NIKE FOOTBALL RELEASES NIKE PREMIER BOOTS IN BRASIL, ENGLAND AND FRANCE EDITIONS

New boots celebrate the greatest achievements of three of international football's most famous nations.

 
Earlier this year Nike launched the Nike Premier, a modern performance take on classic football boot design. The launch color was a defining black and white combination. For the latest incarnation of this timeless boot, Nike has created a limited edition run that celebrates three nations who have achieved glory on football's greatest stage: Brasil, England and France. 

The Nike Premier Brasil Edition comes in a stand-out Tour Yellow and White color combination. France is represented by a vivid Treasure Blue and White whilst the England design comes in Crimson and White. 

Each boot features a predominantly one color upper with the stud-tips matching that color on a white-based sole plate. The sock liner features a graphic referencing the year(s) the respective country was crowned champions. 

The premium leather used for the upper sets the benchmark for softness and feel for leather-based boots while the transitional flex in the sole plate provides a firm mid foot combined with a flexible and responsive forefoot.

The sole plate design provides excellent traction on a variety of surfaces. The boot also uses Nike's most anatomical last to-date, as seen on the Nike Hypervenom, which helps place the foot closer to the ball and ground for greater foot-to-ball feel and touch. 

The Nike Premier Brasil, England and France Editions are available at Nike.com and soon on www.prosoccer.co.za.  - Remember to like us on Facebook.

adidas Unveils Brazuca: Official Match ball of 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil

adidas unveiled Brazuca, the official 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ match ball. 
 

The ball was revealed with a spectacular 3D light projection launch event held at the iconic Parque Lage in Rio de Janeiro. 

brazuca was named back in September 2012 following a public vote in Brazil involving 1 million football fans; the name "brazuca" is an informal local term which means "Brazilian", or to describe the Brazilian way of life. 

The colours and ribbon design of the ball panels symbolise the traditional multi-coloured wish bracelets worn in the country (fita do Senhor do Bonfim da Bahia), in addition to reflecting the vibrancy and fun associated with football in Brazil.  

Get the Brazuca Ball today on www.prosoccer.co.za - Remember to like us on Facebook.

Nike Unveils 2014 France Kit

After the final whistle at an ecstatic Stade de France, members of the French National Team - Franck Ribery, Blaise Matuidi, Yohan Cabaye and Raphael Varane - unveiled the new French National Team home kit to be worn in Brasil next year. 
 

Combining the best in performance innovation with insightful design details, the new French kit captures the innate style and national pride of France with a sophisticated look. 

  The crest features a new design inspired by the 1958 crest and reflects players’ feedback of wanting to “feel the history of our country”. 

The cockerel-design has been enlarged, freed from its badge and given the space to again become the ultimate symbol of French national pride. 

It's also beautifully embroidered just above the heart and on the bottom of each player’s number, and a flag is placed on the inside of the neck on each kit.  

Get the new French FFF World Cup 2014 Jersey online now at www.prosoccer.co.za - Remember to like us on Facebook.

adidas Presents The New Argentinean Football Federation Jersey

adidas is today proud to present the new official Argentinean Football Federation jersey to be worn by the team during the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil. 
 

The most representative sign of the Argentinean passion, its national football team, and the most important and patriotic icon of the nation, the flag, come together in the design of this jersey. For the first time, through the sky-blue stripes of the shirt, there is a reflective visual effect simulating a Argentinean flag on top of a pole, waving in the wind. 

 

The crest also shows an evolution in this new design. Retaining its elegant essence, the golden AFA crest gains a more prominent presence contrasting with the white and the sky-blue colors of the shirt. It also contrasts with the golden lines on the sides and the upper side of the shirt. 

Buy the new Argentina 2014 Home Jersey now on www.prosoccer.co.za - Remember to like us on Facebook

Nike launches new Brazil kit for the 2014 World Cup

Nike launched a key battle in its war for shirt supremacy on Sunday when it unveiled the kit Brazil will wear to host the 2014 World Cup.

 The Wolfsburg midfielder Luiz Gustavo appeared in Rio de Janeiro wearing the famous yellow shirt and the manager Luiz Felipe Scolari warned Brazil's rivals that the five-times champions aim to make an important alteration by winning the competition for a record sixth time.
"The shirt looks great, the only thing missing is a sixth star," Scolari said. "We aim to have that on there after the World Cup."

The Brazil shirt is Nike's top-selling international jersey and the company will do over a billion dollars worth of business in the South American country this year, said their vice president of communications, Charlie Brooks. Nike expects Brazil to be its third largest market in the world by 2017, behind the United States and China.

The sportswear rivals Nike and Adidas are battling over supremacy in the five- billion-euros soccer kit market. The two firms are virtually neck and neck in a market which the American company entered around 20 years ago.

The German company recently announced that it had extended its sponsorship agreement with Fifa to 2030, building on a partnership that dates back to 1970. The deal allows Adidas to supply match balls, kit for officials and volunteers and to advertise at World Cup venues.

Nike has a long-term deal with the Brazilian Football Confederation that has run since 1997. It also sponsors Neymar, the young Barcelona striker who will shoulder much of Brazil's expectation next year.

Nike is already celebrating an early victory in the kit war, as the supplier to 10 of the tournament finalists. Adidas and smaller German rival Puma each have deals with eight teams. Yet the top four teams in the Fifa rankings – Spain, Germany, Argentina and Colombia – all wear Adidas.

Available soon on www.prosoccer.co.za

new Spain kit for FIFA World Cup 2014

adidas is proud to present the new kit of the Spanish team in partnership with the Royal Spanish Football Federation. 

The kit, featuring a powerful red & gold combination, was launched during a special event yesterday evening (November 13th) involving the entire squad as they aim to become the undisputed best team in the World by successfully defending the FIFA World Cup in Brazil next summer.

The red & gold colour combination symbolises passion and success on the field of play, and the fans' desire for continued success. The entire kit of shirt, shorts and socks are totally red, contrasted with the golden adidas three stripes and the other design details. This is the first time in the history of the Spanish national team that they will play head to toe in red kits.

As the official Spanish National Team kit provider, adidas has created a unique kit that will help players achieve better results. The revolutionary adizero technology produces a thin flexible material, enabling the outfit to become 40% lighter and the footballers to become even faster on pitch. The outfit ensures freedom of movement while enhancing precision and power. Compression and stretch breathable materials extend in strategic places providing the muscles with necessary support.

The new Spain kit will be available globally from today (November 14th) in selected adidas retail outlets, online at www.prosoccer.co.za and via www.adidas.com/worldcup. Join the football conversation at www.facebook.com/prosoccersa or on Twitter: @prosoccerSA

German National Team to Play World Cup all in White

At the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ in Brazil, the German team will play a World Cup for the first time in an all-white kit. 

Supplier adidas today presented the new home jersey in collaboration with the German Football Association (DFB). The outfit comprises the squad's traditional white jersey combined with white shorts. "The white shorts symbolise the ease of play of the German game. It is a statement of class, elegance and love of the game," said Jürgen Rank, Chief Designer for football apparel at adidas. 

 Philipp Lahm, German team captain: "It's great that the new outfit is one colour from socks to jersey." The most striking feature of the new kit is the graphic design on the front, made up of various shades of red as an interpretation of the German flag. 
Three stars on the chest symbolise the World Cup titles the German team won in 1954, 1974 and 1990. Silver design elements, such as the new DFB logo, further enhance the look of the home jersey. "It's really good that the jersey design is so very much different and a lot more eye-catching than previous kits," said national team defender Mats Hummels. 

 For the first time ever, it was fans of the German national team who unveiled the new jersey in a digital fan choreography on the Internet (www.unserefarbenoderkeine.de). A new campaign spot for the white jersey will launch on TV, in cinemas and online on November 13th, with the tagline "Unsere Farben oder keine" (which translates as "Show your colours or fade away"). 

The German team will wear their new kit for the first time on November 15th. In their test game against Italy in Milan, the players will be fully kitted out in white. 


 The new Germany kit will be available globally from November 14th in selected adidas retail outlets and online at www.prosoccer.co.za. Join the football conversation at www.facebook.com/prosoccersa or on Twitter: @prosoccerSA. 

Buy the jersey online today on ProSoccerSA

adidas presents the Japanese federation kit for 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil

adidas and the Japan Football Association (JFA) are proud to release the new official home uniform for the Japan National Football Team, as the squad prepares to compete in the upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™.

The concept of this brand new official home uniform for the Japan National Football Team is "ENJIN (i.e., the act of 'going into a huddle')": the uniform is an expression of the strong determination as the players and the supporters realise that now is the time to unite as one and go into a huddle ("ENJIN") to get ready for the battle ahead, to go all in for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ and capture victory.

On the left side of the chest, there are 11 lines spreading out from the emblem, expressing the way those players depart from the "ENJIN" to their respective positions on the pitch for the battle.

From a technology point of view, the uniform features the new ultra-light polyester material called adizero, which helps to make it up to 40% lighter in comparison to previous versions of the kit, while retaining enhanced mobility and wider performance benefits. 

See more images on the kit on our facebook page:

Post by Pro Soccer.

Available soon on www.prosoccer.co.za

adidas Presents the Colombian Federation kit for 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil

Today, adidas is proud to present the kit to be worn by the Colombian national team for the upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™.

The new design of the Colombian jersey draws upon symbolic elements that pay tribute to the South American country. The base color is yellow, which is combined with elements of red, blue and white, mirroring the Colombian flag.

The blue is in the three stripes of the brand's iconic shoulder, and in the front side of the shirt, representing dynamism and speed. The red is represented with a horizontal line on the back of the shirt, and is a common element in all the adidas shirts present at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, meaning the connection of all these teams and countries with the most important tournament in the world.

Players and fans can choose from the traditional shirt with Climacool ventilation zones, or variations of adizero, characterised by a lower weight providing a lighter load for the player. The adizero version weighs only 100 grams, delivering speed without sacrificing ventilation and ideal fit.

The new match kit becomes one of the lightest football kits in history, with the shorts and jersey weighting for a combined 250gms thanks to adidas´adizero™ engineering, which combines different technologies to offer the lightest football kit, allowing players to remain fast, cool and comfortable on the pitch.

The new shirt is marked by three elements of major importance as symbols for Colombians, bringing a message of unity and pride for the country:

• The 'Vueltiao' Hat: One of the most important national symbols of Colombian culture is printed on a blue strip in the upper front side of the jersey.

• The Andean Condor: The wings of this national bird of Colombia, a symbol of strength and hope, are in the back with the colors of the flag, linked to the phrase #UNIDOSPORUNPAIS (which translates to 'united for one country'). This message reflects the national sentiment that unites all Colombians under their national team.

• White: The color of peace is present on the sleeves and the neck, as in the shorts, making the uniform more elegant and fresh.

The new Colombia kit will be available globally from November 8th and will be available to purchase on www.prosoccer.co.za soon. Join the football conversation at www.facebook.com/prosoccersa or on Twitter: @prosoccersa.

Post by Pro Soccer.

adidas gears up for world cup with colourful samba boot collection

adidas today launched the Samba Collection, Brazilian inspired football boots aimed at celebrating the vibrancy and exuberance of the World Cup host nation. For the first time ever, as part of the Samba Collection adidas has released a new boot from each of its four boot ranges, adizero™ f50, predator®, nitrocharge™ and 11pro, with an array of new bright, exciting colourways. Each boot has been designed with its own distinct identity and cutting edge technology, inspiring the next generation of footballer.

The Samba Collection launch marks the start of the adidas "All in or Nothing" 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ campaign. The tournament is the world's largest event and the ultimate platform, where it will be Game On or Game Over for the World's best teams and federations. The full roster of adidas star players will be involved in the campaign from Leo Messi and Oscar to Dani Alves and Mesut Ozil.

nitrocharge™
nitrocharge™, the energy-retaining football boot designed for the next generation of footballer as worn by Dani Alves and Ezequiel Lavezzi, comes in a new visually striking lime green colourway. As a boot designed for 'The Engine', the player who is always running, tackling and relentlessly powering his team, the Samba nitrocharge™ encourages its wearer to go Full on or be Gone. With its unique and highly elastic ENERGYSLING™ around the forefoot supporting sidecut and precision turn movements to sharpen reactions on the pitch, and ENERGYPULSE™ spring technology providing high energy push-offs and long lasting energy return when sprinting, the nitrocharge™ combines new technologies to innovate the way 'Engines' play the beautiful game.

adizero™ f50
The adizero™ f50, long sought after by the fastest players such as Leo Messi, Lucas Moura and Gareth Bale, empowers its players to Fly or Die with an electric sky blue colourway. The adizero™ f50 is all about precision engineering with every aspect of the boot design based around making the wearer as fast as possible on the football field. With features such as SPEEDTRAXION, an all-new, high speed stud alignment for maximum acceleration and pinpoint changes of direction, and SPEEDFOIL, a revolutionary material that combines lightweight, softness and durability for a comfortable, yet locked down heel fit, the Samba adizero™ f50 is a boot which ensures these world class players will be faster than ever before in Brazil.

predator® Lethal Zones
The vibrant pink colourway of the Samba predator® Lethal Zones favoured by the likes of Oscar, Mesut Ozil and Fernando Torres instructs its wearer to Hunt or be Hunted. Designed with five distinctive 'Lethal Zones' of technology to deliver outstanding ball control, touch, accuracy and power, the boot is made to master every aspect of performance.

11pro
With a luxury deep purple colourway, the Samba 11pro worn by Philipp Lahm, Hernanes and Frank Lampard retains the classic attributes that allow players to Make the Play or Make Way. With its premium, ultra-soft and ultra-light Taurus leather providing excellent fit, performance, comfort and ball-feel allied to an all new outsole with comfort frame for better pressure distribution, as well as optimised stud placement for maximum grip and acceleration, the 11pro remains the boot of choice for the complete footballer.

Antoine Hadjimanolis, Global Senior Product Manager, adidas Football said: "For Samba Collection, we took our inspiration from Brazil. The pack is colourful, energetic and full of character – just like Brazil! From the beaches of Bahia to the Carnival of Rio, our boots will use tones and palettes that you've never seen before on a football boot."

The Samba Collection launches today in conjunction with a Brazilian inspired video featuring key players who will wear the boots. The 90 second-long video features a brand new track, "BOTA", from prominent act Buraka Som Sistema, who partnered with promising newcomer Brazilian MC Karol Conka (cult.cartel). Karol delivered the lyrics and appeared in the spot, adding local flavour. The band will be release the track as their next single and will be available to download from the adidas Football Soundcloud channel, soundcloud.com/adidasfootball from today.

The most exciting professional players in the world will wear the new adidas Samba Collection boots onfield from November 9th onwards, with the boots available to purchase from 14th November at adidas own-retail outlets as well as specialist stores worldwide. For further information please visit adidas.com/football or go to facebook.com/prosoccersa or @prosoccerSA on twitter to join the conversation. 

See www.prosoccer.co.za to buy the boots online...

adidas nitrocharge 1.0 vs. Predator LZ

The Predator LZ is adidas’ control silo and designed for the Control Freak and playmaker while the nitrocharge 1.0 is the brands new energy silo designed for the ‘The Engine’ and  Midfield General.

Here is the breakdown on the differences and similarities between these two midfielder’s boots. 

The LZ 2 was first released in July 2013 in the Ray Green/Black colourway and the nitrocharge 1.0 was first released in May 2013 in the Blue/Running White/Electricity colourway.

Recent Predator colourways include the Black/Running White/Ray Green and Prime Blue/Running White/Orange editions and recent nitrocharge colourways include Black/Metallic Silver and Red/Running White/Electricity editions.

The Predator model is headlined by the likes of Mesut Ozil and Oscar while the nitrocharge 1.0 is headlined by the likes of England captain Steven Gerrard and Dani Alves.

UPPERS: The Predator LZ boasts a super soft HYBRIDTOUCH upper which combines the benefits of both synthetic and leather in one. The nitrocharge 1.0 boasts the same HYBRIDTOUCH material on the upper while it also has a super protective mesh material on the heel and midfoot regions.

SPRINTFRAME: Both boots use the SPRINTFRAME soleplate. The SPRINTFRAME on the Predator model uses a standard two-piece plate while the nitrocharge 1.0 uses a similar two-piece plate but includes the use of the ENERGYPULSE which is engineered to deliver high energy output during the toe-off phase.

TRAXION 2.0: Both boots use the exact same TRAXION 2.0 stud configurations for optimised traction and grip on firm and soft ground surfaces. On the boots we have here the Predator uses the firm ground soleplate while the nitrocharge has the soft ground soleplate.

LETHAL ZONES: The Predator boasts enhanced lethal zones. The surface area of the dribble zone has increased by 80%, the control and pass zone has been transformed from memory foam to rubber lines, The drive zone has been enlarged by 28% offering a larger more aggressive striking zone.

ENERGYSLING: The nitrocharge 1.0 boasts a new and innovative ENERGYSLING which is a high-elasticity rubber band across the foot which is designed to support side-cut and turn movements. It also provides a clean and uniform striking surface.

TONGUE/SOCKLINER: The tongue on the Predator boasts padding down the middle and mini perforations along the sides for great comfort and breathability. The nitrocharges tongue uses mesh and the HYBRIDTOUCH material for great lightweight comfort. Both boots feature the exact same comfort sockliner for ultimate comfort and feel.

HEEL COUNTER: The Predator LZ features an internal counter while the nitrocharge features an external counter for a great lockdown on you heel. The nitrocharge 1.0 also includes 3D protection pads which cover the sensitive tackle zones around your Achilles tendon.

WEIGHT: The Predator LZ weighs roughly 235 grams while the nitrocharge 1.0 weighs in at 240 grams.

CONCLUSION: Overall the boots are very similar in terms of comfort where the Predator LZ is a control boot designed for the Control Freak; the creative assist maker such as MesutOzil featuring rubber zones for enhanced control. while the nitrocharge 1.0 is designed for the Midfeld General; the box to box no nonsense midfielder and the Engine like StevenGerrard boasting energy and protection properties.

If either of these sound like the ideal boot for you, take a look at the full range of adidas boots here. adidaspredator, adidas nitrocharge.

Which do you prefer? Tell us in the comments section below.

Visit our website on www.prosoccer.co.za or follow us on facebook www.facebook.com/prosoccersa