A week absolutely dominated by adidas, as we scope out a raft of new and upcoming releases, alongside some special editions and throwbacks. Strap in for this week’s Boot Spotting…
Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli) adidas COPA Sense +
Taking inspiration from the reveal of the FIFA 22 ratings, adidas dropped the 'NumberUp' pack this week, with colourful designs across the COPA Sense, Predator Freak and X Speedflow hiding that coveted '99' rating. Lorenzo Insigne slipped into the COPA Sense + for Napoli's wins against Sampdoria and Cagliari, scoring from the spot in the latter.
Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur) adidas Predator Freak +
Two matches in the newly released adidas 'NumbersUp' Predator Freak + for Dele Alli, and two entirely different results, with an EFL Cup win over Wolves being followed up by being hauled off at half time in the North London Derby, a game Spurs lost 3-1. Still, eye catching design.
Sergio Reguilon (Tottenham Hotspur) adidas X Speedflow +
Sticking with Spurs to complete the 'NumbersUp' lineup, and fullback Sergio Reguilón wore the X Speedflow+ in the 3-1 defeat to Arsenal.
Lionel Messi (PSG) adidas X Speedflow .1
Landing in special, signature edition shades alongside the 'NumbersUp' pack, Adidas provided Lionel Messi with the 'Unparalleled' X Speedflow .1, with a graphic that pays homage to Messi's status in the game with a '100' graphic. Forget 99...
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) adidas X F50 Adizero
Couple of big spots in Madrid this weekend, first in the Real camp, with Karim Benzema showing off an unreleased adidas X F50 Adizero hybrid. Can only assume that this is part of a pack release that's incoming, possibly tying in with the second match day of the Champions League.
Emile Smith-Rowe (Arsenal) Nike Phantom Venom
Emile Smith-Rowe caught the eye for his dazzling display in the North London derby this weekend, but he also caught the eye for his blackout Nike Phantom Venom, which he also wore against Wimbledon in the EFL Cup. Smith-Rowe has been wearing older Nike boots for a while now, and that's because his contract with Nike expired back in July and he is not allowed to wear boots made by any rival outfitters for six months after that date.
Neymar (PSG) Next Gen PUMA Future
Not just Messi with new boots in PSG's latest training session, with Neymar trialling the next generation of PUMA Future. It's been spotted a few times in recent weeks, but the fact that PUMA's biggest star is now lacing them up suggests that it must be nearing a release.
Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal) Mizuno Morelia Neo III β
And the winner of the best boot/kit combo for this week, making his second consecutive appearance following last week's blackout Tiempo, is Alexandre Lacazette. The Frenchman trained in the 'Next Generation' Mizuno Morelia Neo III β this week, although he didn't make it off the bench in the North London derby. Could he have signed with Mizuno?
Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus) adidas X 18.1
Interesting choice for Juventus centre back Matthijs de Ligt, who opted to wear the adidas X 18.1 in his side's 3-2 win against Sampdoria this weekend. It's not the first time the Dutchman's been seen in this model, suggesting he's not a fan of the current generation of X?