What's Up with the Upper of the Adidas Ace 17+ PureControl?
Nov 28, 2016, by Pat
It's time to speak more about the confusion that is the Adidas Ace 17+ PureControl and its different uppers.
As you might have noticed over the last few days and perhaps already before the official launch, not just Paul Pogba, but ALL professionals are wearing a sort of prototype / sample of the Adidas Ace 17+ PureControl - one that's almost nothing like the one that hit retail and was dubbed a "16.5" by some.
An interesting perspective on the whole situation is offered by Unisport's JayMike who recently said that he hopes that the Ace 17+ PureControl will get updated before its eventually replaced by the Ace 18+. Now, this could just be his inner boot nerd speaking, but it would be extremely naive to assume that a person in his position would voice something along those lines without knowing at least something.
Another point in favor of an update of the Ace 17+ PureControl upper at one point is the fact that all leaked colorways feature the second upper. If Adidas had settled on reverting to the 16+ upper for whatever reason, one would assume that later samples, for example for the Fall / Winter 2017 period, would be based on the definitive upper by now.
All in all, we are fairly certain that we'll see the Ace 17+ PureControl's real look instore sooner than later. Possibly already with January's Checkered Black edition. If you cannot wait to try out what the pros are wearing, you should probably give the 'Tango' rendition of the Ace 17+ PureControl, available with turf and indoor outsoles, a try. By the looks of it, its upper is identical to the earlier leaks of the cleated edition, i.e. what the professionals are wearing.
So why is so important for Adidas to update the upper? First, it's kind of odd to release a boot that's virtually unchanged and branding it as a whole new edition - or at least that's what people could feel in this situation. Additionally, we believe it's important that players are not advertising boots that have almost nothing in common with what they are wearing on the field, as e.g. Paul Pogba is doing currently. We feel that this could hurt Adidas reputation with time.
There are also a number of more practical reasons to update the upper. For one, there where a few critics of the initial laceless PureControl boots voiced concerns about the fit being too loose in general - an update could help resolve this. Also, the 16+ PureControl's upper construction, while getting rid of laces, added a second compression techfit layer. It looks like the 'real' Ace 17+ PureControl upper is just one layer, which could offer a better connection with and improved feel for the ball.
What do you think? Share your thoughts on the Ace 17+ PureControl upper controversy in the comments below.
SSC Bari 26-27 Home, Away and Third Kits Released
Italian club SSC Bari and technical supplier Erreà have officially revealed the team's new home, away, and third kits for the 26-27 season. The entire collection pays homage to one of the city's most famous landmarks, the iconic Teatro Petruzzelli, incorporating its architectural features into the visual design of all three shirts.
The 26-27 home kit is presented in classic white, featuring subtle tonal graphics derived from the theatre's ornate facade, finished with red trim on the collar and sleeve cuffs. The away jersey comes in red and incorporates blue-teal accents on the V-neck collar and cuffs, with subtle front graphics representing the building's windows and balconies.
Completing the trio, the third kit arrives in blue, referencing both the iron entrance doors of the Teatro Petruzzelli and Bari's coastal connection to the Adriatic Sea.
FC Stade Lausanne-Ouchy 26-27 Kits Released
Swiss club FC Stade Lausanne-Ouchy and technical sponsor Macron have officially unveiled the team's new kit set for the 26-27 season. The release features a complete trio of home, away, and third shirts, all built around a shared dynamic liquid marble pattern.
The 26-27 home kit comes in the club's traditional red color, featuring white accent lines and detailing. The away jersey mirrors the design on a white base with red accents, while the third kit opts for a dark aesthetic, combining a black body with gold wave graphics and matching gold crest and sponsor details.
Kalamata FC 26-27 Away Kit Released
Greek Super League club Kalamata FC have officially unveiled their 2026-27 away kit. Made by Macron, the new design introduces a sleek blackout-inspired look for the upcoming season.
The Macron Kalamata FC 2026-27 away shirt features a predominantly black base with a subtle tonal geometric pattern across the front. White Macron, Novibet sponsor and club crest details provide contrast, while black trim on the collar and sleeve cuffs completes the clean monochromatic design.
What do you think of the new Kalamata FC 2026-27 away kit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
SV Elversberg 26-27 Third Kit Released
German 2. Bundesliga side SV Elversberg and Nike have officially unveiled the club's new third kit for the 26-27 season. The vibrant uniform gives the team a standout alternative look for the new campaign.
The Nike SV Elversberg 26-27 third shirt features a bright red-orange base covered in an eye-catching optical halftone graphic pattern across the front and sleeves. White detailing is used for the Nike Swoosh on the right chest, while the traditional SV Elversberg crest is positioned on the left. Main sponsor HYLO sits prominently in a black rectangular box across the middle.
On the back, player names and numbers are printed in white with black outlines, with the club's tagline printed on the upper collar area. The kit is set to be worn during selected away fixtures throughout the 26-27 season.
Grenoble Foot 38 26-27 Away Kit Released
French Ligue 2 club Grenoble Foot 38 and Nike have officially launched the club's new away kit for the 26-27 season.
The Nike GF38 26-27 away jersey features a clean white base paired with vivid royal blue raglan sleeves. The defining feature of the shirt is a bold blue mountain graphic across the lower front, drawing direct inspiration from the surrounding Alps. Dark blue accents complete the look on the Nike Swoosh and the Carrefour Market sponsor logo. Just like on the home shirt, the regional coat of arms of Dauphiné is detailed on the upper back.
Matching royal blue shorts and black socks complete the full Grenoble Foot 38 26-27 away strip.
Stockport County 26-27 Third Kit Released
Stockport County and Puma have officially launched the club's new third kit for the 26-27 season. The vibrant new release completes the club's kit set for the campaign, joining the previously revealed home and away strips.
The Stockport County 26-27 third shirt introduces a striking coral base color featuring a subtle vertical graphic pattern running down the front. All accent details, including the Puma cat logo, main front sponsor VITA, and the monochrome Stockport County crest, are finished in contrasting black.
Matching coral shorts and socks complete the full uniform setup. The Puma Stockport County 26-27 third kit is available to purchase now both online and at the physical County Store.
Sint-Truidense 26-27 Away Kit Released
Belgian Pro League side Sint-Truidense VV has officially launched its new away kit for the 26-27 season, designed by Olympic. Following the release of their home kit earlier this summer, the new away strip presents a sharp monochromatic look for the upcoming campaign.
The Sint-Truidense 26-27 away jersey features a clean white base dominated by thin black vertical pinstripes running down the body. Contrasting black raglan sleeves are finished with white trim on the cuffs, while a black V-neck collar anchors the overall layout. The club crest sits centrally on the upper chest, complemented by Olympic branding and various sponsor logos across the shirt. Completing the full look, the shirt is paired with black shorts and dark socks.
The new STVV 26-27 away uniform is now officially available for purchase through the club's webshop.
Siena FC 26-27 Home Kit Released
Italian Serie D club Siena FC has officially revealed its new home kit for the 26-27 season, produced by Adidas. The design highlights the club's iconic black and white identity through a bold geometric concept.
The Adidas Siena FC 26-27 home jersey features a distinctive quartered pattern across the front. Black and white blocks create a stark contrast across the chest and torso, accompanied by Adidas' signature three stripes on the shoulders and a classic crew collar. Subtle gold accents along the bottom hem add a refined touch to the overall look.
Completing the design, the official Siena FC crest is positioned on the left chest opposite a clean white Adidas logo.