Soccer Game Changers #4
Vorsprung durch Technik: The adidas Copa Mundial
The revolutionary brainchild of adidas founder Adi Dassler, the Copa Mundial was the lightest boot on the market upon its release in 1979. Like the Puma King it utilised kangaroo leather — which weighs less than traditional hides — but is also supple and similarly durable.
Its elegant yet simple design incorporated three white stripes (the company’s logo) on black. A layer of foam was introduced in the layer between the toe and upper, to enhance cushioning, and the sole featured short, molded studs, designed with the hard ground of a World Cup in Spain in mind (hence the name).
Copa Mundial was worn by Michel Plantini, the outstanding French forward, and Franco Baresi, who won the tournament with Italy that year. However, they will forever be associated with ‘Der Kaiser’, the classy midfielder-turned-sweeper, Franz Beckenbauer.
The Copa was joined by a sister version, the ‘World Cup 82’, which shared the same design but had removable studs for softer ground.
‘Black out’ and ‘white out’ packs have been produced but fundamentally it is the same shoe that was concepted by the German visionary almost 40 years ago. Sadly Adi Dassler never saw his creation come to life, as he died the year before their launch. The decision not to tinker with perfection has helped this to become the best-selling boot of all time. Taten sagen mehr als Worte!
