The Adidas F50 adiZero - the world's lightest football boot  Today it is the turn of the football boot to be revolutionised.  At only 165grams the brand new adidas F50 adiZero is the lightest boot ever made and it is set to transform the beautiful game. The boots combine ultra light materials with core stability that will allow players to travel at light speed. Lionel Messi, the best player in the world, will wear this new innovation at the forthcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup as he aims to set the world alight.

The need for innovation and speed in football has never been greater. Millimetres and split seconds are what players are judged on and the adidas F50 adiZero has been designed to redefine the rules of fast. The boot is made from the industry’s lightest fabrics and leading technologies to reach 165 grams per boot – the same weight as a Frisbee. This seemingly impossible achievement is made possible by a number of key design developments:

* A SprintSkin single layer upper to the boot means its light and ultra comfortable
* A Sprint Frame outsole takes inspiration from running sprint spikes using bridges to creates support throughout the foot
* Thermo Polyurethane bands are weaved throughout the top of the boot to aid stability when travelling at speed
* A revolutionary triangular stud configuration provides maximum acceleration and optimum support for lateral and medial movements

Lionel Messi will be the first player to wear the distinctive chameleon purple, white and electricity colourway during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The FIFA World Player of the Year said “I am amazed at how light the new F50 is; I can barely feel them on my feet. Speed on the pitch is a really important part of my game and wearing the world’s lightest boot will hopefully make me faster and enhance my performance during the most important games of the year!”

The F50 adiZero will be worn by players during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. The chameleon purple, white and electricity boot will be worn exclusively by Lionel Messi with Steven Pienaar (South Africa), Jozy Altidore (U.S.A), Shunsake Nakamura (Japan), Salomon Kalou (Ivory Coast), Arjen Robben (Holland) and Lukas Podolski (Germany) wearing the sun, black and collegiate gold colourway and David Villa (Spain), Samir Nasri (France), Jermain Defoe (England) and Johan Vonlanthen (Switzerland) wearing the black and sun version.

The black/sun yellow colourway and the sun yellow/black/gold colourway will hit retail on May 24th 2010 in all adidas Sport Performance stores, as well as at leading e-retailers and selected sports retailers around the world. The Chameleon boot will go on sale on July 12th 2010.

RRP £125

Follow adidas’ 50 Days of Fast on www.facebook.com/adidasfootball featuring Messi, Kaka, De Rossi, Simao, Ballack and Gourcuff giving insights on how they think football has developed over the years to become a faster game. Facebook fans also have the chance to take part in a “fast” knowledge competition to win a pair of new F50’s exclusively signed by Messi.



Supporting England with the latest World Cup gear  Every four years the biggest footballing event in the world comes to a pre selected country, and for 31 days, the entire world is gripped on football fever. This year Fabio Capello’s men qualified for the World Cup in South Africa with ease, now the pressure is on to ensure that England are fully prepared to take to the field and fight for the right to place a second star above the three lions. As the nation gets patriotic before the first whistle sales of everything bearing a St Georges cross go through the roof with scarves, flags, banners and beer selling out throughout the nation. This year the emphasis is purely on fashion, and supporting your team with style. As companies now see the commercial gain of a World Cup they are producing more official merchandise than ever before, in an attempt to cash in on the euphoria that can last up to a month during the games, and a long time afterwards. With the style in mind, top designer brands have employed their design teams to create something for the World Cup that not only shows your support for the country of your choice, but also allows you to do so wearing the latest designer name alongside your countries flag.

After scouring the internet long and hard looking for the ideal place to buy my England World Cup merchandise, and ensure that throughout June and July everything I wear is red and white, I came across an independent designer menswear retailer that along with having over 100 of the top designer brands in the world also has a dedicated World Cup section, that displays everything national and patriotic from England to Italy to South Africa and even Russia. The England range in this section is pretty huge and offers plenty of polo and crew neck t shirts, track tops, baseball caps and even flip flops, all bearing the England flag and branding. And to top it all off the designer brands on show are simply breathtaking, with Adidas Originals, Hugo Boss, Ralph Lauren, Fred Perry, Gio Goi, Havaianas and Ted Baker all offering football related merchandise for the summer months. What better place to get everything you need online, visit Mens Designer Clothes Online (or MDC to the regulars) to see their entire offering, trust me you won’t be disappointed!

After kitting myself out from head to toe in the latest England gear, and spending a few pounds while doing so, I have found a one stop shop for all designer clothes for life. The service is quick, so no matter how late you leave it chances are you’ll have your top clothing in time for the first game, and they also deliver abroad, so English ex-pats can get their fill. All in all this is a top website that deserves to be shouted about from the top of a mountain, or at least a football stadium in South Africa.

World Cup Rompers from Mamas & Papas  You won’t be able to escape from football fever when the World Cup starts on 11th June! Your little dribbler will be the star of the tournament in one of our fun, World Cup inspired rompers which makes a perfect gift for any football-mad dad and his little champion.

Let’s kick off with the England team inspired Romper £10. This adorable all-in-one is perfect for cheering on the England team with dad and the soft soft cotton is great to wear when kicking along with the team players!

Perhaps you’re backing Brazil this year? Your little star will stand out from the crowd in this funky, vibrant Romper £10. In Brazil’s country colours, this fun football inspired all-in-one certainly is a winner!

Not sure who to support… then your little one can be the Star Dribbler in this fun red Romper £10. The football design comes to life on the front of the all-in-one, and there is star detailing on the back – it’s perfect for any budding sports superstar!

The World Cup Rompers are part of the Summer 2010 Baby Wear range which is available from April in sizes newborn to 23 months with Petit and Petit Petit available on selected lines.

Alex Ferguson draws the line,.. At coloured boots  The English football Premier League has not had a good last few weeks with tabloids featuring the indiscretions of many of its star players almost every day.

Although Ashley Cole’s troubled marriage to Cheryl Cole and John Terry’s adulterous affair have been pretty horrible for the football teams, and the fact that Portsmouth is threatened with a wind up order after the financial mismanagement of the bottom club.

However, while the world’s wealthiest sporting team is out searching for a moral compass, Sir Alex Ferguson may be able to help out by taking a strong stand against vivid bright coloured football boots.  According to his new rules, all of the junior players on the Manchester team will have to wear old school black any time they are on club business.

Defender John O’Shea stated that the restrictions are to help the players from being singled out if they are playing poorly and that once a team earns a spot on the first team squad or reserve then they can wear flashy colours.

Although it may seem as if Ferguson’s change is simply cosmetic, the truth is that the collared boot has represented football’s popularity over the last twenty years and its absence in junior players may help restore honour and order to wear it is due.

Before Ferguson’s announcement people were already getting tired of the collared boots with youth team coach of the Queens Park Rangers, Marc Bircham, banning his players from wearing them because of how flashy they look.