Paulo Dybala - adidas X - adidas Copa
Let’s start with the Argentine who, despite not having been with the three-stripe brand for very long, has already been spotted wearing a couple of their models. The Juventus striker began his journey with the German brand in a pair of adidas X football boots, and we’ve even seen him wearing the older Glitch models.
However, with the launch of the new Copa range, Dybala became the star player for adidas’s most iconic line, propelling the adidas Copa football boots to the forefront of the football world. A shift from synthetic to leather, from extreme minimalism to comfort – a bit of a strange move, perhaps – but it seems we won’t be seeing Dybala in any boots other than his Copas from now on.
Football Boots Copa 20+ FG Core black-Signal orange
-48%
€129.99
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Antoine Griezmann - Puma Future - Puma Ultra
Although this change was to be expected given the player’s preferences – we had seen him training several times in his old EvoSpeed boots despite playing in Puma Future football boots – Griezmann’s swift switch from Future to Ultra is still surprising.
With the launch of the Puma Ultra football boots, the French international left his Puma Future boots behind and slipped back into Puma’s fastest boots. A logical move given Griezmann’s career, as he has always opted for slim, speed-oriented boots that hug the foot and fit snugly. A perfect choice.
Coutinho - Nike Phantom VSN - Nike Mercurial
We didn’t want to end this post without mentioning this change, as Coutinho was the face of the now-defunct Phantom range, with that spectacular Nike advert that left us speechless.
But it seems the Brazilian player never quite got used to them, and, having been a Mercurial player from the very start, he reverted to his old ways, switching back to the faster boots and showing no intention of changing again—at least for the time being. A lighter boot with a much more responsive midsole that suits the FC Barcelona player’s characteristic changes of pace and turns somewhat better.
Ansu Fati – Nike Phantom VNM - Nike Mercurial
A story that burst onto the scene thanks to Ansu Fati’s meteoric rise, and which we all saw with those black Nike Phantom Venom boots, which were quickly replaced by the latest yellow version.
Nevertheless, after just a few matches and once he had established himself in FC Barcelona’s first team, we saw him lacing up the fantastic Nike Mercurial football boots. This change was no doubt driven by the fact that this boot style suited Ansu’s game better, offering the greater speed and agility characteristic of the Mercurial range. A perfect match.
Neymar Jr. - Puma King - Puma Future
And so we come to the move everyone was expecting, or at least many had anticipated. Neymar Jr’s arrival at Puma turned everything on its head, and we once again saw the Brazilian national team’s star player sporting the brand’s logo.
We saw this with the Puma King, a tribute to Pelé, and a fantastic, brilliant “Return of the King” – a model many sceptics doubted would last. Well, it seems they were right, because after a while and several goals in those Kings, Neymar Jr. unveiled a new range: the Puma Future football boots, which we’ll soon see in different colours and which are the Brazilian’s new choice for the rest of the season. A switch to a more modern, snugger boot that perhaps better suits Neymar Jr.’s style of play.
All in all, these have been some of the most striking and unusual class changes of recent times. Changes driven by new additions, new releases or simply players’ changing tastes. Do you know of any other changes worth mentioning?
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