10 things you may haven't noticed in Predator latest commercial

If you didn’t live in an anti-atomic bunker for the entire week, you should’ve noticed a massive return in the football world. After a four-year waiting, the most iconic football boots ever has returned: the adidas Predator. And as you will surely have seen on your social newsfeeds and favorite websites, adidas gave it huge spotlights (fair enough) with videos, footballers’ posts, and dedicated events. 

The guys at the Three Stripes also realized a spot with the main protagonist of the entire campaign, Paul Pogba. Compared to the recent super-colored and “millennial” latest productions by adidas, this new commercial kept softer tones, both in terms of colors - with Predator’s red and black smartly highlighted by the background monochromatism - and in terms of music and “mood”. As this return of the Predator has been instilled with a massive dose of nostalgia, the entire video with Pogba has been filled with references and gems of the past. Here the ten ones we have found.

1) Shops for number 10s

In the video opening, Paul stops in front of a shop window, with the “Predator” writing on the door. He looks at something in particular, or maybe he just checks his hairstyle on the glass’ reflex. In any case, have you noticed the name of the shop? Del Piero’s, at the number 10.

2) Mannequin dab

This is one of the most obvious details, also because it has a dedicated framing. But if Pogba’s swag is capable to make mannequin dab, the whole world should know that. Right?

3) Commercials nostalgia

One of the aspects that more than others made the Predator the cult item that is today is the commercials. In a sequence of the spot, you can easily find some references to several adidas commercials of the past, including the “100% legal, 0% fair” of the first Predator campaign back in ’94.

4) Number 23, Becks Street

We doubt it’s a case that Pogba stops right in front of the apartment number 23. One of Predator’s cover footballers has always been David Beckham, that really loves that number. He used it for many years and featured it in his dedicated capsule collection.

5) The Eyes of the Predator

The red logo on Pogba’s back is easily visible from the beginning, but do you know what it is? Those are the eyes of the Predator, appeared on the tongue of the adidas Predator Instinct “Tongue”, a boot that celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Predator back in 2014.

6) Absolute Gold

And even if the main protagonist of adidas campaign is Paul Pogba, the essence of the modern champion, a certain relevance has been given to some icons of the past. Like le maître, Zinedine Zidane, and his golden adidas Predator Absolute used during the 2006 World Cup.

7) What. A. Goal.

And speaking about Zidane, you can’t have noticed the technical gesture he’s performing in the mural that represents him. It’s, of course, the goal that he scored in the 2002 Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen, one of the best ever made with a pair of Predator.

8) Freestyler

When Pogba stops to watch a performing freestyler, it’s immediately clear that it’s no ordinary guy. In fact, that would be Séan Garnier, French freestyler, two-time world champion, and friend of Pogba. Clearly, one of the best in the world.

9) Stadium, Street, Cage

It goes without saying, the Predator is the absolute protagonist of this commercial. If you didn’t notice, on the spot you can find all the three versions made by adidas: the street in the beginning when Pogba shows his swag on the street. Then the cage, when the Frenchman stops at the pitch, where a particular sole is required. And finally, the stadium used to take the pitch and beat every opponent. Like Mesut Özil.

10) Soundtrack

A little music note in the end, the background music is “I Put a Spell on You” by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, a piece from 1956. How about that for nostalgia?