Premier League17 hours ago1 minute read

Riccardo Calafiori Makes Boot History in Arsenal Win

Riccardo Calafiori scored in special David Beckham boots as Arsenal came from behind to defeat Leeds United at Emirates Stadium.

The EagleEyeOdds deskWritten from the match data, checked against our model before it goes out

Calafiori scores in anniversary boots

Riccardo Calafiori scored Arsenal's initial equaliser against Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, making a piece of footwear history along the way.

The Italian defender laced up in special edition David Beckham predators. The boots celebrate 25 years since the free kick against Greece that took England to the 2002 World Cup. Calafiori became the first professional player to wear them in a game, and he is also the first professional player to score with them on.

Arsenal fight back at Emirates Stadium

Arsenal had to recover after James Justin opened the scoring for Leeds. Calafiori struck to pull Arsenal level, giving the team a way back into the match.

Bruno Guimarães then scored Arsenal's second goal of the afternoon. The strike completed the comeback from a goal down, helping the squad get back to winning ways following the extended international break. The match took place as the Premier League resumed under the cloud of the Man City verdict.

A tribute to Beckham's iconic moment

The boots were made by Adidas and designed with Beckham himself. Adidas stated that the release was inspired by one of the most defining moments in both David Beckham's career and Predator history.

Sam Handy, General Manager of Adidas Football, explained the idea behind the release. "Few moments in football history capture the spirit of Predator quite like David Beckham's free kick against Greece," Handy said. "With this special edition release, we wanted to honour that moment through a design that combines authentic football heritage, premium craftsmanship and modern performance innovation."

What it means for the next game

Arsenal now turn their attention to upcoming matches in European and league action.

Arsenal vs Lille (Champions League, Tue, 13 Oct): Arsenal win 67%, draw 21%, Lille win 12%; expected goals 2.00 to 0.70. Our safest pick: Arsenal or Draw.

Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal (Premier League, Sun, 18 Oct): Nottingham Forest win 18%, draw 27%, Arsenal win 55%; expected goals 0.79 to 1.58. Our safest pick: Arsenal or Draw.