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.
Melbourne Victory 26-27 Home & Away Kits Released
Melbourne Victory has officially unveiled its new home and away kits for the 26-27 A-League season. The launch marks the club's first matchwear collection produced under their new four-year technical partnership with Melbourne-based streetwear and activewear brand Elite Eleven.
The 26-27 home kit delivers a timeless look grounded in the club's traditional colours. It features a deep navy base accented by the iconic white Big V across the chest, complemented by white piping along the crew neck collar and raglan sleeve seams. Elite Eleven's signature logo sits centrally above the chevron, with Turkish Airlines remaining as the primary shirt sponsor.
In contrast to the classic home design, the Melbourne Victory 26-27 away jersey introduces a vibrant and modern aesthetic. It uses a bright neon fluro base paired with a large navy chevron and matching navy panels running along the shoulders and sides. Both shirts are available immediately for purchase through the club's official store.
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Macron and FC Nantes have officially unveiled a special Octobre Rose kit for the 26-27 campaign, marking the first time in the club's history that Les Canaris will wear pink. Designed to raise awareness and support the fight against breast cancer during Pink October, the jersey will be worn in official competition by both the women's and men's first teams at the Stade de la Beaujoire throughout the month.
The Macron FC Nantes 26-27 Octobre Rose shirt is built around a soft pastel pink base decorated with a brushstroke pattern inspired by the deconstructed awareness ribbon in tonal shades. Deep burgundy trims accent the collar, cuffs, and monochrome branding, while a pink ribbon sits proudly on the chest between the Macron Hero and the embroidered club crest. On the back neck, eight embroidered pink ribbons replace the traditional stars that represent Nantes' eight French league championship titles.
Burgundy shorts and pastel pink socks with a burgundy turnover band complete the full kit. In support of the initiative, 50% of the profits from shirt sales will be donated directly to local charities Madame S and Ma Parenthèse, along with the FC Nantes endowment fund.
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Paraguayan powerhouse Cerro Porteño and Puma have officially unveiled a special anniversary kit celebrating the club's 114th birthday. Founded on October 1, 1912, "El Ciclón" marks the milestone with a limited-edition design that also represents the end of an era, serving as Puma's final kit for the club ahead of a switch to Diadora in 2027.
The Puma Cerro Porteño 2026 anniversary jersey embraces a distinctive late-1990s retro aesthetic. It features a deep navy base complemented by a bold vertical red stripe running down the center, accented with white piping along the sleeves and side seams. A classic fold-over collar with white trim frames the neckline, while an enlarged retro CP monogram watermark is embossed across the lower torso. The jersey is completed by a traditional shield crest on the left chest and a clean, sponsor-free front.
Produced in strictly limited quantities, the collector's shirt is available in both short-sleeve and long-sleeve versions, bringing a stylish close to Puma's seven-year partnership with Cerro Porteño that began in 2020.
