
Pre-conference masterclass discusses taking African brands to the world
Participants challenged to identify, articulate and commercialise the cultural assets that make their brand ready for a global audience.
SPORTS MARKETING
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2025
Adidas works with Barcelona 17-year-old to create a boot that celebrates his personality and the community he grew up in.
Global sports apparel brand Adidas recently unveiled its first signature boot for young Spanish soccer sensation, Lamine Yamal.
Lamine Yamal’s photo shoot for Adidas. Photo: Adidas
The limited-collection F50 LY304 boot celebrates an unforgettable year for the young star, from graduating high school to reaching the top of European football at the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament.
The boot was designed in collaboration with 17-year-old Yamal, who plays for Spanish club Barcelona and was named the best player under 21 in Europe in 2024. He has strong African roots, with his father coming from Morocco and his mother from Equatorial Guinea.
Yamal picked one of his favourite colours, pink, as the main hue of the boot, while the usual F50 logo on the outside of the foot has been replaced with the last three digits of his hometown postcode ‘304’ in gold, paying tribute to the community that watched a promising youngster transform into a generational talent.
Photo shoot shows that he passed 2024 with flying colours
Adidas marked the launch of the boots with a special photo shoot, with the Barcelona player dressed in bright pink graduation robes to signify that he passed 2024 with flying colours.
“When we talk about players who have their own signature Adidas boot, we’re looking at just a handful of names who have reached that level of ability and popularity,” said Sam Handy, General Manager of Football at Adidas.
“The fact Lamine has one before even turning 18 is a huge testament to his phenomenal talent and how he has captured the hearts of fans around the world in 2024. It was vital to us that Lamine was involved in the design process from the beginning, and the team really enjoyed working with him to create a boot that both looks great and exudes his unique personality.”
Yamal added: “This year has been like a dream for me, and working with Adidas on my first signature boot has been super cool. When they invited me to work with the designers and be part of creating it, I was so excited to see how it all comes together and to add my personal touch.”
Only 304 pairs of the limited-edition boot were made available for sale. All have already been sold.

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