The next generation of trainers

This month adidas have taken an Avatar-esque step into the unknown by launching trainers that come with their own explorable 3D world. A select range of adidas originals trainers will come with augmented reality coding on the tongue which, when used in conjunction with the adidas website, creates a full on virtual space.

Usage wise they are very simple - turn on your webcam, go to the website, and use your trainer as the remote.

In the coming months three further environments will be released for the shoes, check out the below link for two videos that explain all!

The 2010 World Cup draw - great news for England?

The draw for the 2010 Football World Cup took place on Friday out in South Africa and the excitment will now build in the run-up to the tournament. Although it is six months away it was clear through the coverage of the event here in the UK that World Cup fever has already bitten.

The actual ceremony was farcically long and an oddly entertaining hosting duo meant that it wasn't until the balls started rolling that it was possible to really focus on what was happeing. England, seeded in the draw, got a group of USA, Slovenia and Algeria - all things considered it was a fantastic outcome.

Algeria had a decent qualifying campaign and will be a quick and physical side, but they should be swept aside by a full strength England team with relative ease. Slovenia were suprise qualifiers with a playoff victory against a good Russian side. They will give it everything against England and will be tough to breakdown, but again, this should be three points for the three lions. The USA however are a different proposition. For many years the USA's biggest quality has been that they are "hard workers" - not exactly the sort of complimant you want if you are trying to be taken seriously as a world football power. They've kept this trait but have gained some really talented and experienced players like Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey. Their 2009 Confederations Cup display showed how far they've come and England will have to be on top form to take maximum points from the fixture.

 

That being said England will and should feel confident of progressing, the real challenge will begin in the second round. The English first team is a match for any side in the tournament but the World Cup is won on the strength of squads. David Beckham was a special guest in South Africa for the draw and he'll be a hugely important squad player next Summer. Barring injuries ahead of June England will go with a great squad - a mix of talent, youth, and experience. They've got a solid back line, one of the best line up of midfielders on the planet and a potent strike force. When you add players such as James Milner, Ashley Young and Peter Crouch into the mix as squad players its no suprise that the English media and bookies are getting carried away, some instilling them as favourites. In reality the top national teams haven't been closer for a very long time - Spain, Brazil, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Argentina, Holland, France - all could triumph.

As with every World Cup draw there was also the reveal of the new football for the tournament. adidas have made the ball for each World Cup since 1970 and the newest incarnation was not a disappointment. The ball is called Jabulani, meaning "to celebrate" in isiZulu, and has been developed using truely revolutionary technology. A new 8 panel design means it is rounder than ever before and a new grip n groove surface promises truer flight and more stable. The 2006 ball, the teamgeist, used more panels to help increase stability and the less panels on The Jabulani should mean more movement. However, the grip n groove texture compensates for this and should make life less unpredictable for goalkeepers.

Some players have got a headstart on getting to grips (no pun intended) with the new ball but some seem to have struggled with the pronounciation. Can you say it? - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5Y0ik6-koM

JA - BU - LANI

adidas Predator X - power redefined

Global football is dominated by three brands - adidas, Nike, and Puma. These brands battle it out each year with new innovations being the trump card for product releases. The most famous name from the adidas brand is the Predator which built its name on a simple innovation. In 1992 the brand brought out the boot incorporating rubber strips that were designed to increase swerve and bend on the ball. The boots quickly became best sellers and adidas went about signing up the most exciting players at the time to be their ambassadors. Klinsmann, Gasgoine, and Del Piero were three of the first players to wear the iconic and Del Piero, who is still playing today, continues to wear the Predator.

Over the last 15 years adidas has released a total of 9 versions of the famous boot, all being an improvement on the last. This November sees the release of the tenth generation of the boots, the Predator X. Ahead of the World Cup adidas needed to an impact with this release and improvements to the boot make it sound as though it'll be a certain winner. The official techical breakdown lists two key features;

1. The Powerspine  - a revolutionary centre to the boot that minimises the energy lost when a player strikes the ball, transferring this energy to ensure maximum connection with the ball.   The result of this innovation is an additional 7% extra power versus the previous generation of Predator boots.

2. A newly designed Predator zone - containing a mix of rubber and silicon the re-positioned zone increases swerve in all weather conditions. A Taurus leather core combined with Thermoform memory foam and Optifit technology creates a lightweight fit that lasts.

Alongside the usual bout of player testing and involvement, the Predator X was crafted by one of the most technically gifted players of all time - Zinedine Zidane. Zidane has worn Predators throughout his career and for the Predator X he was heavily invovled in the R&D for the boot. The image below is a still from the link above which shows Zidane being interviewed about his famous Predator moments and then shows him testing the boots. By the look of the film he is still absolutely world class.

adidas symbols wearing the Predator X will include Steven Gerrard, Karim Benezema, David Beckham, and Michael Ballack. The worlds most famous boot is back, with a bang.

Go to http://www.adidas.com/football to find out more information.

Your own personalised bit of history

As a footballer you dream of scoring the winning goal in the World Cup Final - there is no other dream. Even if you are a goalkeeper you dream of scoring the winning goal from a corner or even better, direct from a goal kick.

However, if you are unlikely to play for a World Cup winning team then there is another decent milestone in you can achieve in your career - your own personal football boots. This is exactly what has happened to the little Argentinian magician Lionel Messi.

His sponsors adidas have created a special edition F50i boot inspired by his Argentinian roots. Messi is only the fourth player of all time to receive this honour, after Beckham, Beckenbauer, and Seeler. The above image shows Messi in his new boots doing what he does best.