Football is faster than ever. Games are quicker, spaces tighter, and decisions made in split-seconds. As the tempo of the sport keeps rising, boot designers are under pressure to not just keep up – but stay ahead.

For adidas, that challenge was met head-on with the creation of the F50 SPARKFUSION, the brand’s first-ever women’s specific football boot, born from the largest female foot anatomy study in their history. 

Unlike typical speed silos, the SPARKFUSION blends explosive pace with tailored lockdown and stability. Common female foot traits which are often overlooked in unisex designs, like narrower heels and higher arches, form the foundation of the boots’ makeup. Make no mistake about it, this iteration of the F50 has been specifically made for her. 

In our second edition of ‘Built Different’, VERSUS linked up with Mahsa Aryan, Category Director at adidas Football, to go inside the process. From data and prototypes to player insights, this is how adidas built a boot for the modern-day women's player.

How did you get it right?

We ran full-on workshops across Europe and North America to determine the colours—bringing 40–50 colourways and asking players to pick what resonated most with them. That helped us land on the graphic and colour direction you see today.

How did the evolution of the women’s game influence the boot’s performance design—especially the stud plate?

We dug into analytics from World Cups, Euros—all the major tournaments—and saw a clear shift. Her movement is different. The game has become more strategic, focused on speed, recovery, and ball interception.

What did that mean for design?

It’s not just about sprinting faster. It’s about smarter movement—box-to-box transitions, tactical pace. That insight drove the soleplate and traction design to support how she actually plays football.

The boot also has a logo—was that planned? Or did it just happen?

It happened naturally from the soleplate design—and we loved it!

Why was it important to keep it?

Because identity matters. I really wanted her to see that and feel like “this is mine”. Whether online, on a teammate, or on a shelf—I wanted it to be instantly recognisable. A boot made specifically for her.

The adidas SPARKFUSION is available to purchase now.

‍VERSUS: You mentioned earlier the process for this boot looked like a two to three-year journey. How does that begin? Do you know what the priority is from the start? Or even what the goal is?

Mahsa Aryan: Great question. I know I mentioned it as a two to three-year journey, but the reality is—we’ve been having these conversations for the last decade! This isn’t new, certainly not for us. It’s a question we’ve been asking ourselves for a very long time: does she need something specific for her?

What changed this time around, why now?

What really shifted over the last few years was one key thing: the rise in visibility and support for the women’s game. It’s been amazing to see—and it brought real consumer interest. But we didn’t want to create something performative. It had to be genuine, needed, and meaningful.

Was there a specific turning point internally?

Definitely. The conversation moved from “do we or don’t we” to “what should we do differently?” One of my favourite people at the company—she’s on the athlete science side—said something I’ll never forget: you don’t need perfection. You just need to start. Create, learn, evolve.

What kind of insights did you gather from players and consumers that helped shape the product?

A lot! The process involved deep listening—and a lot of travel. We visited football cities across Europe and North America, meeting with male and female players. We always ask the same core questions to understand how they see the game evolving.

What were you hearing from women specifically?

For SPARKFUSION, the early focus was: “do you think this is necessary? And if so, what matters to you?” Most weren’t drawn in by boot names or marketing lines—they cared about recommendations from teammates, friends, and people they trust.

How did that feedback shape the actual design?

We brought in early prototypes—some wildly different from the final version—and asked for unfiltered feedback. We refined what worked and dropped what didn’t. That process directly shaped the final design, feel, and performance of the boot.

What about the visual side—how important was colour in this process?

Huge. Confidence is everything. We wanted her to feel proud and empowered wearing the boot, and colour plays a big part in that.