INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
While it may have been left lagging behind other sports in adopting video referees and goal-line tech - although we have seen a lot of this
at the 2018 Russia World Cup - when it comes to futuristic footwear the beautiful game leads the way.From ultra-lightweight uppers for
aviation industry.But how did humble footy cleats become such technological marvels Below we chart the advancement of the football boot -
image credit: Niek BeckThe Pre-stud yearsWhile more noted for his multiple wives rather than his fancy footwork, the first ever recorded
reference to football boots are nevertheless from an inventory of Henry VIII's clothes when he died in 1547
Designed by royal shoemaker Cornelius Johnson and costing four shillings, the thick leather boots were said to have been ankle high and
extremely heavy.As the game evolved over the next 300 years from the brutal, almost aimless hoofing of a heavy pig skin around a field
without goals or markings of Tudor times, to a more organised sport with rules and tournaments, so did the footwear demands of those playing
the game.Old football boots from the 19th Century (credit: National Football Museum)With the game growing in popularity across Britain
during the mid-19th Century, factory workers began modifying their long-laced, steel toe-capped work boots to improve their grip on muddy
playing surfaces, often hammering tacks and nails into them
While these proto-studs improved the players balance and footing, they inevitably caused serious injuries for any player on the receiving
Association in 1863, with the FA decreeing that: "No one wearing projecting nails, iron plates or gutta percha on the soles of his boots is
allowed to play."The brand tourBy the beginning of the 20th century, the demand for regulated footwear saw a number of sportswear brands we
recognise today like Gola and Hummel begin to emerge as makers of studded football boots
One such company to enter the market at this time was the Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory.Early Dassler boot (credit: Adidas)Best known for
WWII the factory had become one of leading brands for football boots
would go on to dominate the football boot market
ankle boot, towards lightweight, low cut boots as preferred by South American stars, which improved control as well as speed.Studs go
studs which could be changed to suit different conditions.Puma Super Atom (credit: Puma)The ground-breaking boot would be worn by half of FC
Its take on the screw-in studded boot, the Argentina, would be worn by the entire West German football team, with their long nylon studs
cited as helping them win their first World Cup in 1954 ,after seeing off Hungary 3-2 during a rain-soaked final in Switzerland.Color and
the age of endorsementBy the 1960s player power was beginning to have an influence on the game and in turn football boot design
The likes of Bobby Moore (Adidas Diamant) and Portuguese legend Eusebio (Puma King) both wore custom made boots as part of endorsement deals
during the 1966 World Cup
win over Italy in the final.Pele advertising Puma KingsUp until this point, boots had predominantly been a uniform black colour, but a trend
for dazzling designs would begin during the 1970 Charity Shield between Everton and Chelsea
stand out during colour TV broadcasts of the match
side.The classic eraThe late seventies saw the introduction of arguably the most popular football boot of all time
instep.The Adidas Copa Mundial (Credit: Adidas)The boot would become the weapon of choice for the likes of Paolo Rossi, Diego Maradona and
Zinedine Zidane and also proved popular with Rugby players
It remains part of Adidas boot line-up today.Boosts, blades and samba stylesThere would be a wait of almost 15 years before the next great
Once again it would come from Adidas, but this time via a somewhat unlikely source
rubber strips from a table tennis bat to the forefoot of his boots, instantly improving the amount of spin and power that could be applied
change the design of football boots forever.The original Adidas Predator (Credit: Adidas)Although having made football boots since the early
a sticky outer layer adapted from racing motorcycles tire materials to enhance the touch and feel of the ball for players.The modern ageAs
well as helping improve player speeds, modern boots were also recording just how fast they were running
Heralded as a boot with a brain when it was introduced in 2011, the Adidas adiZero F50 miCoach featured a built-in sensor chip that could
measure average speed, maximum speed, number of sprints, and distance covered.Adidas adiZero F50 miCoachThe new century brought about
something of an arms race between the main manufacturers to build the lightest boot humanly possible
Adidas and Nike would both incorporate their newly developed high tech knitted material from their running shoes into their soccer lines,
limited edition GS boot in 2012 - an ultra-light football boot featuring components made from beans and recycled plastic
Meanwhile 2016 saw Adidas introduce the ACE 16 + Purecontrol, a super-svelte boot that did away with laces, instead using a discrete locking
innovative ankle boots worn during the early days of the game.TheIndianSubcontinent's World Cup coverage is brought to you in association
