Adidas is reimagining Lionel Messi’s first World Cup boot with the Adidas F50 El Ultimo Tango, unveiled June 5 and priced at $280—now sold out and reselling on eBay for $800 or more. The design loops back to Messi’s 2006 F50.6 Tunit, rebuilt with modern materi
When Lionel Messi became the all-time leading goal scorer in World Cup history on June 22—20 years after his tournament debut in 2006—his fans didn’t just have a milestone to celebrate. They had a detail to chase.
Messi was wearing a custom pair of Adidas cleats. designed to echo the silhouette of the shoes he wore at the start of his World Cup journey: Adidas F50.6 Tunit cleats. The new pair. called the Adidas F50 El Ultimo Tango. was revealed on June 5 and listed for $280 on Adidas’s website. It quickly sold out in nearly every size. and after Monday’s game it began appearing on eBay for $800 or more.
For Adidas, the project is more than a nostalgic release. Sam Handy, general manager of Adidas Football, framed it as a kind of full-circle moment. “The F50.6 Tunit from 2006 is such an iconic moment in Messi’s story—it’s where his World Cup journey began. ” Handy said. “For us, this project is about coming full circle. Twenty years on. we’re looking at what could be his final World Cup. and reconnecting it to that starting point.”.
The boot’s comeback started long before the retail rush. Handy said the process began in 2024. when Messi visited Adidas headquarters in Herzogenaurach. Germany. to go through an archival trip through his own boot history. At the time. Handy said Messi told Adidas that “going full circle at this FIFA World Cup. back to that original F50. was something he was very keen to do.” Adidas then spent two years refining the cleat. with input from Messi himself. to create what Handy described as a boot fit for what’s likely his last World Cup.
The original F50.6 TUNiT was released in late 2005, and it arrived at a pivotal moment for Adidas sports innovation. Its defining feature was customizability: players could choose different uppers made from various materials. and they could switch studs for “soft ground. ” “firm ground. ” and “hard ground. ” adjusting the boot to match playing conditions. For the 2006 World Cup. Adidas also released limited-edition uppers for tournament nations. including an Argentina option with blue and yellow stripes and a metallic winged look—one Messi wore on the field.
In designing the F50 El Ultimo Tango, Adidas aimed to bring back the recognisable cues without copying the old construction. The cleat includes a cover that obscures the laces. creating a smooth. streamlined look. along with flow lines along the forefoot. The Argentina-and-kits style also anchors the visual language: an ivory base with bright blue and metallic gold stripes.
But Adidas didn’t stop at football references. Handy said the team also looked outward. drawing inspiration from motorcycle design and lowrider culture. where premium finishes meet bold. expressive detailing. That influence is where the gold and iridescent effects come from. “From there, we wanted to elevate it and make it feel as special as the moment,” Handy said. “We explored influences outside of football. particularly motorcycle design and lowrider culture. where you see this really interesting balance between premium finishes and bold. expressive detailing. That’s where the gold and iridescent effects come in—they bring a sense of movement and energy to the boot.”.
Handy was clear that the resemblance doesn’t mean the boot is built like the old one. On the performance side. it’s “a completely new boot.” The upper uses Adidas’s HybridTouch+. a synthetic material designed to offer a grippier surface for better ball feel. In the back, a stitch-and-turn construction is meant to deliver more padding and support for the heel. And the entire boot is updated with Adidas’s latest F50 speed tooling.
“Ultimately, the goal was to take the spirit of the 2006 boot and present it in its most elevated, celebratory form—really showing those original cues in their most glorious way,” Handy said. “While it looks back, technically it’s built for the modern game at the highest level.”
By the time Messi added another chapter to his record-breaking run on June 22. the cleats he wore had already become a collector’s object. Revealed on June 5 at $280. the Adidas F50 El Ultimo Tango is now sold out in nearly every size. and it has moved beyond the pitch into a brisk aftermarket—reselling on eBay for $800 or more following Monday’s game.
Adidas Lionel Messi World Cup 2026 F50 El Ultimo Tango F50.6 Tunit retro cleats Adidas Football HybridTouch+ motorcycle design lowrider culture iridescent gold eBay resale Adidas Football headquarters Herzogenaurach
So it’s basically just cleats with a cool story and somehow $800 is normal now?
Wait I thought he wore the same boots the whole World Cup? Like didn’t they say it was his last moment or whatever. Either way $280 to resell for $800 is crazyyyyy. People are gonna buy anything with Messi on it.
I don’t get why Adidas is making a whole “final World Cup” thing out of shoes. Like a boot doesn’t affect goals lol. But also Messi’s been doing that since 2006 so maybe it’s just merch? Still, eBay prices are wild—$800 for some leather/plastic thing.
June 5 they unveil it, June 22 he becomes leading scorer… and we’re chasing “the last World Cup moment” with a cleat. Sounds like they time everything for clicks. Also it says 2006 F50.6 Tunit but then it’s “modern materials” so like is it the original or not? Resellers already got it on eBay, so Adidas kinda let that happen.