It’s more difficult to spot the changes on Messi’s new 2023 signature football boots than on his current cleats, thanks to the more muted colorway, but if you look closely, you can still make out the key alterations.

Adidas makes personalized adjustments to Messi’s boots based on his feedback and requirements. The uniqueness of Messi’s footwear is enhanced by both obvious and subtle customization elements.

Pictures of Messi’s match-worn footwear show that he is wearing a size 8, which is equivalent to US8.5, in case you were wondering.

The tongue is a key design element that distinguishes Messi’s footwear from the regular Adidas X Speedportal.1 football boots. A “burrito tongue” attaches to the top of Messi’s boots on a single side, making them unique to his footwear. With this, Messi can improve his fit, feel, and control of the ball, and he’ll also have more support and stability.

Messi can personalize his footwear down to the last detail. Its seemingly flexible synthetic leather upper is reminiscent of the SprintSkin found on the 2013 Adizero III. As Messi stretches the upper, his toes are able to be seen clearly due to the shoe’s plush material and snug fit. It improves Messi’s control and touch with the ball.

Also, unlike any other Adidas boot currently on the market, Messi’s boots are tailor-made specifically for him, with a unique stud configuration (Gambatrax). Because of this, he may gain a better hold on the field, which improves his acceleration and direction-changing capabilities.

Although the arrangement of the studs is tailor-made, the external heel counters and the general soleplate construction are not. The new Adidas X Speedportal.1 boots are the source of both of these elements. The newly designed soleplate likely appeals to Messi due to its performance-enhancing characteristics.