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A 1990s edition of the Samba Super, which was popular among casuals and skaters alike. In fact, the Samba was one of the only futsal boots on the market for quite a while, until rival brands like Nike and PUMA got in on the mix in the late ’90s. The burgeoning popularity of the sport in Europe also grew with the Samba. By the early ’70s, 5-a-side futsal started gaining traction in Europe and the Samba became the boot of choice due to its traction on hard surfaces. The Samba quickly crossed over from being used only on frozen grounds to other sporting disciplines and activities. Crossover From Icy Grounds The Samba went under a redesign in the 1960s, a closer version to today’s model.
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It worked - and the adidas Samba would go down in history as one of the most iconic shoes of all time. Aligning the name of the shoe with Brazilian culture made it seem as if players needed to use it at the games. They decided to name the shoe the Samba, after an indigenous Brazilian dance and music genre. As footballer endorsements weren’t nearly where they’re at today, they were forced to come up with a marketing strategy that was just as innovative as the shoe itself. The Samba was initially designed to be used in harsh European winters, and even though June and July are the peak of winter in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro isn’t particularly known for its frigid climate.Īdidas knew that the World Cup was a perfect opportunity to get their new shoe on the map, and they had to make it a must-have for the players headed to Brazil. adidas wanted to unveil their revolutionary boot on the world’s biggest stage, but there was a bit of a problem. The 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil was on the horizon, and the calendar for the global showpiece was slated for three weeks from late June to mid-July. adidas crafted a boot made up of a Kangaroo leather upper and placed it on an innovative and unprecedented gum outsole which perfectly offered ground traction. As such, this moved adidas to develop a sporting item that would aid playing and training on frozen grounds effectively. Prior to the Samba’s existence in the early-mid 20th century, players found it difficult to play on icy pitches, as the standardized boots of that era lacked the edge to firmly grip playing surfaces.
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Genesis and Name Origins The very first Samba, released in 1950, was designed to provide traction on icy pitches. Seventy years later, it remains as popular as ever. Yet, many believe that the adidas Samba football history starts and stops with it being an indoor shoe, when in reality its origins are much icier in nature.ĭesigned in the late 1940s by adidas founder and namesake Adi Dassler, the first Samba was crafted for use specifically to provide traction on frozen grounds. The current iteration of the Samba, which has become an icon of classic design. For adidas, you have the Superstar and Stan Smith, but perhaps most important of all is the Samba. Today it’s a staple of lifestyle wear especially in casual culture, but we all know the sneaker has technical roots within the beautiful game. We trace back the adidas Samba history from its origins in 1950 to its latest adaptations seven decades later.Įvery great brand has a handful of classic designs that it will forever be associated with. With roots in football, the sneaker has transcended the beautiful game thanks to its classic styling and cultural importance over the years. Turning 70 years old in 2020, the Samba is the longest running adidas shoe in existence.
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