PUMA introduces new evoPOWER 1.2 FG football boot

PUMA has launched the new evoPOWER 1.2 FG football boot.  With new innovations and improved technology, this next generation evoPOWER boot generates even more Power and Accuracy when kicking.

Like its predecessor, the new evoPOWER 1.2 FG is inspired from the power generated through a barefoot kick.  The boot’s lightweight and super soft microfiber Adaptlite upper material stretches in a longitudinal not lateral direction allowing a freedom of movement while maintaining support. 

Combined with the Gradual Stability Frame (GSF) outsole technology, the foot bends with a kinetic motion similar to a barefoot to help a player create increased power, especially when shooting.

Accuracy is further improved with the GripTex print that runs across the full length of the upper. The print enhances the grip of the ball in both wet and dry conditions, giving players increased control.  Added precision is created through the lightweight AccuFoam lining that combines with the upper material to provide a clean kicking surface, which helps to increase accuracy when passing and shooting using different areas of the boot.

Speaking about the new evoPOWER 1.2 FG boot, Cesc Fàbregas said: “Accuracy is the basis of my game, it’s very important for a midfield player both when I pass and shoot.  I love the improvements that have been made to the evoPOWER boot that have an increased focus on accuracy as well as power.  Football can be won and lost in small margins, having a boot you believe will help you perform at your best gives you a confidence to perform at your best.  I am very happy with what PUMA has done with this boot."

Mario Balotelli also commented: “The new evoPOWER boots are really impressive.  I’ve been testing them for a few a while in training and PUMA has made an already very good boot even better.  I can feel the power evoPOWER gives me when I shoot, that’s very important for a striker of course.  I’m looking forward to wearing this new boot on pitch.”

The new evoPOWER 1.2 FG boot will be available globally in-store from 2 February 2015 and will retail for R2199. A full colour aligned collection including training apparel and accessories, shin pads and balls will also be available to purchase.

adidas stars invite fans to "bring on the hate"

Today, adidas has lit a spark under the world of football by launching their #ThereWillBeHaters campaign; focussed around a provocative new video featuring global football stars such as Luis Suarez, Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez and Karim Benzema.

 If you have "haters", then it's the ultimate compliment. The best players know that a great performance delivers "hate" from fans and opponents, particularly on social media, which then continues to fuel the confidence to deliver even greater performances.

They thrive off it – and they make no apology in doing so. The film, featuring title track "Battle Royale (Haters Instrumental VIP)" by Apashe, has been released to coincide with the launch of adidas' new football footwear range for 2015. The adidas adizero f50, Predator, Nitrocharge and 11Pro all sit at the cutting edge of technology, ensuring you will deliver a "haters" performance when you step out onto the field.
 

The film, which kicks off with the provocative voiceover of "They hate the way you walk. They hate the way you talk…", features the larger than life personas of 'Hero' Gareth Bale, 'Golden Boy' James Rodriguez, 'Target Man' Luis Suarez, and 'Hip Hop VIP' Karim Benzema.

The video takes a whirlwind tour of the perceived lives of these players, focussing on their flash lifestyles, over exuberant goal celebrations, possessions and good looks.

The film then goes on to illustrate exactly how, why, and what the haters hate about them the most… their outstanding achievements on the field of play and the boots that drive these incredible performances. "They hate your shiny new boots. They hate your boots… because they wish they were in them".

Nike unveils SA National Football team kit for 2014

An invigorating and classic new Bafana Bafana kit encourages team to push past yesteryear as they head into the African Cup of Nations in January 2015.

Nike and the South African Football Association (SAFA) yesterday revealed the new home and away kits for the national football team. 

The kits are infused with the passion of the national team.  The green and gold colors reflect heritage and modernism and are coupled with the most innovative performance technologies.

South African footballer, Sibusiso Vilakazi says: “The new kit is very light and has a great fit. The simplicity of the design and the use of the green and gold makes this a striking kit and I can’t wait to play in it.”

The gold home jersey features a classic flat green collar with a single gold stripe on the inside back of the collar, and has green cuffs on the sleeves. The King Protea, South Africa’s national flower, is emblazoned on the left chest, with the SAFA logo centered below the front of the V-neck. The South African flag rests on the outer back of the neck.

A solid gold stripe runs down the sides of the green shorts.  Gold socks with a bold green top cuff complete the home kit.

The away jersey is green, and is paired with gold shorts and green socks that use the same features as the home kit. The jersey and shorts feature a slimmer fit that more tailored to the body, enabling player to perform better without the moisture drag.

“We are very proud of our new kit which reflects the pride of our nation and the future of great football. Bafana Bafana are shining through to the African Cup of Nations and the new kit is an inspirational one, pushing them to fight against past missed opportunities, while reflecting on past accomplishments,” says Danny Jordaan, President, South African Football Association.

The kit also showcases Nike’s key technological features.

ULTIMATE IN COOLING AND COMFORT

The kits are crafted from dual-knit fabric consisting of both cotton and recycled polyester, helping to regulate player body temperature over the course of a match.  Using a combination of Nike Dri-FIT technology, a ‘burnout’ mesh and laser-cut ventilation holes, designers are able to localize cooling where players need it most. The holes and mesh panels further improve performance by increasing air circulation to the players’ bodies and regulating their temperature through the 90 minutes on pitch.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

In line with Nike’s commitment to superior performance with lower environmental impact, the full kit features fabric made from recycled polyester. Each kit represents an average of 18 recycled plastic bottles, with 100 percent recycled polyester in the short and 96 percent recycled polyester in the jersey. Since 2010, Nike has diverted almost two billion bottles from landfills, enough to cover more than 2,800 full-sized football pitches. 

PERFECT FIT

Nike designers utilized three-dimensional body scans of elite footballers to collect data on the form of today’s players and identify an updated fit to improve comfort and allow the body to move more naturally within the kit.

NIKE PRO BASELAYER

The new Nike Pro baselayer is the lightest ever from Nike and features increased venting and breathability. The Nike Pro baselayers are designed for the varying temperatures and conditions athletes will encounter when playing at home, on the continent and internationally.

The new South Africa football jersey will be available from December 11.

Nike Football Shine Through Collection

Basic black boots were the norm until the 1970s, when white boots first began appearing on the pitch. Just as that first splash of colour turned heads back then, Nike’s Shine Through Collection stands out today.

The collection was crafted with the new year in mind and designed for players determined to shine through and make the most of every opportunity in 2015.

“While white is sometimes thought of as the simplest of colours, we see it as the powerful result of overlapping primary colours. It’s a bit analogous to how a player’s training, creativity and touch overlap to create powerful moments on the pitch that look deceptively simple.” – Max Blau, VP Nike Football Footwear

Nike’s colour experts drew inspiration from the energy, atmosphere, and visuals that accompany New Year’s Eve celebrations in Brazil. White is the traditional colour worn by those partaking in the festivities, with bright pops of accent colours.

White is also an expressive colour choice among footballers and is currently the second most selected hue on NIKEiD. The colour contrast splashed along the Swoosh of the boots loosely mimics the way New Year’s fireworks cascade through the night sky.

Nike professional players will begin wearing the Shine Through boots in early December. The collection is available now exclusively via the Nike Football App.

adidas reveals new ball inspired by nature

Today, adidas has revealed a new tournament match ball for 2015. The adidas conext15 Official Match Ball will replace the hugely successful Brazuca for selected leagues and competitions globally in 2015.

The conext15 features a new design inspired by the elements of nature: earth, wind & fire.

The flowing green, red and blue design reflects the perfect balance of the three natural forces and is at the heart of the new conext15 ball.

The ball features the same ground-breaking technology that was used so successfully in Brazuca, the Official Match Ball of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™.

Brazuca went through a thorough testing process over a two and a half year period involving more than 600 of the world’s top players and 30 teams in 10 countries across three continents, making it the most tested ball ever by adidas and ensuring that it is suited to all conditions.

The conext15 is one of adidas’ leading tournament match balls for 2015. The ball will be used in competitions such as FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015 and the FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2014, as well as in various league and cup competitions worldwide.

adidas launch Mirosar10 boots in honour of Messi

Today, adidas has revealed a new pair of boots to celebrate the childhood of Leo Messi.

The all new adidas Messi mirosar10 boots, are inspired by Leo’s upbringing in Rosario, Argentina where he learned the game and scored his first goals, before taking the road to glory.

The namemirosar10 translates from Spanish to ‘my Rosario’ with the number 10 given prominence in the naming, in the same way Leo has himself given prominence to this number for both club and country.

Uniquely designed and truly inspired by Leo’s childhood, the boot reflects the roots of his legend. The orange of the boot signifies his first ever club, with the green representing their fiercest rivals, who Leo scored 4 goals against in his first significant 11-a-side game as a young child.

The boot insoles are printed with a map of Rosario, Messi’s home town in his beloved Argentina, which is highlighted throughout along with the Batallón pitch – an abandoned military base field that Leo used to sneak onto through a hole in the fence to play football with his friends when he was a small child.

Four-time Ballon d’Or winner Leo Messi has torn up the history books in recent years, breaking many records in the process and his incredible goal haul at the age of just 27 confirms his place as one of the best players to ever play the game. Having eclipsed Gerd Muller´s 85 goals in a single year in 2012, Messi has gone on to score over 400 career goals, and these unique boots are testament to where it all began in Rosario, Argentina.

The Messi mirosar10 boot forms part of a wider adidas campaign which aims to tell the story of Messi’s legend through retail, online, digital and via social media. As part of the integrated experience, fans will be encouraged to create their own personalised insole of their home town for their chance to win it.

adidas unveils Marhaba: The official Match Ball of AFCON 2015

Today, adidas and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) presented Marhaba, the Official Match Ball for the Orange Africa Cup of Nations, Equatorial Guinea 2015.

Taking inspiration from the intricate history of the tournament and its famously passionate fans, Marhaba was designed in collaboration with the Confederation of African Football.

The distinctive gold and blue colouring on the ball represents the contrasting landscapes of the continent, from the Sahara desert to the bright azure sky.

The ball will be officially presented during the tournament draw in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday 3rd December by members of the Confederation of African Football and Local Organising Committee.

Marhaba, like its counterparts in regional and international tournaments, has gone through a thorough testing process to make sure that it is suited to the playing conditions during the tournament.

The technology incorporated into the bladder and carcass of Marhaba is identical to the Brazuca (2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil) and the ever popular UEFA Champions League™ Official Match Ball."Marhaba", the Official Match Ball for the Orange Africa Cup of Nations, Equatorial Guinea 2015, is available to buy at selected adidas retail outlets and associated stockists from Monday 1st December.

Join the adidas football conversation at www.facebook.com/adidasfootball or on Twitter: @adidasfootball.

To find out more about the Orange Africa Cup of Nations, Equatorial Guinea 2015, join the CAF official platforms at www.facebook.com/AfricaCupOfNationsOfficial or on Twitter: @CAF_Online.

adidas launch glow in the dark Hunt Series

Today, adidas has unveiled a brand new limited edition Hunt Series, which includes the exclusive Predator Instinct Hunt, marking the final evolution of the Instinct range on the boot’s 20th anniversary.

The immersive green colours of The Hunt Series glow in the dark and will ensure players stand out across the globe as the nights get ever darker this winter.

The technology and unique colourways will also feature on new versions of the f50, 11Pro and Nitrocharge, with the boots retaining the lethal zone, control pad and pass pad technology of the Predator Instinct, as well as the next-generation lightweight skin for the f50 boots.

The Hunt Series also includes a Free Football range of four non-cleated glow in the dark shoe models, where the changing skin of the Predator allows players to”hunt in the dark” on street, on court, or in the cage.

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Predator, The Hunt Series is the final edition of the 14 special Predator Instinct boots that have been launched during 2014. The latest collection follows the Predator Instinct Supernatural, theCrazylight Pack and the Revenge Pack, a heritage set of three Predators based on the original designs of the 1994 Predator, the 1998 Accelerator and the 2002 Mania.

The Hunt Series is available to buy at www.adidas.com from today, Tuesday 25th November.

adidas miCoach SMART BALL

adidas miCoach SMART BALL has been selected as a 2015 CES Innovation Awards, Best of Innovation Honoree in the Fitness Sports & Biotech product category.

The adidas miCoach SMART BALL released in June this year is a Bluetooth Smart and app-enabled football with integrated sensor technology for dead-ball kicking training such as penalties, free-kicks, shooting, corners, long passes and goal kicks.

miCoach SMART BALL relays data on how hard it has been struck, offers visual flight trajectories, depicts ball spin and shows impact points via the adidas miCoach SMART BALL app.

The highly anticipated 2015 Best of Innovation award announcements, made today during the CES Unveiled New York press conference, is attended by elite industry media eager to learn about this year's Innovation Award Honorees.

Returning to New York for its tenth year, CES Unveiled New York provides a sneak peek at the year's most innovative products and technologies just two months before the International CES which will be held in Las Vegas. The annual showcase and networking event draws dozens of exhibitors and more than 400 media and attendees.

Christian DiBenedetto, adidas senior innovation director said, "We're delighted that adidas miCoach SMART BALL has been recognized at the CES Innovation Awards. The nomination is testament to the design of the product and recognition of the innovation and technology that adidas puts into its products."

adidas was founded on one simple mission: to make athletes better. To do so, adidas has created an ecosystem of miCoach products designed to enable everyday athletes to achieve their physical potential by combining elite level sports science and wearable technology with real-time coaching and actionable training plans.