Adidas relaunches Predator Mania boots in celebration of 20 years of Zinedine Zidane’s iconic volley in the Champions League Final
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Adidas has looked into its archive to relaunch the boot behind one of European football’s most iconic goals. Zinedine Zidane, who’s widely considered one of the greatest playmakers of all time and proceeded to undertake a successful managerial career for Real Madrid wore the Adidas predator mania during his playing days.
The black/white/red version of the Mania was what Zinedine Zidane was wearing when he scored his unworldly volley to win Real Madrid the Champions League final in 2002.
A strike that is still considered by many as the greatest goal ever in Champions League final history, it was the Predator Mania laced to the feet of Zizou as he somehow met the ball mid-air and rifled it home on his ‘weaker’ left foot to ensure Los Blancos saw off Bayer Leverkusen.
With the 20th anniversary of that famous strike on the horizon, Adidas has issued a re-release of the boot, initially limited to 2002 pairs in honor of the year of Zidane’s goal.
Complete with all the features that made the originals so great, the Predator Mania features a black leather upper, the aggressive white striking elements, and, of course, that iconic red tongue. Set to launch on 11 July, there is still no confirmed retail price for the Predator Mania re-issue.
History of the Adidas Predator Mania
The Predator is perhaps the most famous boot ever, with many suggesting that the early-2000s Mania iteration is possibly the greatest football boot ever.
The Predator Mania was worn by the likes of Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, Alessandro Del Piero, Steven Gerrard and many more legends of the game, and was always on show on the biggest stages of the club and international football.
Zinedine Zidane famously wore Adidas Predator Mania in the 2001-02 Champions League Final win over Bayer Leverkusen
The 2002 UEFA Champions League Final was contested between Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid at Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland. Real Madrid was regarded as the favorite before the match and took the lead in the eighth minute through Raúl.
Lúcio equalized five minutes later before Zinedine Zidane who wore the now famous Adidas Predator Mania, scored the winning goal on the stroke of half-time, a left-footed volley into the top corner that has since gone down as one of the greatest goals in the history of the competition, to secure Real Madrid’s ninth European Cup/ Champions League trophy.
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Sujeeth Shetty
(766 Articles Published)