Brand-new Adidas Predator Mania boots have dropped in the form of a remake.
When it comes to the best boots on the market, the Predators are still dominating with the likes of Jude Bellingham donning the very latest models with all the tech – but if you're anything like FourFourTwo, nothing will ever beat the classics.
And with Adidas bringing out the latest boots in their Made In Germany remakes, this is a classic we didn't even realise we yearned for.
Gunmetal Adidas Predator Mania boots
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The Mania, arguably the most iconic boot that Adidas have ever released (or anyone else, potentially?) first hit shelves in 2001 ahead of the World Cup in Japan and South Korea, with the curvy design influenced by the Far East and the standard Predator colourway of black, red and white the first to become available.
Fast-forward two decades and Adi have been steadily re-releasing Manias in some of their most iconic colourways, including the white/black/red and red/grey versions that were synonymous with David Beckham… but who else forgot about these ‘gunmetal’ grey and silver beauties?
The ‘Gunmetal’ boots came out when Goldenballs first signed for Real Madrid in 2003, with the Predator Mania already established at the time as a bona fide hit: well, now they're back for a new generation.
“The Predator Gunmetal Mania features a striking silver, metal-optic base that delivers a bold, unmistakable on-pitch presence,” Adidas tells us now.
“The clean white Three Stripes sit sharply along the side, accentuating the boot’s powerful silhouette, while the signature fold-over tongue returns in vivid red completed with a white Adidas logo, paying homage to one of the most recognisable Predator visuals ever created.”
Boot technology has come a long way since the days of Beckham pinging crosses onto the head of R9 – but these new boots have apparently been revived with “performance-driven detailing” for the 2020s, while “offering a modern fit and feel designed for today’s game”.
So who else totally forgot these existed?
Now that we've had our memories refreshed, these boots conjure up images for us at FourFourTwo of Beckham in his early Bernabeu days, not to mention Patrick Vieira striding around midfield for the Invincibles.
But what do you think? A lovely homage to an icon or a totally unnecessary release for a colourway you'd forgotten about, too? Tell us below…
