By Sundesh Mahes
The football season is in full swing with most already having two rounds of fixtures. The PSL lit up on Wednesday when Kaizer Chiefs got their first 3 points of the season. We are all patiently awaiting the Lionel Messi Debut in Paris which is only likely this weekend. Today we will be setting the pace in the latest football boots available in South Africa and used by our PSL players.
The most used football boots used in SA are Adidas and Nike. Puma comes in third and then you get a few brands which are not as accessible like Under Armour and Mizuno which are very nice but pricey too.
We will be looking a new styles released by the brands and look at how to chose your style:
Football boots are made with various positions or foot designs so that everyone get the best out of their game – from stud length for longer grass to shorter studs for firm grounds. In SA we have mostly firm grounds through out the country. Then styling – Leather comfort to Primeknit or flyknit styles or that synthetic material used for speed.
You have to know your personal game and what comfort is required by your foot so you can be at your best daily.
Nike have the Phantom, Mercurial and the Tiempo. The phamtom is made for comfort and control, the Mercurial – speed and shooting and the Tiempo is for comfort, control and agility. Players in the PSL using the Mercurial: Nurkovic, Phantom: Dolly
Adidas: X SPEEDFLOW – Messi’s new weapons.
Looking to support players from grassroots to top leagues with the ability to change direction rapidly, the boot’s construction introduces a new ENGINEERED AGILITY FRAME. Connecting player to boot, the lattice structure is engineered to wrap around the foot, providing lockdown and stability in every direction, whilst being as minimal and lightweight as possible for radical agility.
Showcasing another new innovation with its lightweight CARBITEX SPEEDFRAME, the evolved outsole has been created to support the foundation of fast play – moments of linear speed – allowing players to cover the greatest amount of straight-line distance in the least amount of time. Here, the boot has been finely tuned with a carbon insert in the forefoot to enable explosive instant and transmission of power on the pitch. Rounding off the newly introduced technology, an ENGINEERED LIGHTWEIGHT PRIMEKNIT upper provides an adaptive fit, designed for intuitive players that need to – and can – react quickly.
The Primeknit upper is the lightest-to-date on a football boot, designed to adapt to the player’s foot. This combines with a new PRIMEKNIT SPEED COLLAR for further enhanced lockdown fit for zero distraction. X SPEEDFLOW will be worn by some of the world’s fastest players including Lionel Messi, who returns to the speed franchise for the first time since 2015. Mohamed Salah, Lindsey Horan, Heung-Min Son, Karim Benzema and Vivianne Miedema are among the key players that will also wear the product on-field.
Informed by direct feedback from adidas athletes, the new boot retains a SPRINT SPIKE LAST foundation, engineered for an optimized vacuum fit, characterized by a unique sound when placed on the foot. The team behind the product also considered feedback around the desire for a slightly softer heel for further improved comfort, resulting in a new engineered heel construction and an anti-slip heel lining created from softer, more comfortable materials.
Adidas X SPEEDFLOW is built to offer zero distraction on the pitch, helping complement the psychology of Speedfulness. When developing, we looked beyond the physical, understanding that fast performance at the top level is also a state of mind.
“X Ghosted was a major breakthrough for us in helping players unlock new levels of linear speed. But through our research when developing the next iteration of adidas’ fastest football boot, the team were led by this idea of merging the physical and mental.
“So, we’ve combined the very best in adidas performance technology with a deep understanding of the speed needs of the modern game - x speedflow supports instant speed, radical agility and instinct with the aim of creating the space for players to reach a true state of ‘flow’,” said Dave Surace, Senior Design Director at Adidas Football.
It will be available to purchase via adidas.com/football and selected adidas stores from today. On this day, fans around the world are invited to a fully immersive digital experience that brings Speedfulness to life at adidas.com/xspeedflow.
“From brain to boot to ball. And back again. When sharpness of mind meets quickness of body, you become the fastest version of yourself. Find your flow and leave the rest behind. Whatever "speed" means to you, these adidas X soccer boots keep you out in front. For the sprinter, a Carbitex carbon fibre insert and raised forefoot spark explosive propulsion. For the wizard, a stabilising Agilitycage straps you in for jinking runs. For the fox-in-the-box, adidas Primeknit adds comfort while you wait to strike.”
Puma: FUTURE Z 1.2 in a striking blue colourway, crafted to enhance the playing style of the world’s most creative mavericks including Neymar Jr.
The boot is part of the Faster Football edition which includes the new ULTRA 1.3 football boot launched last week.
There is a YouTube video:
The Faster Football pack featuring the all-new FUTURE Z 1.2 and the ULTRA 1.3 in a Unisex fit will be available from end July at PUMA.com, PUMA stores, Totalsports and select retailers for R3599 each.
Under Armour have very cool designs used in Europe by Trent Alexander-Arnold and the new Barcelona Striker Memphis Depay which is the Clone Magnetico Pro but these are not available yet in SA online or in stores.
WIN: Adidas X Speedflow: E-mail [email protected] – Send us a 100 – 200 word motivation on why you should be wearing the new adidas X Speedflow worth R4499… entries close on the 1 September 2021.
From me at Sports Drips: Keep moving, stay warm and stay safe.
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