Diadora is the only Italian athletic footwear and apparel manufacturer to still make some of its products in Italy, a tradition that began in 1948 when the company’s founder, Marcello Danieli, first began working in the trade as a young boy. With the ’70s came a young generation whose explosive interest in athletics initiated a boom in the sporting goods industry. Based originally on the renowned Italian artisan techniques, Diadora’s shoes became more and more technologically advanced, thanks to cooperation from champions such as Guillermo Vilas, Martin Mulligan, and the legendary Björn Borg. The mid-’70s also marked Diadora’s entry into the football category, aided by Roberto Bettega, who provided invaluable consulting information. Diadora America is the #3 brand in the market share in football (soccer).