Steven Gerrard's Predators - LFC 600
This weekend Steven Gerrard reaches a landmark in his career, and to mark the occasion adidas have commissioned a special pair of Predator football boots for the midfield icon. Not only do we have exclusive photography, but the boots visited SoccerBible HQ before being delivered to the Liverpool captain...
At SoccerBible we strive to bring you as close to the players and products as possible, and we really felt privileged and grateful when adidas allowed us to get our hands on the very boots Steven Gerrard will lift out of the box. It's quite awe inspiring to think the boots featured here will be worn by one of football's great players, and it's also an insight into the customized fit of a professional player.
Steven Gerrard has become an icon of the Predator range, along with the likes of Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, Michael Ballack, Xavi and Patrick Vieira. Worn over a lengthy career, he joins a list of players you couldn't imagine wearing anything but an adidas Predator. However, the story could have been very different as Gerrard at the beginning of his career did flirt with Nike boots, much like Lionel Messi, but Nike's loss was adidas' gain.
Gerrard owes a lot to his trusted adidas Predator football boots; they've seen him through some of football's most memorable games, and it's only fitting he has a special personalized pair for this career landmark. Etched into the memories of every Liverpool fan, who will ever forget the Gerrard inspired comeback in Istanbul? Or when he lashed the ball home from his Predator boots, to score a late equaliser in the 2006 FA Cup final? Or on the international stage, his first goal for England coming in the famous 5-1 victory over Germany in 2002.
To get such an up-close look at a pro's boot, gives us an insight into how they differ from what sits on the shelf and is available to the boot-buying public. What's interesting to see with Gerrard's boots, is the made to measure nine and a quarter sizing. Made in Germany, we can assume adidas have models of Gerrard's last around which the boots are constructed. But other than the sizing, the Predator LZ boots Gerrard wears are the same as available to the consumer, with the same outsole and Lethal Zone elements.
We'll certainly be keeping an eye on the pitch for Gerrard's personalised adidas Predator LZ football boots, and hoping for a close-up from the cameraman. 600 appearances for one club is quite an impressive achievement in the modern era, but adidas can also puff their chests out knowing that if you include international appearances, Gerrard has played over 600 games wearing Predator boots.
Let us know what you think of Gerrard's personalised football boots, and his customized fit. A momentous occasion for the Liverpool captain, we're hoping his boots will take pride of place in his boot collection. Share your opinions and join the conversation online, on Twitter and on Facebook.