The History of the PUMA Future

Back in 2017, when adidas was busy taking laces off football boots, PUMA decided to give players more places to put them. A lot more. The original FUTURE 18.1 arrived covered in NETFIT eyelets, allowing players to experiment with lacing patterns that looked unlike anything else on the pitch. Even in a period of increasingly experimental boot design, PUMA had found something different.

Almost nine years later, we're on the PUMA FUTURE 9. NETFIT has disappeared, Neymar Jr. has succeeded Antoine Griezmann as the face of the silo, and the technology has changed considerably. What hasn't changed is PUMA's pursuit of an adaptable fit, giving creative players the freedom to move, turn and manipulate the ball without feeling restricted by their boots.

We've seen every generation come through the Bootroom, including a few special editions we've helped create ourselves. With the PUMA FUTURE 9 now leading the collection, we're heading back through the archive to see how one of football's most experimental boot families got here.

The NETFIT Years: 2017–2020

PUMA FUTURE 18.1 (2017): The NETFIT Experiment

The FUTURE story begins in November 2017. PUMA was preparing to retire the evoPOWER, Antoine Griezmann was heading into the Madrid derby, and a black-and-yellow pair of FUTURE 18.1s was introducing NETFIT to football.

Originally developed for PUMA's running footwear, NETFIT used an external mesh layered over an evoKNIT upper, creating dozens of possible lacing positions. You could spread the laces across the forefoot, tighten particular areas or completely change the configuration depending on your foot shape. PUMA even included additional laces and suggested different setups.

The knitted evoKNIT construction provided flexibility around the foot, while the RAPIDAGILITY outsole combined conical and bladed studs for multidirectional movement. It was a different proposition from the outgoing evoPOWER, with adaptable fit taking priority over a more traditional boot structure.

Griezmann, Marco Reus and Adam Lallana helped introduce the silo, before the Fizzy Yellow general-release colourway arrived in January 2018. With its contrasting black mesh and exposed lacing system, the FUTURE 18.1 was unmistakable. Whether everybody actually experimented with NETFIT is another question, but the option was there.

PUMA FUTURE 2.1 (2018): World Cup Ready

PUMA wasted little time updating the FUTURE. The 2.1 arrived in June 2018 as part of the Illuminate Pack, bringing an iridescent silver and turquoise finish to the World Cup in Russia. Griezmann wore the new generation as France went on to lift the trophy, giving the young silo its first major international moment.

NETFIT remained central to the design, but the eyelets were positioned closer together and spread across a larger section of the upper. A protective TPU skin covered the striking zone, while revisions to the evoKNIT collar improved its structure around the ankle. Players still had plenty of freedom to experiment with their laces, now with a more integrated contact surface.

Marco Reus, meanwhile, occasionally preferred to wear his without laces altogether. Quite a decision when the defining feature of your football boots is the number of ways you can lace them.

PUMA FUTURE 19.1 and 4.1 (2019): Getting to Grips With It

By 2019, PUMA was refining the original NETFIT concept. January's FUTURE 19.1 arrived in the Power Up Pack, introducing the 3D HAVOC Frame within an evoKNIT PRO upper. The raised texture created additional contact with the ball, while NETFIT became more closely integrated into the knitted construction.

The bright red launch colourway was worn by Griezmann, Reus and Luis Suárez, who had joined PUMA's growing group of creative attacking players.

Six months later, the FUTURE 4.1 arrived in the Anthem Pack. Its more angular upper combined NETFIT and the HAVOC Frame into a refined construction, with the RAPIDAGILITY soleplate continuing underneath. The different naming system also reflected how quickly PUMA was updating the silo during its early years.

This was also the period when PUMA began connecting its football releases more closely with music and lifestyle. The Anthem campaign involved DJ Snake and playlists curated by PUMA players, while a limited collaboration with BALR gave the FUTURE another off-pitch connection.

PUMA FUTURE 5.1 and 6.1 (2019–2020): The End of NETFIT

The FUTURE 5.1 arrived in November 2019 as part of the Flash Pack, bringing a blue-and-black colourway and a redesigned knitted upper. NETFIT was now worked much more closely into the construction, while GripControl Pro added texture across the main ball-contact areas.

August 2020 brought the FUTURE 6.1, continuing with a one-piece knitted upper, another refined NETFIT arrangement and GripControl Pro across the striking zones. The RAPIDAGILITY outsole remained, although the external netting that defined the original 18.1 had become considerably less prominent.

The 6.1 also gave us one of our favourite Pro:Direct FUTURE projects.

For Boxing Day 2020, we worked with footwear artist Aida Kiraya, better known as Afro Kickz, to create a custom pair for James Maddison ahead of Leicester City's meeting with Manchester United. The predominantly white boots carried colour references to his previous clubs, personal details and denim-inspired stitching across the upper. A proper one-off, and a design that deserves its place in the FUTURE archive.

By the end of that year, NETFIT was approaching its final chapter. PUMA had spent three years developing a boot that players could adjust through their laces. The next generation would move that adaptability into the construction itself.

PUMA FUTURE Z: 2020–2022

PUMA FUTURE Z 1.1 and 1.2 (2020–2021): Enter Neymar Jr.

Neymar Jr. signed with PUMA in September 2020, initially wearing the KING before becoming the headline player for the new FUTURE Z. The Brazilian debuted the boot in December, with a limited teaser release preceding the wider Game On launch in January 2021.

NETFIT was gone. In its place came FUZIONFIT+, a knitted compression band wrapped around the midfoot to provide adaptable support without relying on different lace configurations. PUMA had moved away from asking players to customise the fit themselves, using a stretch-and-compression construction to accommodate movement while holding the foot securely.

Underneath, the RAPIDAGILITY plate made way for the Dynamic Motion System. Its distinctive Z-shaped structure was developed for twisting, turning and multidirectional movement, while GripControl Pro remained across the upper for additional texture on the ball.

The change was substantial. NETFIT offered more ways to adjust the fit manually, while FUTURE Z aimed to make that adaptability feel more immediate. Players could still wear laces or experiment without them, but the compression band now did much of the work.

The white, black and neon-yellow teaser edition gave Neymar a memorable introduction to his new silo. The FUTURE Z 1.2 followed in July 2021 with refinements to the same construction, including the bright blue Faster Football colourway.

PUMA FUTURE Z 1.3 and 1.4 (2022): Creative Freedom

The FUTURE Z 1.3 arrived in March 2022, bringing further changes to FUZIONFIT+ and the upper's ball-contact areas. The compression band extended further around the foot, while Advanced Creator Zones introduced different textures depending on where players were most likely to make contact with the ball.

More pronounced grip elements occupied the lateral side for striking and manipulating the ball, with a softer arrangement towards the medial side for passing and close control. The Dynamic Motion System remained underneath, with its Z-shaped construction now firmly established as part of the FUTURE identity.

The FUTURE Z 1.4 followed ahead of the 2022/23 season, including an important development for the women's game. PUMA's collaboration with Liberty introduced the first women's-specific FUTURE fit for the European Championships, moving beyond colourway changes to address differences in foot shape and fit.

Neymar continued to receive signature designs, including the coral-and-gold Dream Chaser edition worn during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The FUTURE Z era also produced Batman collaborations, Lazertouch leather editions and some of PUMA's most expressive on-pitch colourways.

Closer to home, December 2022 brought our PUMA FUTURE Z 1.4 MCR City Pack II. Created with PUMA, the tangerine boots featured Manchester's 0161 area code, worker bee honeycomb graphics and 'A City United' detailing. Limited to just 161 pairs, the release put a distinctly Pro:Direct design into the FUTURE archive, following our original Manchester-inspired collaboration in 2020.

The Modern FUTURE: 2023–2026

PUMA FUTURE Ultimate (2023): A New Shape

The Z disappeared from the name in January 2023, when PUMA introduced the FUTURE Ultimate in the Supercharge Pack.

FUZIONFIT360 replaced the prominent compression band with a dual-mesh construction supported by PWRTAPE. The reinforcement followed a zigzag pattern around areas of the upper exposed to greater strain, offering support without making the whole boot rigid.

Engineered 3D textures provided grip across key contact areas, while the NanoGrip sockliner helped reduce movement inside the boot. Underfoot, an updated Dynamic Motion System offered a stable heel platform with greater flexibility through the forefoot.

The FUTURE Ultimate continued PUMA's emphasis on adaptability, but the fit system was now distributed across the upper rather than concentrated in one visible compression band.

Neymar remained the headline player, while Jack Grealish joined PUMA in 2023. His stop-start dribbling, body feints and ability to draw defenders towards him made him a natural addition to the FUTURE lineup.

PUMA FUTURE 7 (2024): Refining the Formula

PUMA introduced the FUTURE 7 with a limited FTR edition on Boxing Day 2023, ahead of the wider Phenomenal Pack release in January 2024.

FUZIONFIT360 remained, but the arrangement of PWRTAPE changed considerably. The previous zigzag reinforcement became a Y-shaped configuration across the midfoot, while PWRPRINT introduced printed elements of varying thickness to provide structure in some areas and flexibility in others.

The upper retained its 3D grip textures, with the Dynamic Motion System continuing underneath. These changes focused on supporting the foot through sharp movements while keeping the knitted construction flexible.

Neymar, Grealish and Kai Havertz were among the leading FUTURE players, with the 7 also becoming the canvas for Neymar's Brazilian-inspired BNA and Copa editions.

PUMA FUTURE 8 (2024–2025): A Softer Touch

December 2024 brought the FUTURE 8 Launch Edition, a predominantly white boot with fluorescent detailing that highlighted its construction. The wider Unlimited Pack followed in January 2025.

PUMA introduced FUZIONFIT³, combining an elastic LYCRA layer, 3D Fuzionpods and PWRTAPE reinforcement. The Fuzionpods added cushioning and support across the upper, while high-density mesh and GripControl Pro provided a textured contact surface.

Compared with the thinner construction of the FUTURE 7, the additional material offered a more cushioned approach to ball contact. That distinction is worth remembering when comparing generations. Players who prefer a softer, more padded upper may appreciate the change, while those who want a particularly direct touch might favour a different setup.

The soleplate changed too. FLEXGILITY replaced the long-serving Dynamic Motion System, using a split, dual-density construction and circular stud arrangement to accommodate rotation and changes of direction.

PUMA had been experimenting with flexible soleplates since the original FUTURE. The 8 introduced a new platform for that idea, alongside one of the biggest upper revisions since FUTURE Z.

PUMA FUTURE 9 (2025–2026): Back to the Present

The PUMA FUTURE 9 arrived in November 2025 as part of the Unleashed Pack, joining the new KING 20 and ULTRA 6.

Its reworked FUZIONFIT upper combines a soft internal lining, engineered knit, Fuzionpods and targeted PWRTAPE reinforcement. PUMA also updated the 3D grip zones, with GripControl Pro providing additional texture across the areas used for receiving, dribbling and striking the ball.

The FLEXGILITY outsole continues from the FUTURE 8, retaining its flexible dual-density construction and circular stud arrangement. The updated upper brings the different support elements together in a more integrated design, while maintaining the adaptability that has defined the FUTURE since 2017.

Neymar remains closely associated with the silo, alongside players including Morgan Rogers, Sandy Baltimore and Alex Greenwood. The FUTURE 9 is also available in a dedicated women's fit, continuing the work PUMA introduced with the Liberty collection in 2022.

Across the nine generations, PUMA has moved from exposed NETFIT mesh to compression bands, engineered knit and targeted reinforcement. The FUTURE 9 brings those developments together, with fit, movement and grip remaining central to its construction.

Back to the FUTURE

The original FUTURE 18.1 and today's FUTURE 9 have very little in common visually. The first gave players dozens of ways to lace their boots, while the latest relies on knitted materials, reinforcement and a flexible soleplate to adapt to the foot.

Through Griezmann, Neymar, Reus, Grealish and a newer generation of players, FUTURE has remained PUMA's home for footballers who value freedom of movement and a more accommodating fit. Some generations pushed the design further than others, but few football boot families have been willing to experiment quite so openly.

You can explore the latest PUMA FUTURE football boots at Pro:Direct Soccer, including the current FUTURE 9.

As for the archive, we're still waiting for somebody at PUMA to bring NETFIT back. Nearly nine years on, there are probably a few lacing combinations nobody ever tried.