Style/Fashion

Competing in a space that is dominated by Nike and Adidas is no easy feat, but Puma's new Future 18 boots just might break the mold.  

Dating back to 1997, Cameroon and German sportswear giants Puma have enjoyed an extremely positive relationship whilst also pushing the FIFA laws of the game. Cameroon’s success over this 20-year period — they’ve won the African Cup of Nations three times, qualified for four World Cups and finished runners-up at the 2003 Confederations Cup — has only served to strengthen the bond between the international side and the company outfitting them with an always robust look.

We’re now only 220 days away from the 2018 FIFA World Cup kicking off at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, and the entire 32-team field for the event will be decided by Wednesday, November 15. We’ve seen various unconfirmed leaks regarding what the competing nations will be wearing come June, but Adidas has lifted the lid on their entire range of designs before the start of this week’s international break.

Over the course of nearly 15 years, Lionel Messi has come to symbolize the Adidas brand in the world of football. Since signing with the sportswear giant back in 2005, the Argentinian wizard has since put pen to paper on a lifetime deal with the company. In between, 2011 saw the revealing of his own brand crest, the superhero-like “M” which has adorned his boots ever since.

Let’s track the evolution of Messi’s cleats from his debut in 2004, back when he was rocking Nikes, to the present day. 

Here it is! The ball that will inevitably cause some sort of sh*tstorm come June — it’s the Adidas Telstar 18, the official ball of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Pep Guardiola already hates it. Goalkeepers are already complaining that it dips, dives, ducks and dodges too much.

Nike has revealed the 2017-18 Mercurial Superfly CR7 V boots and they’re simply stunning. Set to drop on September 29, the cleats are heavily influenced by Nike’s “Cut to Brilliance” campaign, and they appropriately have a diamond-like theme.