For someone who no longer plays football (those days are well behind me), my vast collection of football boots shows no rationale.
From early 2000s Predators and crisp Copa Mundials, to a pair of Mizuno that literally hover above a box of artificial grass (!!!), my extensive array of unworn on-pitch footwear is about to increase after Rick & Morty (!!!) revealed adidas’ new X SPEEDGOAT silhouette.
Unveiled via a short-film which features cameos from Mohammed Salah and Vivianne Miedema, the boot – which arrives in a mad neon green colorway – is said to have “been designed for the fastest players” to help them “unlock speed in all dimensions,” according to adidas.
First introduced in 2020, adidas’ SPEEDFRAME technology has been updated this time around with a new lightweight sole plate, which houses a new multidimensional stud design to give players added grip when switching direction.
“If one thing’s for certain in modern football, it’s that the game is getting faster and faster,” explained Franziska Aurnhammer, Senior Product Manager at adidas.
“Faster attacks, faster reactions, and faster athletes. But ‘speed’ itself is also changing with the times. Top speed linear sprints used to dominate the game. In 2022, speed is multi-dimensional, encompassing mental quickness, positioning, space creation, and more.”
By enlisting the help of Rick & Morty the boot – which is available via the adidas webstore now from $250 – the sports label aims to give “fans something they'd never seen before,” which has unquestionably been achieved. Yet, it does still beg the question, as to why?
Whatever the reason, we’re pretty into it, and I, for one, am all for more cartoon-football crossovers in the very near future.
