarves of every national team that participated in the football World Cup, in Russia.

4Teams still keeps its clothing tags department. “We make printed or embroidered tags, barcodes, dye-sublimation of sports equipment, etc.”, states Anthony, who nevertheless acknowledges that the mainstay of the company is sports merchandising, contributing for 90% of the overall turnover.

The delivery deadlines are one of the company’s strong suits. “During the World Cup we kept the television on to know who was qualified. As soon as the final whistle sounded, we started producing the scarves. We had everything set and ready. Five days later, they were already being distributed all over Russia”, recounts the sales director.

In the scarves and beanies business, besides working with clients that are licensed by FIFA and UEFA, 4Teams also supplies the team’s supporters and has manufactured scarves and beanies for FC Porto, AS Roma, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Marseille – just to mention a few.

There are plenty of other deals in the making, however. “We’re starting a collaboration with Borussia Dortmund; we’ll diversify into basketball, making badges for FIBA; into ice hockey, with a three-year contract, and we’ll be at the World Cup in Slovenia”, announces Anthony Câmara.

However, 4Teams’ big leap forward will be signing a contract, worth over five million euro, to supply sports merchandize for the World Cup in Qatar, along with promotional material for Qatar Airways.

“Things are going well. The people we talked within the government liked the products we presented, and thought that our prices were very competitive”, says the sales director.

Distribution and selling the final product is the new business area in which 4Teams just got started, after winning the contract to be SL Benfica’s official supplier  of scarves and beanies, for four seasons.

Now, they’re thinking about tackling another department: gaming. “We have made material for Mindcraft and Fortnite. We’re paying close attention to the youtuber phenomenon. The youtubers have gained such notoriety that they even have their own merchandize now”, concludes Anthony Câmara.