WORDS: BEN WELCH | PHOTOGRAPHY: ROWAN FEEA
s you settle back
into the familiar
routine of spending
Saturday nights
with Lineker, Shearer and co,
you’d be forgiven for getting
a little overexcited. Football’s
back. The question is: do
you return to the pitch, collar
popped and dusty Copa
Mundials under your arm?
Well, if you want to keep
your fitness on target, score
a mental health boost and kick
fat into row Z, the science is
clear. One 14-week scheme run
by Solihull Council found that
overweight men who played
in the Man v Fat league lost
an average of 10kg, with one
player losing 30kg – which,
as it happens, is heavier than
the Premier League trophy.
However, while we’re all
in favour of digging out your
England Euro ’96 shirt, you’re
going to need a fresher pair
of boots to add a touch of class
to your fat-burning breaks
down the wing. So, the MH Lab
enlisted the help of England
six-a-side international Callam
“Megs” Gardner to see how the
latest AstroTurf trainers handle
long-range howitzers, step-
overs and defence-splitting
passes. After tallying up the
points to reveal which finished
top of the table, we present the
match-winning additions to
your kit bag. Game on.YOUR SHOT
AT A PREMIER
PERFORMANCE
Make the right signing this season.
Our pick of new Astros will fire you
from benchwarmer to star manALL-SEASON STAR 82/100
UA Magnetico Select TF
£60 underarmour.co.ukPerformance (^) ••••••••••
Design (^) ••••••••••
Ease of Use (^) ••••••••••
EXPERT VERDICT We were pleasantly
surprised. An ankle sock-liner made
them as comfortable as running trainers
and the variety of studs helped to grip
the surface when making explosive,
sharp movements – even in the rain.
STAY ON YOUR FEET UA’s FormTrue
technology has been integrated into the
toe box, which helps your feet absorb
the pressure of turns at high speeds
and easily pirouette past lunging legs.
A combination of blades and round
conical studs provides optimum traction,
reducing the risk of a Stevie G slip-up.
COMPLETE PLAYER 88/100
Adidas Predator 19.3 TF
£75 adidas.co.uk
Performance (^) ••••••••••
Design (^) ••••••••••
Ease of Use (^) ••••••••••
EXPERT VERDICT You’ll be impressed
from the moment you get these out of
the box. The Primeknit sock protects you
in 50/50 challenges, and the textured top
ensures the ball stays glued to you. The
only flaw is the sizing – go half a size up.
GET A GRIP A classic boot, adapted
for the five-a-side pitch. While the
Beckham-era rubber “teeth” – designed
to give you more power and swerve
- were abandoned in 2008, this latest
incarnation has an embossed forefoot
to help you grip the ball and increase
control when passing and shooting.
32 MEN’S HEALTH