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.
Gaborone United 26-27 Home, Away & Third Kits Released
Botswana Premier League side Gaborone United has officially unveiled its new 26-27 home, away, and third kits. Made by ZoneTwo Sports Wear, the latest strips were recently launched in conjunction with the club's end-of-season awards ceremony.
The ZoneTwo Gaborone United 26-27 home kit features the traditional red primary color that the club is known for. For matches on the road, the team will transition to a clean white away kit. Rounding out the collection, the alternative third kit introduces a blue base to give the squad an additional contrasting option.
Manchester United 26-27 Away Kit Debuted + New Microsoft Back-of-Kit Sponsor
Yesterday, Manchester United debuted their new 2026-27 away kit in a pre-season friendly against Rosenborg. Featuring a blue and red color scheme, the design evokes memories of the club's iconic 2016-17 away shirt, marking a full decade of nostalgia for United supporters.
At the same time, Microsoft made its first appearance on Manchester United's kit as the new back-of-shirt sponsor, replacing Copilot. The change remains part of the club's broader commercial partnership with Snapdragon. The Microsoft logo is also expected to continue appearing on the back of the team's shirts in both the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.
No More Jako: Adidas Chernihiv 26-27 Home Kit Released
Ukrainian First League club FC Chernihiv have announced a change in kit supplier ahead of the 26-27 season, leaving their previous partner Jako to join forces with Adidas. This marks a new era for the club, who had previously sported bespoke designs created by Jako.
The first release under the new partnership is the FC Chernihiv 26-27 home kit. Moving away from the striking yellow tiger stripe design seen in the 25-26 season, the new Adidas home shirt adopts a more traditional aesthetic, featuring the iconic three stripes prominently on the shoulders.
While the previous Jako kits gained attention for their unique looks and the poignant presentation near the club's destroyed ground, the switch to Adidas brings a classic and recognizable feel to FC Chernihiv's on-pitch apparel for the upcoming campaign.
Woking 26-27 Home Kit Released
English National League side Woking FC have officially unveiled their new 26-27 home kit, made by Italian technical partner Erreà. The launch was accompanied by a heartfelt club statement highlighting the deep-rooted significance of the team's traditional colors, stating, "For generations, these colours have held real significance. Whatever the future holds, we'll wear it together."
The Erreà Woking FC 26-27 home shirt embraces the club's historic visual identity, bringing a fresh but classic look for the Cardinals' upcoming campaign. Emphasizing heritage and unity, the new uniform celebrates the strong connection between the team and its loyal supporters.
Fakel Voronezh 26-27 Kits Released
Russian club FC Fakel Voronezh have officially unveiled their new kits for the 26-27 season. Made by Spanish sportswear brand Kelme, the new collection will be worn during the club's upcoming domestic campaign.
The new Kelme FC Fakel Voronezh 26-27 shirts introduce custom designs that incorporate the traditional colors of the team. Continuing the partnership from previous seasons, the latest release includes a complete set of matchday uniforms, providing a fresh but recognizable visual identity for the Russian side.
Górnik Łęczna 26-27 Home Kit Released
The new Górnik Łęczna home shirt for the 26-27 season was officially released yesterday. Made by Adidas, the kit will be worn in the upcoming Polish I liga campaign.
Staying true to the team's recognizable identity, the Adidas Górnik Łęczna 26-27 home jersey features the classic green and black colors associated with the club. The design brings an updated touch to their traditional look, incorporating standard Adidas branding alongside the official club crest on the chest.
No More Joma: Keeza Hutnik Kraków 26-27 Home & Away Kits Released
Following the departure of Joma and the arrival of new kit supplier Keeza, Polish II Liga side Hutnik Kraków have unveiled their new kits for 2026-27 season.
Both kits share the same design, using two contrast color choices: Traditional white for the home kit, and light blue for the away kit. The shirts feature unique brushstroke graphic on the shoulder, along with a subtle club crest displayed on the lower area. Small yellow trims complete the two new designs for Hutnik Kraków.
What do you think of the Keeza Hutnik Kraków 2026-27 home & away kits? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
SS Arezzo 26-27 Away Kit Released
Newly-promoted Serie B side SS Arezzo have unveiled their new away kit, made by local brand Rever and to be worn in the 2026-27 season.
The kit has a stylish look with off-white base and stylished collar, along with dark red shoulder seam and black & red side panel. The away kit share similar overall look to the previously released home kit, but differ in small details and the logo placements.
What do you think of the SS Arezzo 2026-27 away kit? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.