This Shoe Changed Football Forever

The Adidas Predator, one of the most iconic football boots in the game. Worn by true legends, Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, Xavi Hernandez. But before it became popular it was regarded as controversial.

This is the story of how an Australian footballer had an idea, stuck some rubber to an old boot, and convinced one of the biggest sportswear brands in the world to make his boot.

Written by Seb Stafford-Bloor, illustrated by Craig Silcock.

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#adidas #predator #fashion

[shreyasha]

The thumbnail made me think this video was about the boot that Sir Alex kicked towards Beckham that made him leave Man Utd

[Daiton]

Total 90's are the most iconic football boot for me personally, purely because if you grew up in the UK in the early 2000's and you wore a pair of total 90's to school you were an instant legend. Brings back fond memories

[Steve-Riverwood]

I got those boots at 11-12 years old in the mid 90´s. Had a couple of mates with me and we took them to the local ground, I put em on and for the first time was able to kick a goal kick across the halfline circle! It was also the first time that i could kick hard enough on a freekick to make the ball whistle in the air! I was so damn proud, and loved those boots untill i wore em out.

[natyo]

Best boots I've owned to this day, their design was iconic but they were also amazing to play in.

[nstwrt]

I met Craig Johnson in a lift once. I asked him about this boot and he said he hardly made any money from it. Adidas made all the profits.

[djfunkychicken]

BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW :
Spraying those predators with hair spray added extra grip (dry conditions) More noticeable curl and dip as the ball was physically spinning faster.

[unstoppableExodia]

Wow I had no idea Australia’s own Craig Johnston was the brains behind that particular innovation in football boot design

[junilog]

2011 Predators and T90s will always be my favorite football boots. They're the perfect mix of classic and modern.

[sebblackmore]

"Craig's boot" was a documentary shown on the BBC back in the mid 90s that followed the ex footballer while he was developing the first prototypes of the Predator. It should be on Youtube if you search for it. Craig Johnstone was a visionary.

[rahimalam]

I'd say its between Mercurials and Predators as the most iconic boots. From the first boots till now the Mercurials are still great boots. As for the predators, Adidas discontinued them for a few years then bought them back but made them worse but so many legendary players wore them like Zidane, Beckham, Gerrard, Del Piero and so many more to name. Tiempos and Copas are up there too. T90s had a few good years aswell.

[BurnRoddy]

I'm 35. I was entering elementary school when these shoes came out and I remember how many rejected the wierd design. Parents with money mostly brought Addidas or Puma shoes for their kids but there were millions of brands for progressively lower incom families and by the end of the 90s and early 2000s most of these branda had vanished. Even today I still somehow don't get used to how outlandish some of these Addidas shoes look compared to what we wore when I was a kid.

[tmilsted]

Adidas Predator's were the one growing up especially the iconic David Beckham's 2002 one's 👍

[christiankabano]

First boots I ever had, I remember it was the 2005 silver predators made for Beckham and had a dragon design. Certainly the adidas predators have to be among the most iconic boots.

[BOABModels]

I remember Adidas Predators being in the Viz cartoon, 'Spoilt B*stard'
"I should take the free kicks as I have Adidas Predator boots whilst your boots are from Happy Shopper!"

[dco]

Love the old predators, the 98 accelator was beautiful and great boot, used in many different sports

[liamsclarke]

Had the silvers with the red velcro tongue- still have them today and the ones beckham is holding up, best boots ever, those and adidas world cups

[celtic]

Great vid lads, Seb has a brilliant cadence for this kind of thing. At the time I swore blind that I could take free kicks better in Preds, not sure if that’s down to adidas advertising campaign or an immature kid who’d seen Like Mike too many times.

[toniduenas]

I had the predators in 2006 I loved those boots

[leometz]

The most iconic football boot is the Adidas Copa Mundial. Period. They make them since 1979 and for good reason: They are great

[mdhillug]

Puma King were the boots to have when i was a kid, before the predators came out.