One of the most iconic cleats of all time, the PUMA King has ruled fields worldwide for more than half a century.
Its origins go back to 1966 and the creation of the “Wunderschuh” that Eusebio wore at the World Cup. Prior to the tournament, the Portuguese star had spoken to PUMA founder Rudi Dassler and requested a cleat that was softer and more flexible than the stiff designs of the time. He got his wish and used the PUMA Wembley, as it was known, to notch nine goals and finish as top scorer.
Two years later, taking advantage of Eusebio’s rise to prominence, PUMA crowned their man and released the King Eusebio, which was even more flexible and used non-slip nylon screw cleats for extra grip – a king of a cleat for a king of a player.
In 1970, the King was established enough to go its own way, without the need for a famous player’s name to boost its rep. By then, stars of the game were queueing up to wear the legendary leather cleat. First perhaps the greatest of all, Pele, then later Cruyff, Maradona, Dalglish, and Matthaus. If they’re an icon, there’s a good chance they wore the King.
More recently, the King has been fine-tuned for control, updated with modern technology to make sure its renowned feel on the ball is maintained in today’s game. It’s even made the transition away from leather, using non-animal-based materials such as K-BETTER to improve sustainability and ensure the King’s reign continues for years to come.
