Adidas' Predator football boot is arguably the most iconic in football. Since it was first released in 1994, the Predator has been worn by the game's best players, from Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham to Steven Gerrard, Raúl and Robin van Persie.
Over the course of the past decade Adidas has updated the Predator, which was originally characterised by the inclusion of rubber elements to the upper of the cleat for improved power.
The 1998 Predator Accelerator was worn by the aforementioned Zidane during the 1998 Fifa World Cup and featured asymmetrical lacing and three curved stripes on its side. In 2000 the Predator Precision came to life and for the first time interchangeable studs were added to the design. This was the boot that Beckham wore to send England to the World Cup, before he started wearing the iconic champagne-hued Predator Mania in 2002.
Fast-forward to 2021 and the Predator has been totally transformed in an effort to give wearers their best 90 minutes on the pitch, well, ever. The Predator Freak features all-over Demonskin spike coverage in a luminous yellow, which was first introduced last season.
This eye-catching performance innovation is created by a layer of rubber spikes, which are laid in a formation that aligns to key contact points with the ball, enabling superior control and increased ball swerve during gameplay. Essentially, in the same way a reptile's scaly skin can cling to a tree, your foot will connect with a ball, promising more control.
The Predator Freak also takes on an updated silhouette. The new split-cut collar design (an elasticated entrance separated into two parts) allows a greater range of movement, while a laceless Primeknit collar and two-piece sock construction gives a total locked-in fit around the mid-foot and ankle, which means better precision.
