The Boot Declan Rice Can't Leave | Copa 19.1 Retro Review

We're now into 2024, and the Copa Pure 2 is the latest and greatest heritage boot from adidas, but newer doesn't always mean better. Step forward Arsenal and England midfielder, Declan Rice.

Ever since their release in 2018, the Gunner has stayed loyal to his trusty footwear, lacing up the Copa 19.1/20.1 in the general release colourways, and has even had adidas disguise his pairs with the newer generation's graphics (see the photo below for his pair of Copa 19/20s with the make up of a Copa Pure).

So 6 years later, how do the Copa 19.1/20.1 shape up? Let's get stuck in...

Rice's pair (above) vs Retail Copa Pure (below)

The Upper and Sizing

The forefoot of the Copa 19.1 features k-leather which out of the box is soft and comfortable on foot, which transitions into a knit textile rear. Break in time for these for me took around 3 sessions of 90 minutes before they really felt like 'my boots' stretching to my feet and taking on the shape. The midfoot and rear of the boot which features the synthetic materials don't stretch, but when on they feel comfortable and don't cause any discomfort... always a plus!

The k-leather toebox soften up further and stretches slightly which helps get that personal feel. I got these in a UK 7 and out of the box they felt tight but not uncomfortable. After break-in and stretch, they have molded to my foot shape and feel really natural on my foot - a little like a pair of slippers.

The tongue is a burrito style, one piece which is not to everyone's taste. This is something that is down to personal preference. Holding down this wrap is an elasticated band that attaches to the instep, just under the insole. It isn't something that I noticed when on foot, and for me, doesn't take away from lockdown. I felt secure in the boot at all times, and the synthetic suede heel liner helps to keep your heel firmly in place.

Soleplate and Stud Pattern

The stud pattern features rounded triangular studs (and one single conical stud which I found odd - just make them all triangular and I feel this would have made no noticeable difference).

The plate offers a decent amount of traction on firm ground, and I also had no issues on good quality 3G pitches (although using FG on AG is something you shouldn't really do - we all know the risks with this). It is flexible enough in the forefoot but doesn't offer the spring back sensation that an adidas speedboot would offer, but on a more classically styled boot, this isn't something I would expect. No stud pressure could be felt which I am happy to report back on.

Overall Thoughts

So to wrap this up then, what do I think?

If this was dropped as a Copa Pure 3 today I wouldn't be mad at all, despite the boot being 6 years 'out of date' in terms of technology. Rice has found a boot that he likes and I can see why he sticks by them. If it's not broken, don't fix it.

You can find pairs of these floating around on the secondhand market, and if you can find a pair for a decent price, I'd say go for it and pick up a pair to see what you think. I have 3 pairs of these, so they've clearly made somewhat of an impact on me.