adidas deliver big dose of 90s football nostalgia with new Predator EQT boots

The latest in a string of ridiculously cool reboots, adidas have dropped the Predator EQT - a tribute to the adidas Equipment era that is utterly synonymous with the aesthetic of early 90s football.

In a very clean design, three metallic silver stripes pop on a deep black base, with the unmistakeable green of the adidas Equipment brand forming a border around them. The fundamentally simple look is elevated by an abstract silver pattern on the forefoot, with that same green colour on the soleplate. The franchise's iconic logo sits on the heel and the fold-over tongue, alongside the words 'EQT 1991'.

First introduced in 1991, adidas Equipment was intended as a no-frills, functional line across multiple sports, stripping everything back to basics to focus purely on performance using a simple colour palette of green, black and white. Original pieces bearing the famous logo that defined it are still coveted by vintage sportswear collectors the world over.

In the football sphere, the franchise is synonymous with the baggy shirt and short shorts aesthetic of the time, worn by the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Bayern Munich. The kit template is accidentally iconic and instantly recognisable, featuring three chunky, colour block stripes across the right shoulder and the left leg of the shorts, and the Equipment logo centred on the chest.

While the original pieces are grails for many collectors, adidas have leaned into the popularity of the franchise over the years by dropping streetwear collections, activewear and trainers, but this is a rare return to the pitch. The adidas Equipment Predator Precision was unveiled in 2000, and a Predator Freak EQT pack was released in 2021 to celebrate 30 years of the line, although they weren't widely worn.

adidas' new Predator propels its Equipment franchise into the modern era, and while the boot is still stripped back, it does boast some modern touches.

It's engineered in a new lightweight construction, featuring the German sportswear giant's 'Powerspine' plate integrated into the sole for enhanced stability, giving the athlete more power and precision with every strike of the ball.

The adidas Predator EQT is available now online and in selected retail stores.

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