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.
No More Joma: Adidas CD Estepona 26-27 Home & Away Kits Released
Spanish Segunda Federación club CD Estepona has officially unveiled its new home and away kits for the 2026-27 season. The launch marks the beginning of the club's new technical partnership with Adidas, supplied in collaboration with Fútbol Emotion, replacing previous kit supplier Joma.
The Adidas CD Estepona 26-27 home shirt features the club's traditional red base paired with dark navy raglan sleeves, highlighted by light blue Three Stripes on the shoulders and side panels. A classic white polo collar finishes off the look. The away shirt introduces a clean white base accented by subtle gold vertical pinstripes, royal blue sleeves and collar trim, along with metallic gold branding for the Adidas logo and shoulder stripes.
Both kits were officially revealed during a fan presentation event at the Plaza Antonia Guerrero in Estepona and are now available for purchase through the club's new official online shop.
Aachen 26-27 Third Kit Released
Alemannia Aachen and Capelli Sport have officially launched the club's new third kit for the 2026-27 3. Liga campaign. The new design rounds out the team's set for the season, following the earlier releases of their striped home shirt and black away strip.
The Capelli Alemannia Aachen 26-27 third shirt brings a striking aesthetic, featuring a white base decorated with an abstract, marbled swirl graphic pattern in yellow and light gray across the front, sleeves, and lower back. The jersey incorporates a clean V-neck collar bordered with black trim, matching the subtle black cuffs on the sleeves and yellow Capelli square blocks across the shoulders.
Completing the design, Alemannia Aachen's triangular crest sits on the left chest while black Capelli branding is applied to the right. The kit is finished with the Universal Polythex sponsor logo across the chest, buXtrade on the sleeve, and Stölting on the lower back above white shorts and socks.
No More Nike: Adidas Ourense 26-27 Home & Away Kits Released
Spanish side UD Ourense from Primera Federación have officially unveiled their home and away kit for 26-27 season, made by new supplier Adidas, who replaced Nike.
The new designs simply use Adidas Tiro 26 League template, which is also top team's training kit template. Colorwise, the home shirt features traditional red and white combination, whereas the away kit uses white base with black details. Both jerseys' club crests are displayed in full color.
What do you think of the new Adidas UD Ourense 26-27 home and away kits? Let us know in the comment below.
CSKA Moscow 26-27 Third Kit Released
PFC CSKA Moscow and technical partner Primera have officially unveiled the club's new third kit for the 2026-27 season.
The Primera CSKA Moscow 2026-27 third shirt features a dark grey base covered in an all-over tonal pattern showcasing various historic crests and emblems from throughout the club's past. The stealthy look is complemented by subtle red and blue accents on the shoulders and sleeves to represent CSKA's signature colors, while the crest sits prominently on the chest in full color.
Matching dark grey shorts and socks with subtle trim complete the new CSKA Moscow 26-27 third uniform.
Empoli 26-27 Third Kit Released
Empoli FC and Kappa have officially unveiled the club's new third kit for the 26-27 season. Completing the Tuscan side's wardrobe alongside their previously launched home and away strips, the fresh look draws inspiration directly from the city's local heritage.
The Kappa Empoli 26-27 third shirt features a dark navy base highlighted by bold taupe and coffee brown geometric wing patterns across the raglan sleeves and side panels. The dynamic graphic motif is inspired by the wings of the statue in Piazza della Vittoria, an iconic symbol of the city of Empoli.
Monochromatic light slate detailing rounds off the design, applied to the Empoli crest, Kappa Omini logos, and sponsor branding including Computer Gross and Kühner. Built on Kappa's Kombat Pro performance template, the new third kit is now available via the club's official channels and select retailers.
Manchester City 26-27 Third Kit Evokes Memories of Chelsea 03-04
Manchester City's 2026-27 third kit evokes memories of Chelsea's 2003-04 away shirt, with both designs featuring a white base and a blue gradient stripe running vertically down the centre.
Interestingly, the Chelsea shirt was carried over as the club's third kit for the 2004-05 season, making the design familiar across two consecutive campaigns.
The story behind Manchester City's new design is just as interesting. Created through PUMA's AI Creator platform, the shirt won the brand's kit design competition in late 2024, after nearly 180,000 submissions. It was one of 10 finalists before ultimately being selected as Manchester City's official third kit.
Thanks to @jersey_story for the information.
AS Cittadella 26-27 Away Kit Released
Italian club AS Cittadella and technical sponsor Erreà have officially unveiled their new away kit for the 2026-27 season. Following the release of their home and centenary strips earlier in the summer, the new alternate shirt celebrates the historic roots that formed the club.
The Erreà AS Cittadella 26-27 away jersey features a clean white base highlighted by a prominent horizontal chest block split into light blue and green. This dual-color element honors the club's founding in 1973 through the merger of local sides US Cittadellese (blue and white) and AC Olympia (green and white). The look is finished with a navy V-neck collar, matching sleeve cuffs with green and blue piping, and the club crest placed on the left chest.