About

adidas Samba

Around 1950 adidas faced a practical problem: footballers couldn’t train in winter. Frozen pitches were too hard for studs, and indoor floors too slippery for regular shoes. The Samba was the answer, and that makes it one of the oldest models the brand still sells.

The sole that solved the problem

Look at the edge of the sole and you’ll see a fine sawtooth profile running the full length. That toothed edge is not decoration but the invention: it grips on hard ground without needing studs, and it keeps hold on a smooth floor. The sole itself is notably flat and thin, because a player had to be able to feel the ball through his shoe.

The T on the toe

A suede cap lies over the toe and continues back in the middle, past the laces. That T-shape protects exactly the part that meets the ball when shooting and receiving. The name is printed on the side panel, and the heel carries a ribbed suede tab. It’s a shoe where every part has a purpose, and that is exactly why so little has changed in seventy years.

From hall to street

The Samba remained sports gear for decades, until it was picked up off the field — first in the stands, later well beyond. Within adidas it is family to the Gazelle, which comes from the same way of thinking but was made for training rather than for indoor use. Those seeking the broader court line look to the adidas Court family. A model that never went extinct because it never had to change.

On this page you can see which versions of the adidas Samba are currently hottest according to the Hypescore, from what price they can be found, and in how many shops they are in stock.