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.
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The Guadeloupe 26-27 home shirt arrives in an earthy, deep red palette that pays homage to the iconic La Soufrière volcano and its surrounding ecosystem. Blended into a traditional madras-inspired patchwork pattern, the shirt features a rich tapestry of island motifs, including volcanic topographic lines, hibiscus blooms, banana leaves, mangrove roots, palms, and hummingbirds.
Completing the set, the Guadeloupe 26-27 away jersey draws inspiration from the island's dense tropical rainforests. It is styled in vibrant shades of green across wide tonal stripes, with detailed graphics depicting lush foliage, palm fronds, and the island's distinctive volcanic terrain.
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The Adidas SS Juve Stabia 26-27 away jersey features a clean white base detailed with subtle yellow vertical pinstripes down the front. The design is complemented by a yellow crew neck collar, while dark navy blue appears on the iconic Adidas Three Stripes along the shoulders and the Adidas logo on the chest. The club's crest is positioned over the left chest.
The launch photoshoot places a strong emphasis on the Castellammare di Stabia community, highlighting fans across various generations and personal milestones proudly wearing the new away shirt.
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The Marathon Ecuador Korea Tour special jersey features an off-white base paired with deep teal ribbed detailing on the V-neck collar and sleeve cuffs, complemented by colorful patterned inserts along the flanks. The centerpiece of the design sits on the lower front, where detailed line-art illustrations depict the Ecuadorian Andean condor on one side facing a traditional Korean tiger on the other.
The shirt makes its debut at Suwon World Cup Stadium as part of a two-match trip, with a companion yellow edition featuring condor and crane artwork lined up for the subsequent clash against Japan. The limited-edition jersey is available through Marathon's official web store and physical retail locations across Ecuador.
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The outfield shirt opts for a clean, heritage-focused look with an all-white base accented by delicate green piping on the classic polo collar and sleeve cuffs. To maintain a minimalist finish, the club crest, Hummel logo, and main sponsor Matthäi are all executed in tonal white. A stadium graphic paired with the line "Wo die Weser einen großen Bogen macht" is printed on the inner collar, while the upper back is signed off with "100 Jahre Weserstadion." Alongside the player shirt, Hummel also revealed a contrasting goalkeeper jersey defined by a vibrant 1990s-inspired geometric pattern in purple, teal, and black.
Both centenary jerseys are scheduled to be worn on pitch on September 26, 2026, during a legends friendly between Werder Bremen and Real Madrid at the Weserstadion. The outfield shirt retails for €89.95 and is available now through Werder's online store.
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The Puma Sassuolo 26-27 third shirt features an 'Electro Royal' blue base adorned with thin white vertical pinstripes down the front, drawing inspiration from the striping in the club's emblem. It is detailed with a white collar featuring a subtle button placket, white underarm inserts, and white Puma cat logos. The Sassuolo crest is rendered in a monochrome blue and white execution on the left chest to match the centered MAPEI sponsor logo.
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The new signature boots feature a Sky Blue and White color scheme that aligns naturally with Manchester City's primary colors. A distinctive cloud-like graphic wraps around the heel and rear section of the boot, adding an exclusive graphic touch over the light blue upper.
The Nike Phantom 6 Haaland boots are scheduled for an official launch on 1 October 2026.
Spezia Calcio 26-27 Third Kit Released
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The Spezia Calcio 26-27 third shirt comes in a rich garnet base, overlaid with an intricate tonal floral pattern inspired by the Liberty-style stained-glass windows adorning historic buildings throughout the city. Clean white accents provide contrast on the Kappa logos, the club crest on the left chest, and the main shirt sponsor. Honoring club heritage, Spezia's historic 1944 championship badge is placed on the upper back below the collar.
The new third kit completes the club's 26-27 collection alongside the white 120th-anniversary home shirt and the black-and-gold away jersey. It is available to purchase now via Spezia's official online store.
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Based on leaked image, our partner @whatthekit_x created a mockup of Leo Messi, Emiliano Martínez and Rodrigo De Paul wearing the special Argentina kit, goalkeeper kit and pre-match shirt, respectively, featured Messi's personal brand logo to honor his legendary career with the national team.
