07 December 2023 , 15:49
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Try and think of the world's most iconic football boot and it's more than likely you'll think of the adidas Predator.
Made famous by the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Steven Gerrard and, of course, David Beckham, adidas' famed boot is now making a big comeback. Originally launched in 1994, Predator helped changed football and its culture as the boot became synonymous with such iconic moments as Beckham's legendary free kick for England against Greece in 2001.
The boot is now enjoying a resurgence after a new boot, called Predator 30, has been worn by Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold and Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham in recent weeks. Alexander-Arnold recently switched to adidas from Under Armour and debuted a pair of white and red predators in Liverpool's 1-1 draw against Manchester City.
Since switching to the Predators, Alexander-Arnold has registered two goals and an assist while Jude Bellingham wore the Predator 30 for the first time on pitch on November 29 as Real Madrid played Napoli in the UEFA Champions League. The new Predator's stick close to the original style that was, and still is, loved by many football fans to this day.
Adidas says that The Predator 30 "is littered with design choices that pay homage to the history of the franchise, including the iconic Predator ‘Eyes’ logo, which appears on the underside of the tongue."
The limited edition Predators will come in a special presentation box (adidas)The colourway is inspired by the classic red, black and white of earlier iterations, but contains "a more lux burgundy" to mark the 30-year heritage of the boot. The new boot will be available this week, however the catch is that only 1994 pairs will be available, which references the year the first Predator boot was released.
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Costing a staggering £300, each pair comes in a premium presentation box that contains a commemorative gold plaque illustrated with Predator designs of years gone by. Adidas says the Predator 30 has undergone a series of updates "designed to give the wearer the utmost confidence in front of goal, as a precursor to an all-new Predator model set to land in January 2024."
While Alexander-Arnold has been kicking up somewhat of a storm in in the white and red colourway of the Predators, that colour is likely to be an exclusive custom made edition for the Liverpool man only. However, if you fail to get your hands on the Predator 30 then the Predstrike will be released on December 15 and will retail from £200. You can pre-order the boot here.
Sam Handy, VP Product and Design at adidas Football said: “The introduction of the Predator franchise completely changed how people thought about football boots, both from a performance and a marketing perspective. Over the years, it’s been worn by some of the greatest players of their generations, in some of the game’s most historic moments.”
The Predator 30 is available to pre-order now and will be available to buy exclusively on the adidas app from tomorrow, Friday December 8, and you can find out more here.