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.
Austria Wien 26-27 Third Kit Released - Inspired by Gustav Klimt
Macron and Austrian Bundesliga club FK Austria Wien have officially launched their new third kit for the 2026-27 season. Dubbed the "Kunsttrikot" (art jersey), the special release draws direct inspiration from Austrian symbolist painter Gustav Klimt and his world-renowned masterpiece, "Der Kuss" (The Kiss), completing the club's set for the campaign.
The Austria Wien 26-27 third shirt comes in a rich cardinal red base decorated with gold details throughout. Across the body and sleeves, an intricate embossed texture incorporates the contrasting rectangular and circular patterns famously featured in Klimt's work. The design is rounded off with a traditional buttoned polo collar edged in gold trim, matching sleeve cuffs, and monochrome gold silicone applications for the club crest and Macron Hero logo. Special touches include "Spielkultur" on the outer neck and an inner neck tape honoring legendary captains Sara, Prohaska, Hussack, Nausch, and Fiala.
Matching cardinal red shorts and socks complete the kit, which is crafted from 100% recycled Eco Softlock polyester. Austria Wien are initially making the 26-27 third shirt available in a run of 1,000 limited-edition collector gallery boxes before a general release.
London City Lionesses Announce Landmark Nike Front-of-Shirt Sponsorship Deal
London City Lionesses have officially announced a multi-year front-of-shirt partnership with Nike. Owned by Michele Kang via Kynisca Sports International, the Barclays Women's Super League side revealed a unique graphic for the primary sponsor position, featuring the ancient Goddess of Victory statue from which the sportswear giant takes its name.
The new front-of-shirt look makes its on-pitch debut when London City take on Manchester United on September 4, 2026. Beyond the prominent kit branding, the agreement incorporates grassroots community activations as well as dedicated support for female-focused sports science research and athlete development.
Alongside the front-of-shirt sponsorship, the club and Nike have agreed to a four-year extension of their technical kit supply partnership, locking in the Swoosh from the 27-28 season onwards. This expands on their existing apparel arrangement first established ahead of the 25-26 campaign.
Levante 26-27 Fourth Kit Released
Spanish club Levante UD and Italian technical sponsor Macron have officially unveiled their new fourth kit for the 2026-27 season. Marking the tenth year of collaboration between the club and the brand, the new uniform completes Levante's kit lineup for the current campaign.
The Macron Levante 26-27 fourth jersey features a navy blue base with an all-over sublimated and embossed geometric pattern inspired by the traditional azulejos ceramic tiles of Valencia's seaside El Cabanyal neighborhood. Off-white and cardinal red trim accents the V-neck collar and sleeve cuffs, while silicone patches of the club crest and the Macron Hero emblem sit on the chest. The design also pays tribute to club founder José Ballester Gozalvo and his wife Teresa Molins Gausach.
Navy blue shorts with matching off-white and cardinal red details alongside hooped socks complete the full look. Levante UD will debut the new 26-27 fourth kit on September 6, 2026, against Málaga CF at the Ciutat de València to coincide with the club's 117th anniversary.
No More Macron: Elite Eleven Melbourne Victory 26-27 Training Collection Released
A-League side Melbourne Victory has officially announced a new multi-year partnership with Australian activewear brand Elite Eleven. The Melbourne-based brand will serve as the club's official Technical Kit and Apparel Partner for the next four seasons, starting from the 26-27 campaign, marking the end of Victory's partnership with Italian supplier Macron.
Shortly after the announcement, the club launched its official 26-27 training and lifestyle collection under the campaign banner "Melbourne Born. Melbourne Worn."
The training range is available to purchase immediately, while Melbourne Victory's new 26-27 home and away match kits are scheduled to be officially unveiled in early October.