Almost the Perfect Improvement

When adidas brought the F50 back last year, it seemed more like an updated X rather than a whole new boot. While I personally enjoyed the F50, well specifically the launch colourway, adidas gave us something excellent with the Messi model. They accomplished this by releasing something very similar to what Messi wears: Burrito tongue with an excellent Hybridtouch 1.0 upper. The boot was soft and broke in quickly and ended up on a lot of Top 10 of 2024 lists. While it is surprising that the whole upper seems to have been reworked just a year after the previous model, the shaping on the new adidas F50 Messi Elite is much improved and the boot is almost the perfect upgrade. That is, except for one glaring thing, which does get better the longer I wear the boots, but still cannot be ignored.

Fit and Feel

It is very obvious that the shape has changed when first pulling the boots out of the box. The toebox has been raised and there is the noticeable added structure around the arch area of the boot. The Hybridtouch still feels premium, and it seems like adidas took player feedback to adjust the shape of the toebox especially to be more accommodating for various foot shapes.

While this is a positive, as the boots fit my feet a lot better than the previous model (even though those still fit me well), this is also where the F50 Messi seems to have taken a step back from last year’s model. I am talking about that Hybridtouch upper. For some reason, it is much stiffer out of the box versus last year’s and feels more structured overall. This is disappointing as one of the great things about the previous model was how quickly it broke in. It could be that adidas felt that the upper last year did not provide enough stability, but I personally did not have any issues in that respect. Another reason for this change could be the added texturing on the upper to provide extra grip on the ball.

As far the break in period itself, it did take a couple of sessions – around an hour and a half to two hours – for the boots to feel fully ready to go. Again, not ideal, but not as bad as I thought it would be. Still should have been softer out of the box, mind. On the other hand, the boots have got much softer the longer I wear them. It also has to be added that because the overall shape of the boot has been improved, it does mean that the F50 Messi feels better overall on feet, even if it is stiffer to start with.

Something that might be a bit hit or miss for people is the more structured fit of the arch. The design in this area has been changed to provide more support overall, and I personally like this change as I like to feel extra support on my arch. However, I can understand that for some people who have much lower arches might not like this change. Again, for me though, I love the new feeling in this area.

While the burrito tongue can also be divisive, I personally do not have any issues with it to the point that I forget that it is a burrito style tongue when I am wearing the boots. I think this is partially down to how soft and stretchy the material the tongue is made of is. It fully covers the top of the foot and is thin enough to the point that it does not feel intrusive. At the same time, there is still enough structure to the point that it is not flopping around when playing in the boots.

Much like the previous generation, this new 2025 model of the F50 Messi has great lockdown. It is not as overly aggressive as some might prefer from their speed boots, but I feel that it offers plenty of a locked-in sensation without feeling like it is suffocating my feet. It is just right.

Another thing that is mostly spot on is the heel. The overall shape and cushion of the heel is nicely balanced. It is not overly thick, but nor is it lacking in comfort. It is one of my favourite speed boot heels on the market. Maybe a turn and stitch would be better, but there is really not a lot to improve here as I do not get hotspots in the heel of any F50 model.

Since this is an F50, I really appreciate the fact that adidas still includes a pair of comfort insoles with the boots along with the lightweight ones. It is a very simple and expensive way to not only make the overall package seem more premium (though, like everyone else, adi could do with lowering their prices), but it also gives players a choice if they want a more cushioned insole. That being said, I do not have any comfort issues or stud pressure with the lightweight insole, but again, I appreciate having the comfort pair just in case.

For sizing, I did what I normally do with adidas boots and went half a size down, same as last year’s model. You could go true to size, but I personally prefer a tighter fit.

On the Ball

As one might imagine because of the change in the texturing on the upper, the feeling on the ball in the new adidas F50 Messi Elite is different than last year. It is more aggressive than the previous model, but it is not overly grippy like some other speed boots on the market. It is noticeable enough to be appreciated, however, and I personally prefer the updated texturing on the upper. It is also nice that there is texturing on the adidas logo on the lateral side of the boot. It is a simple but welcome touch that a certain other brand with a swoosh logo could learn from.

This also means that dribbling is natural in the boot while at the same time the texturing on the Three Stripes logo means that even when the weather gets worse, there is still grip on the ball. I do not feel like the ball is running away from me when dribbling, either. Just a nice experience overall.

While the upper is stiffer than I would like out of the box, when broken in it has a nice touch on the ball. It is not overly thin to the point that there is almost nothing between my foot and the ball, but it is not overly thick, either. For me, I feel that it is nicely balanced. Of course, this balance also makes sure the upper stays structurally sound for longer, but it also means that the touch on the ball is consistent while wearing the boots.

Naturally, since the upper has just a bit more thickness than some other speed boots, I do not get a pingy sensation when hitting the ball with power. That has never really something I cared about, and the feedback the boot provides when hammering the ball is nice. The texturing is again handy here as I like how the ball feels when I put extra spin on the ball.

Of course, this also means that curling the ball in the F50 Messi is satisfying for me. Again, there is not as much grip as other boots on the market, but there is enough there for me to appreciate being there. I think the boot would be worse off without this texturing, so I love its inclusion.

And also, because it is me, I have to mention how much I enjoy the soleplate anchors the foot when hitting the ball. The shape of the heel studs means that it is not awkward when hitting a shot or a long pass, so it is something I also really like about these boots.

Grip

The Sprintframe 360 soleplate is still one of my favourite soleplates on the market. It is very multifunctional and continues to impress on every surface I wear them on. Sure, the soleplate is not that aggressive for a speed boot, but I would argue that the soleplate suits the F50 series well and I will be a bit sad to see it go.

However, because this is a Messi model, I have to bring up the fact that we still do not get the Gambatrax soleplate that Messi still uses to this day. I love the Sprintframe 360, but for me the Gambatrax is still the better overall soleplate, and it is a bit annoying that adidas has yet again given us a Messi model without the soleplate he actually uses. Sure, it would probably be expensive to recreate the molds if adidas does not have them laying around for multiple sizes, but all the more reason to just slap it on every Messi model until the day he retires.

Again, this is not to take away from how much I like the Sprintframe 360, and again, it is probably my favourite speedboot outsole on the market. It is comfortable and well balanced.

Conclusion

While the upper on the adidas F50 Messi Elite (2025) is a step back in terms of softness, after the breaking in period the boots are enjoyable to play in. The change of the shape of the upper also means the overall fit of the boots is better than previously. The slightly more aggressive texturing on the upper also means there is that extra bit of performance to the boot. It is almost the perfect upgrade to the previous model, and I find myself feeling like I will return to the newest 2025 model of the F50 Messi more than I did the previous model. It is an enjoyable and for now, my favourite F50 since adidas brought the series back.

What do you think of the adidas F50 Messi Elite (2025)? Please share this with your friends and make sure to follow me on Instagram!

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