What's Up with the Upper of the Adidas Ace 17+ PureControl?
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.
Vintage Football Shirts
from Cult Kits
2006/07 Le Mans *Player Issue* Home Shirt (L) Kappa
2010/11 Denmark *Player Issue* GK Shirt (XL) Adidas
1998 R9 Boot – Tote Bag
2021/22 Detroit City Bomber Jacket (M) Starter
2020/21 QPR Ball #12 *Match Issue* Home Shirt (M) Errea
2016/17 Southampton Virgil #17 Home Shirt (XL) Under Armour
2012/13 Burnley (Ian Woan) *Staff Issue* Puma Training Polo (M)
2011/12 Spain Silva #21 Home Shirt (L) Adidas
1990 Ennerre #16 Template Shirt (L)
1996/98 Adidas (Germany) Kopke #1 Template GK Shirt (S)
Awful? Adidas Launches Women's 'Reconstructed Bringback' 1994 Kits
Adidas has officially introduced a unique new lifestyle range with the launch of its 'Reconstructed Bringback' collection. Focused heavily on women's fashion, this latest release takes two iconic international football shirt designs from the 1990s and transforms them into modern, streetwear-ready silhouettes.
For this drop, the sportswear brand has completely reimagined the highly memorable 1994 kits worn by the national teams of Germany and Spain, adapting the classic patterns into entirely new apparel formats.
The Spain entry in the collection offers a significant structural departure from a standard football jersey, arriving as an asymmetrical, one-shoulder top. The garment maintains the classic red base of the original 1994 home shirt, complete with the instantly recognizable column of navy blue and yellow interlocking diamonds running down the right side.
For the German national team, Adidas has transformed the legendary 1994 World Cup home kit into a fitted, square-neck tank top. The classic DFB crest and retro Adidas branding are positioned lower down on the torso.
What do you think of these reconstructed 1994 fashion tops for Germany and Spain? Let us know in the comments below.
Derbystar Austrian Bundesliga 26-27 Match Ball Revealed
The Austrian ADMIRAL Bundesliga and technical partner Derbystar have officially unveiled the new official match ball for the upcoming 2026-2027 season. The new ball already made an early on-pitch debut last weekend during the crucial final round of the current campaign. Starting next season, the new design will be used uniformly across the top-flight ADMIRAL Bundesliga, the 2. Liga, and the Frauen-Bundesliga.
The Derbystar Austrian Bundesliga 26-27 match ball is heavily inspired by the ultimate goal of the domestic season: the championship trophy. Moving away from the vibrant magenta and turquoise of the previous campaign, the 26-27 ball features a classic black-and-white base enhanced by modern graphic applications.
The artwork intricately incorporates depictions of the trophies from all three participating leagues. Crucially, the design pays a special tribute to the iconic gold "Meisterteller" (Champions Plate), specifically celebrating the 50th anniversary of the famous trophy's first-ever presentation to the league winners back in 1977.
In addition to the standard primary match ball, Derbystar has also developed a vibrant High-Visible variant specifically designed for optimal tracking during poor weather or snowy winter conditions.
What do you think of this trophy-inspired black and white design for the new Austrian Bundesliga ball? Let us know in the comments below.
Decathlon Serie C 26-27 Ball Released
Lega Pro and sporting goods retailer Decathlon have officially presented the new Official Match Ball for the upcoming 2026-2027 Serie C season.
The Serie C 2026-2027 match ball boasts a very striking look, "inspired by the concept of energy, reflecting the intense passion and movement that characterizes the third tier of Italian football".
The highly refractive optical white base is decorated with dynamic, futuristic graphics featuring a chromatic texture that fades from cobalt blue to bright red, which is further highlighted by vibrant neon yellow accents.
What are your thoughts on the striking design of the new Decathlon Serie C match ball? Let us know in the comments below.
Adidas Italy 1992 Retro T-Shirt Leaked
We can leak the first images of a new Adidas Italy retro lifestyle t-shirt.
As part of a wider Originals collection aimed at national teams, this new piece brings a strong 1990s aesthetic back to the modern era. The release highlights the German brand's continuing strategy of mining its extensive design archives to create bespoke, off-pitch apparel for its top-tier federations.
The Adidas Italy retro t-shirt features a clean, off-white base color that immediately establishes a classic throwback feel. Drawing direct inspiration from the colors of the Italian national flag, the shirt incorporates striking green, white and red geometric blocks.
Adding heavily to the nostalgic appeal, the chest displays a centralized logo arrangement, featuring a classic Adidas wordmark and Trefoil paired with a faithful recreation of the historic Italian Football Federation crest used throughout the early 1990s.
Other Adidas federations will get the same range in their colors.
Adidas Germany 'Alternate History' 1992 Retro Jacket Leaked
We have the first image of a unique new Adidas Germany retro jacket, showcasing an intriguing new approach from the sportswear brand.
While the design instantly evokes strong nostalgia for the 1990s, this upcoming release is actually an "alternate history" creation. Despite its highly authentic vintage appearance and period-accurate details, this specific track jacket never actually existed in the official Adidas catalogues during the 1990s, making it a brand new addition to their retro-focused lifestyle collection.
To achieve this convincing old-school aesthetic, Adidas has utilized their classic 1992 template as the structural foundation for the design. The garment features a vibrant green base that heavily nods to Germany's traditional away kits of the era. The colors of the German national flag are cleverly completed on the sleeves through large geometric blocks that also recreate the 3 stripes.
The same jacket will also be released for Spain and other Adidas national teams.
Jesse Lingard Wears 'J Lingz' on His Corinthians Kit
Former Manchester United and England midfielder Jesse Lingard yesterday night wore a unique name on the back of his shirt for his current club, Corinthians.
During the Brazilian side's Copa do Brasil clash against Barra FC, Lingard took to the pitch with his popular moniker, 'J Lingz', printed above his squad number. Rather than a permanent vanity choice by the 33-year-old, this unusual kit alteration was part of a coordinated, team-wide initiative where all Corinthians players swapped their traditional names for their recognizable nicknames.
The temporary name changes were implemented as part of a promotional campaign for Brazil's Generic Drug Day, which is officially celebrated on May 20th. Driven by pharmaceutical brand Hypera, the initiative aimed to highlight the importance and reliability of generic medications in public health. By replacing the players' standard names with their nicknames, the club and the sponsor sought to creatively demonstrate that even if the name on the back is different, the player - and by extension, the generic medication - delivers the exact same performance and effect.
Lingard joined the Brazilian giants in March following a stint in South Korea with FC Seoul.
