Adidas and Nike build pre-match buzz for El Clásico with custom boots

Ahead of the marquee clash between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, the sports apparel giants unveiled footwear innovations for their key signature athletes.

The three-stripes brand has reissued its iconic "Beast Pack," featuring Predator and F50 boots originally designed in 2006 by Japanese fashion icon Yohji Yamamoto (Y-3 label). Sponsored athletes from both Barcelona and Real Madrid are set to debut the retro-inspired boots this coming Sunday.

Nike countered by having its Barcelona squad athletes add personalized inscriptions to their boots from the "Bright Lights" pack released three weeks ago. Stars including Rodri, Adeyemi, and Gordon customized their footwear with club-colored messaging and the match date.

The activations add another chapter to the fierce commercial rivalry between Adidas and Nike, which has defined the technical supply rights of the Spanish Clásico since 1998.