Adidas vs Nike - Champions League Semi Finals Battle
While we can in no way predict who will win the 2015 Champions League final, or which players will dominate the last five matches, one thing is for sure: it will be a team sponsored by Adidas or Nike that will lift the trophy in Berlin, and it is more than likely that players endorsed by the two big brands will play a key role in the process.
Champions League Semi Finals Football Boots Battle
Adidas and Nike supply more than 90% of the players in the 14-15 Champions League semi finals.
Adidas and Nike completely dominate the Champions League semi final, supplying boots for more than 90% of players. Only one other brand, Puma, supplies more than one player, nine. While Adidas appears to be close to Nike with 55 players compared to 57, the picture is different if we take into account only the expected starting-11 players. Nike sponsors a staggering 57% (25) of the 44 players predicted to feature from the beginning and almost twice as many as Adidas (13 players).
Looking at the different football boot silos, the F50 Adizero is by far the most-chosen cleat with 30 players opting for Adidas's speed boot. Nike's Mercurial, Magista and Tiempo ranges follow with 18, 17 and 14 players, respectively.
Unlike the last round, when a number of high-profile Adidas athletes, including James Rodríguez and Luis Suárez, debuted the new Adidas Primeknit 2.0 Boots, we will not see any newly released football boots on the pitch during the Champions League semi finals.
It might however be the last chance to see the current Adidas collection as well as the first generation of the Nike Hypervenom in action in the Champions League. Both the all-new Adidas Summer 2015 Boots and the second-gen Hypervenom Boots are set to be unveiled just in time for the final in Berlin on 6 June.
Juventus v Real Madrid Football Boots
This is the Juventus Boot Lineup against Real Madrid.
Juventus, who still miss Paul Pogba due to injury, will look to keep things tight at the back utilizing a five-man defense. The Juventus Boot XI against Real Madrid is dominated by Nike with seven players, ahead of Puma with three and Adidas with F50 Adizero player Álvaro Morata in attack.
Gianluigi Buffon and Stephan Lichtsteiner are set to don the Puma evoPOWER and evoSPEED dragon print boots, respectively, while Juventus's Nike athletes will sport the latest colors from the Intense Heat Pack.
Still without Karim Benzema and Luka Modric, Real Madrid should continue to field Sergio Ramos in midfield, which worked well the last few times. Nike has the most players in Real Madrid's expected Boot Lineup vs Juventus with six, while four players wear Adidas cleats and center defender Pepe is the only player to represent Umbro at this stage of the competition.
FC Barcelona v Bayern München Boot Lineups
This is the Barcelona Boot XI for the match against Bayern München.
Only missing Jérémy Matieu through injury, Barcelona are likely to field their usual lineup including the 'MSN' attack - Messi, Suárez & Neymar. Six players in Barcelona's expected boot lineup against Bayern Munich wear Nike football boots, with the remaining five sporting Adidas' iconic three stripes.
Luis Suárez, who was one of several players wearing the knitted Adidas Primeknit 2.0 Soccer Cleats in the Quarter Final second leg, already returned to the red Adidas F50 Adizero Leather Boots he had been wearing before.
Bayern München complete the set of semi finalists, and just like with the other teams, Nike dominates the boot lineup of the German champions, with six players. Bayern Munich kit supplier Adidas, who recently renewed that deal in record-breaking manner, have the remaining five players under contract.
Juan Bernat is one of only a few players to sport the Solar Green Adidas F50 Adizero 2015 Football Boots, which received almost no on-pitch support.
Who do you think will win the 2014-15 Champions League? And which brand will capitalize on it the most? Drop us a line below.
France x MLB Baseball Jersey Released
The French Football Federation has officially launched a new crossover collaboration jersey with Major League Baseball.
The France MLB jersey features a classic baseball button-down design in the team's signature blue color, complete with the FFF crest and MLB branding.
Available now through the official FFF boutique and MLB Shop Europe, the new collaboration jersey retails for 140 Euro. The release has drawn some criticism from fans regarding its high price point of 140 euros.
Puma Kits Keep Ripping at the 2026 World Cup
Puma is facing significant criticism at the 2026 World Cup as multiple national team jerseys have easily ripped during matches.
Incidents involving players from Czechia, Morocco, Egypt, and Paraguay have highlighted an ongoing durability issue with the brand's latest kits - every torn shirt in the tournament so far belongs to a Puma-sponsored team.
The Puma 2026 World Cup jerseys incorporate the latest version of PUMA's ULTRAWEAVE “Thermoadapt” technology, which obviously is not tear-resistant enough.
The recurring wardrobe malfunctions have resulted in terrible PR for the German sportswear manufacturer and even prompted the viral resurgence of Xherdan Shaqiri's infamous quote from Euro 2016, where he joked that he hopes Puma does not produce condoms.
Deportivo Independiente Medellín Returns to Original Crest
Colombian club Deportivo Independiente Medellín has officially announced a return to their original crest, reconnecting with their 1913 roots.
Unveiled on June 19, 2026, the updated identity features the club's historic first shield, which prominently displays the city's name and honors their successes during the amateur era. The decision to revert to this traditional emblem is described by the club as a return to their origins, aiming to celebrate the beginning of their history and strengthen their brand identity.
Scotland Add Motivational Phrases to 2026 World Cup Kits
The Scottish national team's equipment staff have taken an extra step to inspire their players during the 2026 World Cup by adding motivational phrases to the inner collar of their match shirts.
This initiative is part of the broader "Choose Scotland" campaign, which features messaging such as "You can’t choose where you’re born but you can choose who you stand with."
Fujieda MYFC 26-27 Kits Released
Japanese J2 League club Fujieda MYFC have officially unveiled their new 2026-27 kits, produced by sportswear brand Gol. Designed under the theme "Merge," the new shirts symbolize the fusion of the ball, boots, players' spirit, fans, and partners uniting for the upcoming season. The collection features bespoke graphic patterns across the home, away, and goalkeeper jerseys, with sponsor logos cleanly integrated throughout the designs. The new Fujieda MYFC 2026-27 kits will be available to purchase starting in late June 2026 via the official J.League online store.
Matsumoto Yamaga 26-27 Home & Away Kits Released
Japanese J3 League club Matsumoto Yamaga FC have revealed their new 2026-27 home and away kits. The new Adidas Matsumoto Yamaga 2026-27 shirts introduce bespoke designs for the club.
Como 1907 Announce Kit Design Contest
Italian club Como 1907 has launched a new design contest, inviting fans and designers to create a new look for the team. While the official announcement asked supporters to design a t-shirt for Como, it is likely that the club is referring to a football kit, given the context of the post and the reactions from the fanbase.
The club has kept the instructions incredibly open, stating there is no brief, no rules, and no excuses. To enter the competition, fans simply need to create their design, post it on Instagram, and tag the official Como 1907 account.
The announcement has already sparked significant interest online, with numerous supporters sharing their concepts and ideas. Whether the winning design will be produced as an official match kit, a pre-match shirt, or a special edition lifestyle item remains to be seen, but it offers a unique opportunity for fans to leave their mark on the club's visual identity.
FIFA Denies Guillermo Ochoa 2026 World Cup Legacy Patch Over Appearance Rules
Guillermo Ochoa has been denied the chance to wear FIFA's new legacy patch at the 2026 World Cup. Despite being selected for six World Cup tournaments spanning from 2006 to 2026, the Mexican goalkeeper does not meet the strict criteria set by FIFA. The governing body requires players to have made on-pitch appearances in at least five different World Cups to qualify for the special badge.
Ochoa did not play any minutes during the 2006 and 2010 tournaments, meaning he has only registered on-pitch appearances in three World Cups prior to the 2026 edition. Because of this, FIFA officially refused to award him the patch. Other veterans playing in the tournament, such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Manuel Neuer, and Yuto Nagatomo, have received the legacy patch for meeting the five-tournament appearance threshold.
The Mexican Football Federation is reportedly planning to push for a reconsideration of the ruling. If Ochoa features in a match during the 2026 tournament, the federation intends to appeal FIFA's decision in hopes of securing the legacy patch for the veteran goalkeeper.
Yokohama FC 26-27 Home & Away Kits Released
Japanese J2 League club Yokohama FC have officially released their new Puma 2026-27 home, away, and goalkeeper kits. The new Yokohama FC 26-27 shirts feature an abstract graphic design that represents flow and movement across all the jerseys. The home jersey is predominantly blue, while the away kit is white. The goalkeeper kits complete the collection in red and yellow colorways. The Puma Yokohama FC 2026-27 kits are available to purchase via the club's online store.
