The Absolute Grind: Putting the Adidas Speedportal Messi Cleats Through Hell
I swear, every time Adidas drops a new speed boot, I tell myself, “Nope, not falling for it.” Then they slap Messi’s name on a special edition World Cup boot and paint it gold, and my willpower just completely evaporates. Look, I’m not playing professionally anymore, but I still train like a maniac because my local league isn’t just about fun—it’s about pride, and frankly, I had to replace my ancient, crumbling gear. So I bit the bullet and shelled out the insane price for these Speedportals. Were they worth sacrificing a month of decent coffee for? Let’s talk about the pain I went through finding out.
Ripping the Box Open and the Immediate Red Flag
The moment they arrived, I tore open the cardboard. They look phenomenal, I gotta give them that. That purple and gold shimmer is ridiculous. But as soon as I pulled the boot out and started working it in my hands, I felt the stiffness. Serious players know the drill: if a boot feels like armor out of the box, you’re in for a rough break-in. I tried to mentally prepare myself. I slipped them on, and immediately, the heel lock felt aggressive. That’s usually good for preventing slippage, but this felt like it was actively trying to chew through my Achilles tendon. I laced them up tight—maybe too tight, because the midfoot compression was intense. It felt like a surgical glove molded to my foot, which is the whole point of a speed boot, but man, it felt restricting.
The Break-In Session: A Tale of Blisters and Betrayal
I decided to be smart and start with just a light 30-minute kickaround on the turf field. That lasted about ten minutes. The first few strides felt fast, light, almost like running barefoot. The grip from the stud pattern? Phenomenal. I was cutting and changing direction sharply, really feeling that aggressive toe-off. But then the pain started.
My feet were screaming. I swear, the synthetic upper—that “speedskin” material they use—feels amazing on the ball, thin and responsive, but where it meets the stitching around the toe box, it was rubbing like sandpaper. I managed to push through 45 minutes of light passing drills and some cone work. When I finally pulled them off back in the car, my socks were sticking to the raw spots. I had blisters already forming on both heels and the outside of my little toe. This is crucial for serious players: these boots are not ready to go out of the box. You absolutely have to spend time breaking them in properly, or you’ll lose a week of practice.
Here’s what I had to do to save my feet:
- I slathered the inside of the heels with petroleum jelly (A serious player’s trick, trust me).
- I wore two pairs of thick training socks for the next three sessions.
- I started flexing the soleplate aggressively by hand whenever I was sitting down, just trying to loosen it up.
The Performance Test: Did They Actually Make Me Faster?
After about a week of painful conditioning, the boots finally started to soften up. This is where the magic (and the massive price tag) finally justified itself.
I took them into a full-scale, high-intensity 90-minute training scrimmage. This wasn’t some casual jog; we were doing full-field press, hard tackles, and sprints against guys who live in the gym. This is why I needed the review—I needed to know if they perform under fatigue and pressure.
First, the Touch: The close control is ridiculous. Because the upper is so thin, you feel every tiny rotation of the ball. Dribbling felt crisp. The slightly textured surface actually helped trap the ball when I was moving at top speed. It felt like the ball was glued to my foot. If you’re a player who relies on quick feet in tight spaces, this is where the Speedportal shines. They nailed the responsive touch.
Second, The Movement: That carbon fiber insert, or whatever they call the “speedframe” soleplate, is stiff, but in a good way once it’s broken in. When I accelerated, I felt a serious snap-back, pushing me forward. The stability during sharp cuts was the biggest shock. I was able to plant my foot and pivot without feeling any wobble or heel slide—that aggressive lock-down finally paid off. I was running circles around guys who usually catch me, and I honestly think the boots contributed. They are legitimately fast boots.
The Verdict: Worth the Cash for Serious Play?
So, here’s the bottom line after weeks of training and a couple of nasty matches on patchy grass and unforgiving turf. I needed an upgrade because I realized my “fun” league was now full of guys who were treating it like a semi-pro tryout, and my old gear was costing me time and energy. That’s why I needed to know if these Speedportals could truly deliver professional performance.
The Good:
- Unbeatable speed and responsiveness once broken in.
- Fantastic lock-down for stability during explosive movement.
- Exceptional feel on the ball.
The Bad:
- The break-in process is brutal—stock up on blister plasters.
- The durability, especially where the synthetic upper meets the soleplate, worries me. I’m seeing some slight peeling already after heavy use.
- The price is utterly insane. You’re paying the Messi tax, period.
If you are a serious, highly competitive player—meaning you train several times a week and play demanding matches where milliseconds matter—yes, these boots deliver the performance edge you are paying for. They are genuinely fast, reactive, and responsive. However, if you are a casual player who only hits the pitch on Sundays, save your money. The sheer pain of the break-in combined with the exorbitant cost means they are only worth it if you absolutely need that elite level of performance week in and week out. For me? I needed that edge to keep up with the young guns, so I grudgingly admit, they were worth the investment and the initial pain. My wallet is crying, but my feet, now that they’ve healed, are flying.