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.
Sunderland 26-27 Third Kit Released
Sunderland AFC and Hummel have officially unveiled the club's new 26-27 third kit, drawing inspiration from the city's rich history of glassmaking. The new design boasts a deep blue base covered in a repeating tonal stained-glass graphic pattern, which incorporates the classic football emblem from Sunderland's iconic ship badge.
Elevating the shirt's look are metallic copper accents used for the retro Sunderland crest on the chest and the Hummel branding on the shoulders. The outer back neck area features the inscription "Glass Making Since The 7th Century" in matching copper text, paying homage to Monkwearmouth's historic St Peter's Church and the roots of local craftsmanship.
The Sunderland 26-27 third kit is accompanied by a broader capsule collection, including a matching varsity jacket and pre-match warm-up range, with official availability starting August 14, 2026.
Alcorcón 26-27 Away Kit Released
Spanish club AD Alcorcón and kit supplier Kappa have officially launched the team's new away strip for the 26-27 season. The new uniform brings a bold design to the pitch, combining a distinct color scheme with Kappa's signature template elements.
The Kappa AD Alcorcón 26-27 away shirt features a deep green base paired with striking red accents across the shoulders. All technical details and branding, including the monochromatic AD Alcorcón crest, the Kappa Omini logos on the chest and shoulders, and the main front sponsor, are applied in a vibrant red tone.
Completing the set, the new away kit is paired with green shorts featuring red side panels, alongside matching green socks. The full uniform is available through the club's official online store.
Woking FC 26-27 Away Kit Released
National League side Woking FC and kit maker Erreà have officially unveiled the club's new away kit for the 26-27 season. This follows the earlier launch of their new home shirt.
The Woking FC 26-27 away jersey features a yellow base detailed with thin vertical navy pinstripes. Navy accents are applied to the collar and sleeve cuffs, accompanied by subtle gold trimming on the sleeves. The kit is finished with a monochromatic navy club crest and matching sponsor branding from Nuffield Health across the chest.
For the home shirt, Woking sticks to tradition with a classic half-and-half red and white design. It features black ribbing around the crew collar and sleeve cuffs with white accent lines, maintaining a clean look for the 26-27 campaign.
Swansea City 26-27 Third Kit Released
Swansea City and Joma have officially launched the club's new third kit for the 26-27 Championship season. The new strip completes the Swans' kit collection for the campaign, offering a sleek look inspired by the local coastline.
The Joma Swansea City 26-27 third shirt features a black base overlaid with a subtle tonal wave pattern across the body. A classic polo collar and matching sleeve cuffs feature crisp white piping, complemented by silver-white detailing for the Joma logo, principal sponsor AG1, and the standalone swan crest.
As with the home and away jerseys, Welsh identity is embedded throughout the shirt, with "ABERTAWE" printed on the upper back neck and the club slogan "Ein Hanes. Ein Dyfodol. Ein Ffordd." featured inside the collar label. Black shorts and socks complete the new Swansea City 26-27 third kit.
Original UEFA Super Cup Sleeve Badge Was Removed
At the 2026 UEFA Super Cup, Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa wore the reigning Champions League and Europa League title-holder patches, respectively. This change started last year during the Super Cup clash between PSG and Tottenham Hotspur.
From 1998 to 2024, both teams competing in the UEFA Super Cup wore a single, generic tournament patch featuring the Super Cup trophy.
While PSG will continue wearing their Champions League patch throughout their continental campaign, Aston Villa's reigning Europa League champions patch will make its one and only appearance at the Super Cup. For their upcoming Champions League campaign, Villa will switch to a special Starball patch designated specifically for the reigning Europa League winners.
Big thanks to @jerseystory_vn for the information and collage image