Adidas, one of the oldest athletic shoe companies in the world, is credited for revolutionizing the soccer shoe. Under founder Adolf Dassler, the company created the first modern soccer shoe in the 1950s. Subsequent innovative designs using the latest technology fueled the evolution of the Adidas soccer shoe and earned the company a reputation as an industry leader. Today, Adidas soccer shoes remain one of the largest and most popular brands in sports.
First Shoes
After World War I, Adolf, or "Adi," Dassler and his brother Rudolph set up a small shoe company in their mother's home in Herzogenaurach, a small town in Germany. Here, the brothers produced their first shoes using strips of leather from army helmets and bread pouches left behind in the war, notes Barbara Smit in "Sneaker Wars." In 1925, Adi Dassler created the first Adidas soccer shoe resembling a boot with nailed studs on the heel and outer sole. The design evolved in 1929 to a boot with a nail-striped trim and leather outsoles and studs. These boots, which covered the ankle, offered thick protection for toes and ankles, and better traction and grip on the soccer field.
Marketing
Adidas has always understood the value of using sports to promote and market its products. For example, the 1954 World Cup final pitted Germany against the favored Hungarian soccer team, and Adi Dassler used the event to launch a new type of soccer shoe -- the adjustable cleat. At halftime and with the game tied, the German coach asked Dassler to screw on the adjustable cleats to the players' boots as the field became soaked with rain. The lightweight studs could be screwed on or off and the length adjusted depending on field conditions. On the slippery and muddy surface that day, the studs provided a better grip, and the German team went on to win the game thanks to the revolutionary shoe, and the exposure generated by the win catapulted Adidas to new heights. The company was soon flooded with requests from around the world for its new soccer shoe.
Innovation
Adidas developed the first modern soccer shoe in 1957 following the success of the 1954 World Cup. The shoes had a polyamide sole, or sole made from synthetic fibers, and an upper made from kangaroo skin. The shoes also featured replaceable rubber or plastic studs that could be screwed into the shoes for varying field conditions. In the 1990s, Adidas introduced a new shoe with rubber blades -- instead of studs -- on the sole that were positioned in different directions to provide better grip.
Commitment to Quality
According to the Adidas website, Adi Dassler himself would force workers to walk in front of him in a faulty shoe if the workers forgot to pull staples from the insoles of shoes or the heel was not lined properly. Today, Adidas continues to push the envelope in soccer shoe design and quality. Increasingly lightweight shoes, new breathable materials, better cushioning and flexible yet durable new synthetic materials for shoe soles make Adidas soccer shoes one of the most popular brands among soccer athletes.
References
- "Sneaker Wars"; Barbara Smit; 2009
- Adidas.com: Step Back in Time
- "Feet and Footwear"; Margo Demello; 2009
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