Adidas debuts 3D-printed boots for 16-year-old US prodigy Cavan Sullivan

Cavan Sullivan wearing his new 3D-printed boots for the first time. (Adidas)

By Greg O'Keeffe

There was so much about Cavan Sullivan’s performance to capture attention that, for many watching, his brightly coloured footwear may barely have registered.

After all, as the recently concluded World Cup has taught us, pink boots have become nearly ubiquitous.

But while the 16-year-old Sullivan produced a star display as he played 85 minutes during his team Philadelphia Union’s 3-1 win over New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer on Thursday, he was breaking new ground even as he glided across it.

Sullivan, who agreed a deal to join Manchester City in the Premier League when he was just 14 and became the youngest player to ever appear in an MLS match two years ago, was marking another first at Subaru Park. The teenager was giving a specially constructed pair of 3D-printed Adidas cleats their own debut in top-level competitive football.

The lightweight boots were printed to match the exact specifications of Sullivan’s feet, as part of the sportswear brand’s Project R.A.P. (Radical Athlete Perception) range.

Sullivan wearing the boots against New York Red Bulls. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Adidas launched Project R.A.P. in March as a new way of making sports products which are bespoke to different sports and athletes.

The boots were also directly shaped by athlete feedback, testing and data. Paris Saint-Germain star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Atletico Madrid forward Ademola Lookman were consulted in the development process, and the pair are also set to wear the boots in the forthcoming season.

Alasdhair Willis, chief creative officer at Adidas, said Sullivan was chosen as the first footballer to wear the boots in a top-level match because of his bright future and entertaining skills.

“Innovation at Adidas is about creating the best for the athlete, at speed. Project R.A.P. is an innovation platform focused on how we deliver feel of movement and a bespoke fit in sports performance products that is progressive and unlocks true athlete benefit.

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“Cavan is the perfect athlete to showcase the potential of this innovation — a future star on and off the field, an open and curious mindset, matched with an exciting playing style.

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“We have also taken this approach in basketball with Mikel Brown Jr debuting the BB.01, a product with the same ambition and an athlete with the same characteristics, in the last few weeks on the court at NBA Summer League.

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“We are very excited for the future for these athletes and for this platform.”

The BB.01 basketball shoe also features a 3D-printed lattice that wraps the player’s foot. Along with Brown Jr, it has also been worn on court by former college star and recent Utah Jazz NBA draft pick Darryn Peterson.

A close-up image of Sullivan in the boots. (Adidas)

Adidas showed the technology to fans at an activation event at their Las Vegas flagship store on July 10, allowing them a sneak peek at the live development and creative process behind the shoe.

Just over a year earlier, in May 2025, the German firm launched their first 3D-printed shoe, the Climacool slip-on sneaker. Developed in close collaboration with Silicon Valley-based 3D printing company Carbon, the Climacool also featured lattice structures throughout its design, resulting in a single-piece shoe.

Sullivan might not have christened his new boots with a goal, but he impressed with his attacking flair as Union, who are bottom of the Eastern Conference, ended their eight-game winless streak when MLS resumed after the World Cup break.

He made six successful dribbles, the most of any player in the match according to Opta, created a chance and won nine of his 12 ground duels.

“Cavan looked dan