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.
Premier League Uses Wrong Sleeve Patch on Arsenal Kit
The Premier League’s official Instagram promo for Matchweek 1 featured a major mistake: Arsenal's jersey was shown with the standard purple sleeve patch, while the golden champions patch was mistakenly placed on Liverpool's sleeve.
The error quickly sparked outrage among Gooners in the comment section. Big thanks to @jerseystory_vn for spotting the mistake and creating the graphic.
Oxford United 26-27 Third kit Released
Oxford United have officially announce their new third kit from Macron, ready for the upcoming 26-27 League One season.
Inspired by the creativity and culture of people of Oxford, the third kit uses a dark navy base with an outstanding yellow horizontal band. The collar, shoulder panels and details are also yellow, rounding off a "reversed home kit" look for the League One side.
What do you think of the new Oxford United 26-27 third kit by Macron? Let us know in the comments.
US Créteil 26-27 Home, Away & Third Kits Released
French Championnat National 1 side US Créteil have officially unveiled their new 2026-27 kit collection, made by adidas. The three-shirt lineup includes a special anniversary detail celebrating 90 years of the club.
The adidas US Créteil 2026-27 home shirt features a royal blue base with vibrant yellow pinstripes running down the front and lower back. Yellow also appears on the collar and adidas Three Stripes, while a subtle “1936 - 2026” anniversary print sits below the back collar. Free continues as the main front sponsor, with Deel on the sleeve.
The away shirt opts for a clean white base with a blue polo collar, yellow Three Stripes and a bold blue and yellow horizontal band across the chest.
Completing the collection, the third shirt comes in light pink with deep maroon detailing on the collar, adidas Three Stripes, sponsor logos and monochrome club crest.
What do you think of the new US Créteil 2026-27 kits? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Boston United 26-27 Third Kit Released
English National League club Boston United have officially unveiled their new 2026-27 third kit. Made by New Balance, the new shirt completes the club's kit collection for the season.
The New Balance Boston United 2026-27 third shirt features a soft pink and muted lilac-grey base with an eye-catching all-over geometric shard graphic. Black detailing is applied to the New Balance logo, Drayton Motors Kia sponsor and monochrome club crest, creating a sharp contrast.
What do you think of the new Boston United 2026-27 third kit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Holstein Kiel 26-27 Special Kit Released - 80th Anniversary of the Federal State of Schleswig-Holstein
Holstein Kiel and Puma have officially released a new special kit for the 26-27 season, honoring the 80th anniversary of the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein. The bespoke shirt pays homage to the state's colors and maritime identity positioned between the North and Baltic Seas.
The Puma Holstein Kiel 26-27 special shirt features a dynamic diagonal design incorporating the state's blue, white, and red colors. A central white diagonal band is flanked by blue on the right shoulder and chest and red on the lower left flank, seamlessly blended through a pixelated sea spray gradient. Blue sleeves, red Puma logos, and a dual-colored V-neck collar complete the look, while the upper back is adorned with the official Schleswig-Holstein coat of arms placed above bold red Holstein Kiel text.
Produced with Puma's RE:FIBRE recycled fabric technology, the jersey features long-standing partner famila across the chest. The Holstein Kiel 26-27 special kit is available immediately through the club's official online store, retailing at €85.
SD Logroñés 26-27 Home, Away & Third Kits Released
Spanish Segunda Federación side SD Logroñés has officially unveiled its new kit collection for the 26-27 season, made by Japanese brand Mizuno. After wearing provisional shirts during the early stages of pre-season, the club has presented the definitive designs deeply rooted in local heritage and pride under the motto of celebrating their city and history.
The SD Logroñés 26-27 home jersey features the club's traditional red and white vertical stripes, outlined with black borders and highlighted by an illustration of Logroño's architectural skyline and iconic stone bridge across the chest. The away kit introduces a dark navy blue base enriched with vertical bands containing tonal grapevine patterns, paying homage to the winemaking tradition of La Rioja, complemented by red and white trim on the collar and cuffs.
Completing the collection, Mizuno and SD Logroñés have also revealed matching alternate designs in sky blue and vibrant yellow, both featuring the distinctive city skyline motif, alongside a fresh duo of goalkeeper jerseys prepared for the new campaign.
Newcastle United Announce SumUp Training Kit Sponsor Deal
Newcastle United has officially announced a new multi-year partnership with fintech firm SumUp, designating the British company as the club's Official Training Kit Partner. The deal sees SumUp become one of the Magpies' Primary Partners as well as the Presenting Partner of the Newcastle United Business Club.
As part of the agreement, the SumUp logo is featured across the front of Newcastle's Adidas training and pre-match warm-up apparel. The branding will be worn across all squads, including the men's first team, the women's team, and the academy setups. Reports estimate the value of the sponsorship at around £5 million per season.
Beyond the kit exposure, the collaboration will introduce a co-branded SumUp card designed to offer supporters exclusive rewards at official club stores and participating local businesses throughout the North East.