adidas’ new edition of the Predator, the ‘PREDATOR FREAK’ claims to transform athlete’s play and to enable improved control on the ball. And that’s not such an outrageous claim, looking back at the shoe’s history.
True to form, the shoe has been worn by some of the game’s best players - Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Raúl and Robin van Persie - since its release in 1994. In 1998, the Predator Accelerator was worn by Zidane during the 1998 Fifa World Cup and it 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.
Characterised by the inclusion of rubber elements to the upper of the cleat for improved power, the 2021 has been totally transformed with all-over Demonskin spike coverage (calibrated by a computer algorithm) in a luminous yellow, which was first introduced last season. The positioning of the spikes is part of what enables the improved control and increased ball swerve.
The Predator Freak also features a new silhouette: a split-cut collar design (an elasticated entrance separated into two parts) which allows a greater range of movement, while boosted precision comes from the laceless Primeknit collar and two-piece sock construction.
According to Manchester United’s Paul Pogba; “From first wear, I knew adidas had created something special with their DEMONSKIN material. As soon as I touched the ball, I really felt a difference in the way my foot connected. I’m happy my experience with it so far has impacted the new PREDATOR design.”
adidas’ PREDATOR FREAK will be available worldwide from January 19th via adidas.com.au and selected retailers.
