Lionel Messi's Match Worn Adidas X Speedportal.1 Football Boots 2022/23 Season: 1st Pair Worn As World Champion After the 2022 Qatar World Cup

Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest footballer of all time, reached the pinnacle of his career in December 2022 when he lifted the FIFA World Cup with Argentina. Few artefacts capture that moment better than his bespoke Adidas X Speedportal.1 boots — the very first pair he wore on the pitch as a world champion. These match-worn boots are not just rare memorabilia; they are a masterclass in custom engineering, personal symbolism, and elite performance design, encapsulating one of the most iconic periods in Messi's illustrious career. History frozen in time.

In this detailed feature, we break down every significant modification, the matches Messi used them in, and the goals he scored — revealing why this pair is among the most prized in high-end football collecting.

 

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Craftsmanship & Custom Design: Built for a Legend

The “Burrito Tongue”: A Signature Messi Innovation

One of the most immediately striking features is Messi’s custom “Burrito Tongue” — a design that deviates sharply from the retail Speedportal.1. Rather than a standard one-piece upper, Adidas crafted a split upper exclusively for Messi. The medial knit wraps around his foot in a longer, tailored construction, giving a glove-like lockdown that no consumer version offers.

Beneath this, there’s extra padding — unlike the stretchy, elasticated knit seen on retail versions. Messi’s tongue is built for comfort and control, not just flexibility. Interestingly, Adidas borrowed this design from his earlier Speedflow.1 models, combining heritage with contemporary performance.

Upper Material: 'HybridTouch' Synthetic Leather, Not Natural

Contrary to some reports, Messi’s custom boots do not use natural leather. Instead, Adidas reimagined their HybridTouch synthetic leather (originally from models like the F50 Adizero) into a remastered, softer version. While it features a graphic print inspired by Speedportal retail colorways, under the surface, it’s an entirely bespoke material — however, Adidas still (somehow) incorporated the diamond-textured debossing found on retail boots, albeit in a much less defined or prominent manor. Almost as if it's there for the purpose of further disguising the bespoke upper material.

Genuine Leather Heel Strip

A fascinating detail: the boot’s heel bears a thin black strip of natural leather, despite the rest of the upper being synthetic. This contrast elevates the build and might signal a design choice made for durability or feel — or simply a personal aesthetic Messi preferred.

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Interior Comfort & Structure

 

Padded Heel & Custom Liner

 

Internally, the heel area is heavily customised: instead of the two small cushion pods you’d find in retail, Messi’s version has thick padding, wrapped in a soft fabric liner. This liner folds over the heel cup and is affixed via heat tape (not stitching), likely to reduce friction and prevent blisters during play.

 

Midfoot and Forefoot Lining

 

From midfoot forward, there’s a soft pink fabric lining, plus extra internal cushioning. This is a significant upgrade from the thin plastic-like lining in standard retail models, offering much more comfort and support.

 

Insole & Insole Board

 

 

 

Messi’s insoles use a dense foam compound topped with black suede for luxury feel and grip. They’re also significantly wider than retail versions. On the underside, Adidas has added softer foam in the midfoot to match his biomechanical needs.

The insole board beneath is very thick and fully reinforced, minimising flex almost entirely. This offers a unique blend of rigidity and control: Messi clearly prefers boots that feel stable and structured underfoot.

 

The inner heel label notes that these were made at Adidas’ Athlete Services factory in Herzogenaurach, Germany, with a manufacture date of January 2023, confirming how quickly the boots were turned around for match use. 

 

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Personalisation & Symbolism

 

• Names & Dates: On the boots, you’ll find his children’s names and birthdays — Ciro (10/03/2018), Thiago (02/11/2012), Mateo (11/09/2015) — as well as his wife, Antonella (“ANTO”).  
• Squad Number: His iconic number 10 appears on the lateral heel, a nod to his legacy with Argentina and his playing identity.  
• Argentina Flag: Originally present but, due to heavy match wear, has worn off — a testament to how much this pair were used, showing Messi's affinity with this particular pair, only changing to a new set once Adidas released the subsequent colourway..  

 

 

 

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Performance Engineering: Soleplate & Studs

One of the most performance-driven features of these boots is the bespoke “Gambatrax” soleplate. While they retain the Speedframe silhouette, every stud has been custom-shaped:

• The front two and rear two studs are conical, as per Messi’s long-standing preference (a design he’s used since his F50 Adizero days from 2010 - present day).  
• The remaining studs feature diamond/triangular geometry, giving a combination of rotational agility and grip.
• The central forefoot stud bears Messi’s logo, a subtle but powerful personalisation.  

Despite the custom configuration, there is no carbon fibre plate — unlike the public release Speedportal boots — but rather a strong plastic composite insert, tailored for his playstyle. This plastic version was later rolled out by Adidas on commercial releases to the public, Messi must have known the performance benefits long before anyone else, which, for the brand with the Three Stripes to change the whole manufacturing process of the retail pairs, must have been substantial.

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Match History & Goal Heritage

 

These boots are historically significant: they were the first pair Messi wore after winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup, making them the true “world champion” boots. 

Not only that, but they have been photo-matched to the field: their scuff patterns and wear lines correspond precisely to in-game footage and still images. 

Over 7 fixtures (across Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and exhibition friendlies), Messi scored 4 goals in this pair:

1. 11th January 2023 – PSG 2-0 Angers — his first match as World Champion, scoring one goal.  
2. 19th January 2023 – Riyadh All-Stars 4-5 PSG — iconic “Last Dance” match with Cristiano Ronaldo, where he scored his fourth.  
3. 1st February 2023 – Montpellier 3-1 PSG — another goal scored.  
4. 4th February 2023 – PSG 2-1 Toulouse — third goal scored in this pair.  

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Legacy & Collector Significance

This pair transcends footwear — they’re a museum-level artefact from the most iconic moment of Messi’s career: lifting the World Cup. Their bespoke engineering, custom fit, and proven match history make them a cornerstone piece for any serious football memorabilia collection.

Built at Adidas’ elite Athlete Services facility in Germany, these boots are one-of-a-kind: there is no retail equivalent, and no pair made for mass market consumption. 

For collectors, this is not just a prized asset — it’s a piece of living history from the GOAT’s most defining chapter.