Lionel Messi and Adidas have been best pals for a minute. Actually, make that two decades.
The pair first linked up back in 2006 after the he left Nike, and over the past 20 years they’ve worked on pretty much everything together. There have been baby blue sneakers inspired by Argentina, neon pink pairs inspired by Inter Miami, and more gold detailing than you could shake a Ballon d’Or at. But for his first Adidas trainer since the World Cup, Messi’s gone full emo mode.
Messi x Adidas Handball Spezial ‘Black’
Adidas
Instead of his usual bright, poppy colour combos, this Handball Spezial is dripped out in ‘Black’ suede. The Three Stripes get a lick of ‘Silver Metallic’ paint and they’re accented with ‘Pure Ruby’. There’s smooth black leather around the collar, a murdered-out sole underfoot, and it’s finished off with Messi branding on the tongue, sidewalls, and heel.
First launched in 1979, the Handball Spezial was an indoor handball shoe (hence the name), it originally came with a grippy gum sole that worked well in sports halls across Europe. Decades later, it has escaped the court entirely. Alongside the Samba and Gazelle, it’s become one of the defining terrace trainers of the moment, worn as often with big-ass trousers and vintage denim as it is with anything remotely sporty.
Messi x Adidas Handball Spezial ‘Black’
Adidas
It’s also become a fashion boy favourite. Andrew Garfield, Paul Mescal, and Harris Dickinson have all been spotted in Spezials, while streetwear collabs with Sporty & Rich and Taiwan’s Invincible have only added to the hype. At the end of last year, Adidas even unwrapped the ‘Basket Weave’ Pack, giving the silhouette a woven leather upper that was very, very Bottega-coded.
Is this darker colourway a reflection of Messi’s mood after Argentina fell short in the World Cup final? Nah, it’s probably just a reminder that stealthy sneakers look cool as fuck. Either way, when the Messi x Adidas Handball Spezial ‘Black’ drops this autumn at Adidas, the Confirmed app, and select stockists worldwide for £100, don’t expect them to hang around for very long.