VIDEO: adidas launches its slick replacement for the Predators

Cut away all the jargon and what you are left with is a boot that will do some damage across Europe next season.

We have just about gotten over the departure of the adidas Predator boots. After reaching 'acceptance' in the seven stages of grief, the German sports manufacturers have decided to shuffle us along to 'hope'. Launched today, adidas ACE is the new  kid boot on the block. Styled on players such as Mesut Özil, James Rodríguez, Oscar and sweeper/goalkeeper himself Manuel Neuer, the marketing [nee scientific] gist is that they offer greater control to players and would-be's the world over. Monday also marked the launch of X15. There you have it - the boot that will grace the agile feet of Luis Suarez, Arjen Robben, Gareth Bale and your mate Dave from the football team [the lad who always insists on taking the free-kicks only to balloon them 10 yards over the bar] next season. After 20 years at, and near, the top, adidas discontinued the Predator boots. While branding a new boot X15 - released on July 1 - may date it come 2016, the company is hoping it's prototype will capture imaginations. If all goes well, expect to see X16, X17, etc. But enough of our guff. Here is what the marketing folks say about the new kicks:

Some players can never be controlled. They are the spark that ignites a game. They defy rules and structure. The moment of genius that gets the crowd off their seat – that’s their speciality. There is no defence and no tactic that can control them. These players are specialists in chaos. Thomas Müller, Gareth Bale, Luis Suárez, Karim Benzema and Álvaro Morata, these players strike without a moment’s notice. For them, adidas has created X15.

The press release goes on to trumpet the new designs - Techfit Collar [for ankle support], X-Cage [the 'fragmented, lightweight' base] and X-Skin [sticky dots to aid ball control by 0.01%, we reckon]. Both sets of boots will get their debut at the Champions League final - Barcelona v Juventus - on June 6. For more on the ACEs, the boffins feature in a slick video, in which they discuss their love of football... and boots. https://youtu.be/R4gZ5REIGzw