Adidas’ latest innovation features brand-new technology and has the support of one of women’s soccer’s biggest stars, Trinity Rodman.
For over 40 years, Adidas has been a proud supporter of women’s soccer, beginning with its sponsorship of the U.S. Women’s National Team, which included providing kits for the inaugural team in 1985. Decades later, the Three Stripes continues to lead the way in empowering women athletes, once again making history with the launch of the F50 SparkFusion, the first-ever soccer cleat designed specifically for women, by women. This groundbreaking innovation not only celebrates the legacy of women’s soccer but also sets a bold new standard for the future of the game.
With the United States hosting the FIFA Club World Cup, it’s once again the summer of soccer. Naturally, the German company capitalized on the opportunity to unveil the boot during opening weekend festivities in Miami. One day after Lionel Messi and Inter Miami settled for a draw against Egyptian club Al Ahly in front of 60,927 fans at Hard Rock Stadium, elsewhere in the 305, a footy tournament took place where several elite players competed in the boots for the first time.
“I used to play football and I hated my boots,” Mahsa Aryan, Product Designer for the F50 SparkFusion, admitted. “I loved our franchises because I thought they were so cool in the way they wore on the biggest stages with the biggest players. But then I’d play in them and would get blisters, black toes, or a bunch of other issues. And that’s what gets me excited about these. I feel like, if you are, let’s call it the more stereotypical female foot shape, this caters to that.”
“As far as the foot shape and comfort are concerned, I am super proud of this because you can only play well if you’re comfortable in your gear. And obviously, football boots are a very important part of that,” Aryan explained. “The second part is really just the way that you need to move and glide on pitch is super important. Not getting stuck, having enough traction, being able to completely maneuver, and being agile. I feel like the outsole of this product does that for you. I’m pretty excited to get it out there, get it on more feet, and see it really come to life based on who is wearing them.”
One of the most prolific cleat designers in modern football, Aryan explained that she and her team examined over 1,000 different scans of women’s feet, looking at everything from arches to toe spacing. From there, they were able to create a silhouette that conforms to multiple different shapes, all without compromising style or comfort.
Because female feet typically have a narrower heel, higher arches, and more volume around the midfoot area, Adidas introduced a new technology called the FUSIONLAST. It enables an improved fit in the heel, midfoot, and forefoot, providing better lockdown and increasing the chances of scoring or making a key defensive stop. Additional highlights include an updated heel structure and external heel counter that work in tandem to provide increased comfort, stability, and lockdown in the rearfoot.
The F50 SparkFusion also has the endorsement of NWSL superstar and Adidas ambassador Trinity Rodman. The Washington Spirit forward called it “incredible” to be a part of this design process, which Aryan co-signed in conversation with Boardroom, adding some special creative notes that the 23-year-old added in the process.
“Trinity was actually the reason why we ended up going with the big cut — the one with the sock being our hero model — because we had these conversations with her early on. Europe, in general, really focuses on low-cut football boots because that tends to be what is more popular here. However, she was like, ‘Well, have you seen women play in North America? We love some sort of sock and ankle support, so please, can you create that?’ That was really the starting point of our creation. She’s definitely one who’ll give you her clear thoughts and insights and will steer you in the right direction. We’ve had a lot of gear conversations with her, whether it is the performance of the boot and the testing, all the way to color and graphics, and what excites her.”
The inaugural pastel purple colorway is accented with bold neon green and tonal graphics that wrap around the entire cleat, complemented by the brand’s signature three stripes in neon green on the outer side of the boot. Available in a hero mid-cut model, as well as a low-cut laced and laceless silhouette, the F50 SparkFusion adult range can be purchased across four price points — starting from $65 for the entry-level model up to $260 for the elite iteration.
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Celebrating the 1985 USWNT
While they’re continuing their commitment to advancing women’s sports through product development, Adidas also recently celebrated the impact of a group of ladies who defined what it means to play with confidence. This summer marks four decades since the inaugural 1985 USWNT took the pitch. Since then, the federation has solidified its position as one of the most successful nations to have played the game, winning four Women’s World Cup titles, five Olympic gold medals, and producing legends of the game.
While many storylines have reflected the triumphs of more contemporary members of the team, little coverage has centered on the illustrious figures who helped put the USWNT on the map. To reconnect with the team they supported and outfitted for their international debut at the Mundialito tournament in Italy, members of the pioneering squad of seventeen, including Michelle Akers, Ruth Harker, and Linda Gancitano, are stepping into the spotlight to celebrate their legacy and are the new hosts of ORIGIN STORY, a podcast series chronicling the untold beginnings of the most pivotal moments in women’s sports history and culture.
Produced by Storied Sports, the original program will discuss the lasting impression they continue to have on the sport decades later, discussing how women’s soccer has evolved and reflecting on the foundation they helped build as a part of the Class of 1985. Despite the cult following a number of players have today and the massive investment networks and brands have made in support of more exposure, that wasn’t always the case. As Akers told Boardroom during the F50 SparkFusion launch on Sunday, they were relegated to wearing men’s clothes and boots for the formidable years of the players’ careers. Media coverage was also relatively weak, preventing the masses from watching her score the first-ever goal out of 1,618 in the country’s history.
“My team, The 85ers, they started everything, but then they didn’t get to benefit from everything,” Akers said. “Even worse, people don’t know the team story as players on and off the pitch, how much they accomplished, and how it changed history. We’re changing that and hopefully, that is going to overflow into changing many different avenues for women who have been in the same position, but who are also trailblazing.”
Not only did she net the first point for the USWNT, but Akers’ career accomplishments include being named the FIFA Female Player of the Century in 2002, being inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2004, and winning the Golden Shoe as the top scorer with ten goals at the 1991 World Cup. But times have certainly changed since then, including the introduction of new technology. And with advancements like Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and goal-line review, it begs the question:
Has this approach to modernizing the sport reflected an ever-changing society, or is it limiting our potential to revert to the old-school style of soccer?
“I’ll tell you what I love is all the 18,000 cameras that are out there right at the ball when they’re dribbling down the field. But yeah, there is something missed in this kind of human spiritual element of the game, in living with the mistakes, living with the things that were missed, and then having to overcome that or benefiting from those things. So the old schoolers, I guess I’m forever old school, but also excited that some of the new technology is actually enhancing the game and making that old school mentality,” Akers said.
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