20 years after his World Cup debut, Lionel Messi takes to the pitch in an F50 modelled on his very first. At the hat-trick against Algeria, the „Último Tango“ made an instant impact.
The timing could hardly have been better. Exactly 20 years to the day after his first World Cup goal, Lionel Messi scored his first World Cup hat-trick in the 3-0 win over Algeria – and now sits level with record holder Miroslav Klose on 16 goals at the top of the all-time scoring list.
It was also his 200th cap, and at 38 he is now the oldest player to score three times in a single World Cup match. On his feet he wore a boot that takes him right back to where it all began for him on the biggest stage.
The adidas F50 „El Último Tango“ is Messi’s boot for what’s likely his final World Cup. The name translates as „The Last Tango“, and the design is a nod to 2006: back then, an 18-year-old Messi made his World Cup debut in Germany, in the F50.6 TUNiT with its distinctive lace cover.
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Two decades on, adidas has taken that exact model as its template – modern technology in the new F50, but unmistakably the boot of 2006.
What Makes Messi’s adidas Boot So Special
Visually, the boot stays understated: a white base, the sky blue of the Argentine national team, gold in the details, and Messi’s number „10“. adidas skips loud graphics and lets the colours of the Albiceleste speak, alongside a few details you only spot on a second look. Inside the boot, for instance, are the names of his sons.
The boot also stands for a long partnership. Messi has worn adidas since 2006, the same year he switched from Nike to the brand with the three stripes; in 2017 he signed a lifetime contract. Over the years the models changed, from the F50 range through Nemeziz to the X Speedportal. For his final World Cup, Messi is back in an F50.
For adidas and Messi, this closes a circle that began 20 years ago. Six World Cups and one world title later, the teenager’s boot of 2006 becomes the boot of his farewell. The F50 „El Último Tango“ is available now at adidas.com, with the Elite version priced at €280.
