The adidas Predator Pro Manuel Neuer

Manuel Neuer’s new adidas Predator goalkeeper gloves are proof that there isn’t just one king in this castle, although some of you may already know who’s at the top of the list. It’s clear to us that the battle to be the world’s best goalkeeper is currently at one of its most exciting stages. We say ‘fortunately’, because the field of contenders is perhaps the strongest and most fiercely contested it has been in recent decades. From Ter Stegen, Keylor Navas and Jan Oblak, to our man of the moment, Manuel Neuer.

Manuel Neuer goalkeeper gloves

His style is unique; he inspired the term ‘sweeper-keeper’ and has been a role model for many of his teammates. The best in those situations where he has to decide whether to come off his line or not, Neuer keeps a cool head and remains self-assured – so much so that the Bayern Munich goalkeeper explained to a German media outlet: “To be a modern goalkeeper, you have to think offensively and initiate attacking moves confidently. My two teams, Bayern and the national side, usually have over 60 per cent possession. So I have to be outside the box and get involved in the build-up play from the back to get the ball to the first, second and third lines of players. That’s my style of play, but I can get away with it because I’m in two strong teams.”

Neuer, who came through the Schalke 04 youth system and went on to become a star at FC Bayern, where he has won every possible club trophy, was voted the world’s best goalkeeper four times by the IFFHS (2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016), and was named in FIFA’s World XI in those same years. Manuel, unsurprisingly, looks up to the great Jens Lehmann, who played for 10 seasons with FC Schalke 04, the club that saw Neuer develop. As for international players, the German singles out the Dutchman Edwin van der Sar, a player we mentioned some time ago in a post, following a review of the new adidas Predator Pro AVD08 boots.

As one of the very best, having won every major competition there is – even whilst wearing the German national team’s kit, the birthplace of the three-stripe brand – adidas has granted him the privilege of having his own glove. Personalised and unlike anything we’ve seen before, it features Manuel Neuer’s signature style – the inspiration behind the new adidas goalkeeper gloves – as if the club, national team and brand were all united in a single pair of gloves.

Until now, Neuer’s gloves and boots were from previous collections, something that didn’t seem out of the ordinary to the more observant among us, as he had been wearing the Encryption Pack up until this point. This means he hadn’t yet used the new adidas Predator 20+ football boots and, as we all know, sooner or later a collection worthy of him was bound to arrive.

As we did with the new adidas Predator 20 gloves, we’ll take a quick look at their technologies and materials. adidas has decided to incorporate its flagship fabric once again: Primeknit. A single piece constructed from this material, providing an incredible feeling of lightness and compression. Much softer and more supple than its predecessor. According to the German brand, this new yarn is a Primeknit designed, manufactured and moulded specifically for gloves. As a result, they are much more comfortable than the previous generation. Across the shell, we find the striking ‘Demon Skin’ and its famous rubber studs encircling the glove. On the football boots, 406 rubber studs cover the main areas that come into contact with the ball.

This last point is key to unravelling the question: why have these goalkeeper gloves been so popular? A glove with a minimalist design, inseparably linked to the negative cut. One thing that remains unchanged from its predecessors is the latex, featuring the characteristic Nova Zone Tech and finished in the area where the hands most commonly make contact with the pitch with URG 2.0, which combines excellent grip with shock absorption. The URG 2.0 gives the glove added versatility, as it provides significant protection against abrasion. As for whether this palm is better suited to natural or artificial football pitches, we’re in no doubt: this palm performs at its best on natural grass.

Although adidas is also bringing us the URG 1.0 palm, this one is mainly intended for PRO goalkeepers, offering much more grip but less resistance to wear and tear. Coming soon to the Fútbol Emotion website. In the meantime, what do you think of the German goalkeeper’s new gloves? Leave your thoughts in the comments section, or get in touch with us on our various social media channels.

Keep in mind...

On the 14th of April, we’ll be celebrating International Goalkeeper’s Day in honour of goalkeeper Miguel Calero. We’re already planning some surprises for that week, so don’t forget. You’ve been warned!