United States attacker Christian Pulisic might not be getting the playing time at Chelsea that his fans want to see, but he is getting something that will stir something in the hearts and minds of some of his biggest fans (and haters): boots inspired by his tattoos.
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If you're unfamiliar with Pulisic's tattoos, they're loud. One of the first major pieces that he got was a giant bald eagle with a waving American flag in the background that takes up the entirety of his right shoulder and about half of his bicep. The tiger tattoo on his forearm is just as large and even more noticeable, as two tiger eyes adorn the back of arm in such a way that he can hold it over his eyes as a goal celebration.
Made for speed 💨 New @pumafootball x CP Collection, out now.https://t.co/CIOZZLJOsO pic.twitter.com/su2eNoXgGT
— Christian Pulisic (@cpulisic_10) May 16, 2023
And now, after a first signature boot that bore out Pulisic's dedication to the Stars and Stripes, his new boot from Puma features a design inspired by those two exact tattoos, which Pulisic describes as his favorites.
"Each tattoo I have represents a special piece of my journey and how I got here," Pulisic said in Puma's press release. "I'm excited to bring this collection to soccer players everywhere and inspire them to accomplish any goal they set their mind to."
Puma also notes in their release that with the design and the personal notes embedded within, Pulisic hopes to "continue influencing the next generation of soccer players to conquer the pitch." That seems to suggest that the way the next generation of players will conquer the pitch is by getting a menagerie of animals tattooed on themselves.
The boots are a Chelsea-friendly white, blue, and yellow, with one side of the classic Puma Formstrip getting a geometric wing, while it's fully transformed into a tiger on the other with the same fragmented, geometric design. They will also feature all the modern bells and whistles that you're used to seeing in boots these days, with words like "ULTRAWEAVE" used to make "this cleat is very light" sound more exciting.
How you feel about these boots will come down to how much Pulisic's tattoos remind you of that guy at the local gym that keeps asking you how many more sets you have left on the squat rack. It's also quite possible that Puma and Pulisic are releasing a Chelsea-inspired colorway just in time for Pulsic to finally get a move away from Stamford Bridge, which could make these a bit of a collector's item.
Either way, the fancy new tattoo shoes will be released on the Puma app on May 16, and on other select online retailers on May 18.