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.
SK Brann Kvinner 26-27 Third Kit Released
Norwegian Toppserien side SK Brann Kvinner have officially unveiled their new 26-27 third kit, produced by Nike in collaboration with Unisport. The team debuted the vibrant new design during their away fixture against Lyn in Oslo.
The Nike SK Brann Kvinner 26-27 third shirt features a purple base paired with a large, dark rhododendron flower graphic printed across the front. The design honors Bergen's reputation as Norway's "Rhododendron City," known for the vibrant bushes that flourish in gardens and parks across the city. All branding, including the Nike Swoosh, monochrome Brann crest, and sponsor logos, is applied in a contrasting bright pink.
On the back, the jersey includes the inscription "For Bergen" in gothic lettering just below the collar, symbolizing the pride of representing the city on away trips. The new third uniform completes Brann Kvinner's 26-27 wardrobe alongside their traditional red home and dark away kits.
Special Club América 26-27 Kit Font Released
Club América has unveiled a special commemorative kit font for the 26-27 season, celebrating Mexican Independence Day and the club's marquee Clásico matches throughout September. The bespoke nameset replaces the regular squad typography on the back of Las Águilas' primary yellow home shirt, adopting the iconic green, white, and red of the Mexican flag.
The custom numbers feature a deep green base detailed with thin white vertical pinstripes. Embedded along the vertical lines are historic commemorative inscriptions, including the club name, the date "16 - 09 - 1810" marking the start of the Mexican War of Independence, and "INDEPENDENCIA DE MÉXICO". The player names above are rendered in vibrant red with a clean white outline.
To complete the patriotic design, each numeral incorporates a geometric red and cream 3D shadow effect, alongside Club América's crest placed at the base of every digit. The special typography delivers a unique cultural tribute, adding extra identity to the squad's jerseys during one of the most important periods of the Mexican football calendar.
PSG 26-27 Third Kit Concept Based On Leaked Image
Based on the previous leaked pictures, our partner @whatthekit_x have provided a concept of how the PSG 26-27 third kit would look like on their stars Doué and Dembélé. The shorts and socks are expected to carry the same motif and colorway as of the shirt's, creating a uniform ovarall look for the European champions.
What do you think of the PSG's 26-27 third kit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Queen of the South 26-27 Third Kit Released - Designed by Local School Pupil
Scottish League One club Queen of the South has officially launched its new 26-27 third kit, manufactured by Macron. What makes the release particularly unique is that it was designed by Rex, a pupil from Dalbeattie Primary School, who won a club competition that saw an impressive 1,883 entries submitted from 27 local primary schools.
The Macron Queen of the South 2026-27 third jersey introduces an eye-catching look based on bold diagonal stripes alternating between pink, black, and purple. The sleeves are dominated by bright pink with black cuffs, matched by a clean black V-neck collar. White detailing finishes the shirt, including the Macron Hero emblem, local sponsor Gavin Edgar Joinery on the chest, and a recolored monochrome club crest.
Completing the Queen of the South 26-27 third strip are black shorts and socks. The full kit is available now through the club's official online store and physical club shop.