Adidas Predator 18+

To carry the Predator name takes responsibility. For the boot it's the perfect balance of control, power, comfort and unmistakable visual identity. For the player it's character that complements ability. These are the ingredients to the Predator plate. After a two year break we're ready to see if adidas have cooked that up with the Predator 18+.No pressure then. The return of the Predator 18+ comes with a heavy weight of expectation. Players will naturally pine for the Predators of old. Red tongues, leather uppers and free-kick fire. That’s understandable, but at the same time it’s unrealistic to expect adidas to simply revert to the old school vibe. There’s a reason that no boot silos from a decade ago are still on the scene – far better technologies are available.The first piece of advice we can give about the adidas Predator 18+ is to be open minded. Were we big fans of the old Predator models? Of course we were, but we advise that you don’t go comparing it to the Mania, Powerswerve, Absolute etc. This is a different beast.

It’s impossible for a boot to be iconic from day one. Yes, previous Predators became legendary. Big players produced big moments – Beckham’s free kicks, Zidane’s UCL Final volley. The story of the Predator 18+ is there to be written by the likes of Dele Alli, Paul Pogba & Mesut Ozil, that’ll take time and big games… a World Cup say.

Will today’s kids be talking about the Predator 18+ in the same manner as we talk about the Mania or Accelerator? Perhaps not. But that comes down to the fact that the Predators of the late 90s and early 00s were at the early stages of innovation, completely unseen before. There wasn't anywhere near as much boot choice or innovation. There’s so much more now, so much that it becomes harder to stand out. Boots and colourways come and go far quicker.