adidas F50 adiZero
Monday 26 October 2020 11:30, UK
The last time I had so many colleagues swarm round my desk I'd brought in a bag of doughnuts, so it's fair to say the adidas F50 adiZero boot caused quite the stir on arrival.
Upon pulling from the box the boots worn by Lionel Messi at the World Cup I thought adidas' PR guy must have sent the sportswear giant's new elite slipper in error.
Weighing in at just 6oz (165g) the F50 is ridiculously light and genuinely has to be held to be believed. They are adidas' lightest ever boot and I'd be amazed if there are another pair on the market that weigh less.
It's no surprise then that Lionel Messi and new Barcelona team-mate David Villa have signed up to wear them next season, with the Argentine to don a chameleon purple colourway that is exclusive to him. I've got a pair now but the press release obviously forgot to mention that.
A sprint frame outsole, which is crafted using 'three-dimensional bridges to create stability and support in the midfoot', takes inspiration from a running spike.
The traxion studs are designed for maximum acceleration and faster turning speeds, while other features include asymmetric lacing and a TPU bottom frame that all help to make the boot what it is: ludicrously light.
Other players to wear the F50s next season will include Steven Pienaar, Salomon Kalou, Arjen Robben, Lukas Podolski, Samir Nasri and Jermain Defoe. Aubrey Dolan, senior product manager for adidas, has explained the thinking behind his team's design.
"Players like Lionel Messi and David Villa consistently told us they wanted boots that would enable them to be faster. Players wanted to be first to the ball, so we decided that the best way forward was to make a lightweight product which could be used at the highest level."
Messi certainly seems impressed: "I am amazed at how light the new F50 is; I can barely feel them on my feet. Speed on the pitch is a really important part of my game and wearing the world's lightest boot will hopefully make me faster and enhance my performance during the most important games of the year!"
It's easy to see why strikers love these boots. Adidas have done a great job in slimming the boot down to leave only what is absolutely necessary to create a clean, slick looking model that will unquestionably be one of the most sought after for kids down the park to Messi and co this season.
The proof though is in the pudding and in South Africa players wearing F50s scored 43 goals between them, outperforming their nearest competitor by over double.
