Tracing the evolution of the professional soccer jersey (and uniform) over the past hundred or so years is a bit like watching an exciting match play out over a hundred or so minutes. There are periods of stalemate, steady marches toward goal, and flashes of pure brilliance.  Here, much of our match takes place off the pitch. Instead of crosses, we’ll be talking collars. Instead of saves: sleeves. This is the evolution of the soccer jersey (and uniform): a hundred-year story that not only parallels the game of football itself—but also reflects changes in culture, technology, and the busin ..read more

The ball used in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, hosted by Qatar, is named “Al Rihla.” This simple and striking name was chosen with a particular significance in mind, reflecting the cultural and footballing ethos that 2022’s World Cup—the first held in the Arab world and Muslim world—aimed to promote.  “Al Rihla” translates to “The Journey” in Arabic, symbolizing not just the physical journey of teams and fans converging in Qatar from across the globe, but also the metaphorical journey of football development and the cultural exchange that the World Cup facilitates. About Al Rihla Designed by a ..read more

In the wide world of soccer, not all fields are the same. Therefore, not all soccer cleats are the same. From the youth level all the way to the pros, matches are played on both artificial turf and real, natural grass.  For turf, players typically wear specialized artificial ground (AG) cleats—and for natural grass, they typically wear firm ground (FG) cleats, or sometimes soft ground (SG) cleats. However, if you’re the proud owner of a prized pair of AG cleats, you may be wondering: can I wear them on natural grass fields?  The short answer: it depends. The long answer? That’s what ..read more

In 2023, Nike made waves in the world of soccer by launching the Phantom Luna: the brand’s most woman-focused soccer shoe to date. Designed by women—though not for women only—the Phantom Luna is the product of over two years of research, designing, trailing, and styling.  Built with a women’s perspective in mind, the Nike Phantom Luna is shaking up the world of soccer—for both men and women. See who’s wearing it, and why, in our short guide. The Nike Phantom Luna: A Crash Course How do you make an out-of-this-world soccer cleat with scary-good performance? For the creators of the Nike Pha ..read more

however, gets a jersey number to go along with it. That’s position number 10, the attacking midfielder, almost always paired with a jersey bearing the same number. (There’s also the keeper, but we’ll keep that for another guide.) Position 10, central to the art and strategy of the game, has been a canvas for some of the sport’s most creative and impactful players. In this short guide, we explore the role of the attacking midfielder, its evolution over time, and a few professional players who played it with 10-out-of-10 execution. The Role of Position 10: The Attacking Midfielder The attacking ..read more

A busy summer of soccer is right around the corner. Your favorite players and nations are getting ready to hit the pitch and take home their respective tournament titles. With tournaments right around the corner it’s only fitting that new jerseys just hit the marketplace! Let’s take a deep dive into the hottest kits of the summer and show off some of the kits your favorite stars are hitting the pitch with this summer. With the European Championship kicking off in mid-June, we’ll first take a look at some of our favorite kits prepped for the 2024 Euros. Germany The classic Germany home jersey ..read more

Top soccer pros who wear the adidas Copa Pure include Juan Bernat, Paulo Dybala, César Azpilicueta, Jan Paul van Hecke, Nick Pope, and many more.  In this short guide, we provide an overview of the Copa Pure—its design, advantages, and relatively short history—as well as the players who’ve used it to great success on the pitch. About the Copa Pure: An adidas Staple, Evolved Though the Copa line of adidas soccer cleats has been around since the 1970s, the story of the Copa Pure isn’t a long one. This newcomer was added to the Copa family in 2023, where it debuted with a few marked benefits ..read more

In the wide world of sports, soccer is often celebrated for its lack of gear. It’s one of the reasons behind its immense global popularity. You can get a game going with a single ball and a few makeshift goals. That said, the right gear will get you a lot further in both performance and injury prevention—especially if you play competitively.  In this guide, our team at The Center Circle takes a closer look at soccer gear and the questions players or parents like you might have.  What kind of ball should you play with? What’s the point of having different pairs of soccer cleats? Get a ..read more

In soccer, goal-scoring is the name of the game. And no position is more responsible for this purpose than position 9: the center forward—or, more simply, the striker.  Equipped with a strong center of gravity, elite quickness, exceptional foot skills, and an undeniable knack for finding the back of the net, today’s top strikers are truly a sight to behold.  Located front and center mere meters from the opposition’s goal, the striker is perhaps the most electrifying position on the field—and, of course, an indispensable one for teams in search of a high-powered offense. Learn all abo ..read more

Goal-scoring and Harry Kane: name a more iconic duo in professional football today. The man is England’s all-time leading goal-scorer and the English Premier League’s second all-time leading scorer. Now, he’s landed the Bundesliga’s biggest contract for Bayern Munich—which is a major score in itself.  Whether you’re an England fan, part of the Bayern Munich faithful, or student of the game looking to improve your shots on goal, dressing like Harry Kane is a great place to start. In this short guide, we’ll show you how. Cleats for a Golden Boot Winner You don’t win the Golden Boot award fo ..read more