David Beckham’s New Predators Have 93rd-Minute Winner Aura

It’s 6 October, 2001. England welcome Greece to Old Trafford knowing a place at the 2002 World Cup is still hanging in the balance. Trailing 2-1 deep into stoppage time, the Three Lions are heading towards a nervy play-off with Ukraine.

Then the captain, David Beckham, takes over. In the 93rd minute, Beckham steps up to a free kick from around 25 yards and jams the ball into the back of the net, rescuing a 2-2 draw and booking England’s place at the finals in South Korea and Japan. It would become one of the defining episodes of his career, and one of the most memorable moments in England’s sporting history. From there on, Beckham-mania worldwide would go turbo.

Twenty-five years on, adidas are revisiting that memorable afternoon with two special-edition boots: a new David Beckham Predator and a remake of the Predator Precision the athlete wore against Greece.

White and red dominate both silos, nodding to the St George’s Cross. There’s adidas history folded into the package, too – the Trefoil replaces the brand’s more familiar performance insignia, marking only its second appearance on a Predator. Its first came via Beckham’s special-edition model in 2024, and its return further distinguishes the set-piece icon’s signature Predators from the wider line. Mini Trefoils pepper the Three Stripes branding and soleplate in an intriguing visual motif.

Technically, the boot is based on the Predator Elite FT L-Tech, combining a leather forefoot with the lightweight structure of the contemporary Predator. A red leather fold-over tongue – a classic Beckham signature – completes the nostalgic look.

Alongside the new Preds comes a modern recreation of the Predator Precision that Beckham wore to score the goal, distinguished by early-00s design quirks like the curved rubber fins.

Nothing quite says ‘aura’ like a retired footballer continuing to receive their own signature boots, and Beckham, much like fellow adidas legend Zinedine Zidane, remains one of the rare players whose footwear legacy has only grown since hanging up his boots. With creations like these, the Three Stripes are clearly prepped to expand it even further among future generations.

Read our breakdown of all the different kinds of football boots – and the tech that drives ’em – here.