The 8 all-time best players to wear the adidas Predator
By 90min
Adidas Football relaunched the legendary 'Predator' boot earlier this month, bringing an iconic favourite of players everywhere up-to-date with the latest modern and innovative technology.
A primeknit sockfit collar is engineered to naturally expand to the shape of the foot while ensuring the best fit. The material used features a 'controlskin' for the best grip, and an anatomical upper even mimics the heel's shape to keep the foot locked in place. Control, stability, movement and energy is all accounted for in the sleek design.
As the newest Predator launches, here's a look at eight of the very best to wear the most famous of boots.
Paul Pogba
Manchester United midfield maestro Paul Pogba is part of a new generation of football legends and is already one of the world's best players and most recognisable faces at the age of just 24.
The Frenchman is among the elite players wearing the brand new Predator 18+, with the boot designed to aid the perfect touch and defence splitting passes, the kind of thing that Pogba has become renowned for in recent seasons.
The likes of Mesut Ozil, Dele Alli and Ivan Rakitic will join him in wearing the Predator 18+.
Alessandro del Piero
Alessandro del Piero was playing the best football of his career during the 1997/98 campaign, scoring 32 goals for Juventus in all competitions, and doing so in Predator Accelerator boots.
The boot featured distinctive white adidas stripes, as well as asymmetrical lacing, and was worn not only by Del Piero but numerous world class players at the World Cup following that season.
The Italian eventually moved on to other adidas models later in his career.
Steven Gerrard
Predator Pulse boots played a part in a heroic chapter of Champions League history for Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, wearing the traditional black colourway in Istanbul as the Reds claimed their fifth European title, as well as a red colourway earlier in that 2004/05 season.
One year later, Gerrard, who often relied on the explosive power that Predators offered, scored a thunderbolt in the FA Cup final against West Ham wearing the striking Predator Absolute boots, one of the most enduring memories in cup final history.
Raul
Real Madrid legend Raul wore adidas Predators for the first time at the start of the 2000/01 season, donning the Precision generation and going on to enjoy the single most prolific season of his career after scoring 32 times in all competitions.
He was the Champions League and La Liga top scorer that season, while the Spaniard's form earned him second place in the 2001 Ballon d'Or standings. Raul continued to wear the various new Predator and adidas releases for the remainder of his career.
Kaka
Two years on from Milan's collapse against Liverpool in the 2005 Champions League final, a Kaka wearing Predator Absolute boots inspired the Rossoneri to perfect revenge against the same opposition in a 2-0 win in Athens.
The Brazilian was the best player in the world at the time and had been in incredible form as Milan reached the final. He later finished 2007 by winning Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year honours as recognition for his incredible performances and achievements that year.
Xavi
Spanish legend Xavi wore adidas Predators from the very start of his career. By the time he was at the peak of his powers at the 2010 World Cup, the midfield metronome was wearing the Predator X on his feet, released earlier that year in time for the tournament in South Africa.
When Spain had won Euro 2008 two years earlier, La Roja's first international trophy in 44 years, Xavi was wearing a red colourway of the Predator Powerswerve. Staying in control of the ball when finding team-mates was key for the Barcelona man.
David Beckham
David Beckham was and remains one of the most recognisable faces connected to football in the world. The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and LA Galaxy superstar was also synonymous with adidas Predators throughout his long and storied career.
It was white Predator Precision for Beckham the day that he scored the free-kick that put England into the 2002 World Cup. He certainly needed that level of precision to find the back of the net in such dramatic circumstances.
Such was his unbreakable connection to the adidas brand and the Predator line, even personalised Beckham colourways were released in later years.
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane was wearing Predator Mania boots when he scored one of the most iconic goals in the history of the Champions League to win the 2002 final for Real Madrid against Bayer Leverkusen.
The majestic watched the ball drop from the sky before meeting it perfectly with his left foot to send a volley crashing into the top corner of the goal.
Four years earlier, on another defining night of Zidane's historic career, the three-time FIFA World Player of the Year was wearing Predator Accelerator boots when he famously scored twice for France in the 1998 World Cup final against Brazil.