Highlights 2023

Everyone loves Samba

For adidas, 2023 was the year of the Samba. This classic silhouette has been making headlines in football since its introduction in 1950, long before it started setting trends across the globe. The press called it the Samba, and we have been dancing with that name ever since. The Samba’s clean, low-top silhouette and natural rubber outsole simply make it an evergreen. In 2023, the shoe dominated social media with fashion influencers and celebrities all over the world sporting it and turning the heritage look into one of the must-have items of the year. No wonder the Samba received the prestigious ‘Shoe of the Year’ award by footwearnews.com in November 2023. Our CEO, Bjørn Gulden, accepted the award in New York City.

Predator: a 30-year icon, crafted for goals

The Predator 24 reimagines the original from 1994 with a blend of nostalgia and modernity, featuring the fold-over tongue and tri-color palette. The football boot combines 90s nostalgia with contemporary performance, offering laced, laceless, and classic variants. Key design features are the lightweight soleplate, hybrid-touch upper, and rubber fins that ensure optimal traction and precision. Predator 24 is worn by top players like Jude Bellingham and Pedri.

Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 – a record-breaking success story

With only 138 grams, the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 is the lightest racing shoe we have ever created. It is 40% lighter than any other racing shoe in the adidas running footwear range. Packed with technology, the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 is optimized to improve running economy and provide runners with greater energy return. It features a revamped geometry with a first-of-its-kind forefoot rocker that is placed at 60% of the shoe’s length.

This innovation is lab-tested to generate forward propulsion. The shoe also benefits from adidas’ latest material innovation such as ‘Lightstrike Pro,’ a foam that is crafted in a non-compression molding process. This not only significantly reduces weight, but also improves energy return for runners. A new outsole technology and a lightweight upper complete the overall lightweight approach of the shoe.

The Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 premiered at the 2023 Berlin Marathon – and immediately helped rewrite history. Tigist Assefa set a new world record, finishing the race in 2:11:53, more than two minutes faster than the previous best. Amanal Petros also broke his own German record in a pair of Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1, crossing the finish line in 2:04:58.

Launch of Fear of God Athletics

Just in time for the holidays, our long-awaited ‘Fear of God Athletics’ collection dropped in December 2023. Created in collaboration with Californian designer and Fear of God founder Jerry Lorenzo, the collection was launched on the adidas Confirmed app and on fearofgod.com. An immersive experience named ‘The Athletics Atmosphere’ had spotlighted the collection in Los Angeles from November 30 to December 3, with subsequent activations in New York, Beijing, and Shanghai. Built and engineered by adidas, Fear of God Athletics completes the brand architecture of Fear of God, which was established in 2013. The design embodies both simplicity and complexity at once, reflecting the heart and intention of the Fear of God house and its products.

In love with football: adidas presents Fussballliebe

In November 2023, adidas unveiled the official match ball for UEFA EURO 2024, which will take place in Germany: Fussballliebe – which means ‘love of football.’ The design is inspired by the joy of football and the energy of the game, with prominent black wing shapes accentuated with colorful edges, curves, and dots. Illustrations of each of the tournament’s stadiums appear on the ball alongside the name of each host city. The ball is packed with technology and created for greater accuracy in play, bringing adidas’ ‘Connected Ball Technology’ to the UEFA EURO for the first time. The technology sends precise ball data in real time to the video match officials, helping them make faster and more accurate decisions.

From the mountains to the city – Moncler x adidas Originals collection

Titled ‘The Art of Explorers,’ Moncler and adidas Originals unveiled a collection that was inspired by summit-to-city design themes. The collection includes pieces such as puffer jackets, vests, and bold footwear, and was launched at London Fashion Week in February 2023.

It includes pieces that share the DNA of both brands – from lacquered nylon outerwear to Moncler-ized versions of adidas’ iconic Campus and NMD S1 silhouettes.

Life is peachy – adidas x KoRn

adidas Originals and KoRn have collaborated on a collection inspired by KoRn's 1996 album ‘Life is Peachy.’ The collection includes graphic t-shirts, a 3-Stripes hoodie, and its unique spin on the classic adidas Originals tracksuit.

These products come with distinctive features such as graphic insoles, KoRn logos, and unique packaging. The collection was available from October 2023 onward.

¡Felicitaciones, Spain! Champions of FIFA Womens’ World Cup 2023

A record-breaking number of eyes were glued to their screens on a magical Sunday evening in August 2023 as they tuned in to witness an exhilarating FIFA Women’s World Cup Championship match between Spain and England. The match marked Spain's first ever appearance in a World Cup final.

After scoring a breathtaking goal in the twenty-ninth minute, the Spanish team held out against the English Lionesses for the remainder of regulation time to be crowned the 2023 World Cup winners. adidas accompanied the tournament with its most talked-about Women’s World Cup campaign to date, dedicated to next-generation icons Alessia Russo, Lena Oberdorf, and Mary Fowler.

Passion, more passion, Cricket!

In late spring of 2023, we announced that adidas – for the very first time – would become the official kit sponsor of the Indian cricket team. Team India debuted their new kit during the final of the World Test Championship. For the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, which took place in October and November, adidas launched the ‘3 Ka Dream’ campaign – a testament to the unwavering support of over a billion fans for Team India and their dream of seeing them win a third World Cup. In the end, Australia won the tournament, but that did not dampen the enthusiasm for the game, which remains the most popular sport in India and is continuing to grow all over the world.

Congratulations to the Springboks, kudos to the All Blacks – 2023 Rugby World Cup

Paris, Stade de France, October 28, 2023: The eyes of rugby fans around the world were on this venue that night. In an electrifying match the South African Springboks – led by captain and adidas athlete Siya Kolisi – played the New Zealand All Blacks and won. With that, they became the first nation to win four men’s Rugby World Cup titles.

Although adidas’ long-time partners, the New Zealand All Blacks, did not take home the trophy, they were frenetically supported by adidas and fans around the world. As the official outfitter of the team, adidas unveiled the All Blacks Rugby World Cup kit in June 2023. Packed with technical innovations and built on feedback from All Blacks testing, it was designed to play at the highest level – and, of course, featured the iconic silver fern. The partnership between adidas and the All Blacks is synonymous with rugby union and many of the sport’s most iconic moments. The kit launch was the first since the announcement early 2023 that adidas and New Zealand Rugby had extended their partnership.

‚Road to Records,’ third edition, still smashing personal bests

In April 2023, we continued the legacy of Adizero with the third edition of ‘Road to Records.’ Some of the world's greatest athletes gathered at the adidas headquarters for a special day of racing. The goal was simple: break multiple records in a single event and inspire runners of every level to realize their full potential. On an incredible day in Herzogenaurach, our athletes made history once again: two new world records, six national bests, and one regional record, all powered by our Adizero franchise. The event was streamed live for everyone to watch on the adidas YouTube channel.