The Puma Future 9 is perfect for those looking to stay agile and deft. The boot provides an identity distinct from the speedy Ultra or the traditional King. It wraps a reengineered Fuzionfit upper with Gripcontrol Pro and 3D Grip Zones and a Flexgility outsole into one package, all for a player that is always on the front foot.

After wearing a pair in both training and matchday (on natural and synthetic pitches), I find that the grip elements and the upper work well in terms of giving you something extra for ball control. I also immediately noticed that the boot weighs more than the rest of mainstream boots, and is relatively stiff as far as soleplate goes. There’s also a bit of unwelcome heel slippage to address, probably with grip socks.

Future Page Contents:

About the authors: This review was co-written by Dean Ariola, FootballBoots.co.uk’s Chief Writer, and Ian Ebbs, founder of FootballBoots.co.uk, host of the site’s YouTube channel and author of the Boot Secrets guide. Ian bought these boots himself to provide an independent review.

Puma’s agility boot sits firmly as one of the mainstream staples in the market, a position it’s held since 2017 when Antoine Griezmann first fronted the silo. The Future makes its name on that original, eye-catching NETFIT lacing system, something no other boot was doing quite like Puma at the time. Since then, the line keeps evolving, dipping into ideas like midfoot compression bands, tape-style supports and clever dual-layer uppers to redefine what “agility” actually feels in a pair of football boots. And with the Future 9 stepping in, we’re about to see how Puma pushes that core identity forward once again.

Ever since its reinvention in December 2020, the Future has Neymar as the face of the silo. But he is not alone, having the likes of Jack Grealish, James Maddison and Thiago Silva joining him in promoting the Puma boot on the pitch. Women football stars Laia Aleixandri López and Julia Grosso are also all-in with the Puma silo.

What’s New with the Future 9:

• The Fuzionfit upper is now back to being a one-piece upper construction, moving away from the dual layer of inner Lycra and outer shell package from the Future 8.
• Given the upper changes, a foam liner replaces the inner Lycra and provides the backing for the entirety of Fuzionfit.
• At least around the top part, the heel has been narrowed down to improve the lockdown on that part of the boot.

FAQs about the Puma Future 9:

1. Do I need to change my size?
   • The Future 9 does run a quarter size long, but whether that merits going half-a-size down is still for your personal consideration. Personally, I would stick with true-to-size even with some dead space around the toes to avoid cramping my feet that much at the lower sizing.
2. Is the weight of the boot a concern?
   • Considering how even non-speed boots have a relatively lightweight feel, the Future 9 can be thought of as below average. That is mainly due to the weight of the soleplate bearing down on the boot.
3. How is the ball control?
   • Touch could be one of the highlights of the boot. With a simpler one-piece upper, the texturing from the Fuzionpods and grip zones now has that enhanced feel of where your foot is at relative to the ball.

Is the Puma Future 9 worth it?

Yes — if you want ball grip, responsiveness, and haptic feedback on ball touch.
The Puma Future 9 is good at providing that additional split-second stick on the ball, and its Fuzionpods gives you that extra sense of knowing where the ball is relative to your foot. You just have to decided for yourself whether the upper and soleplate structure is something you can appreciate for lockdown and responsiveness, or if they have tilted away too much to the point that comfort is a concern.

My Puma Future 9 Ultimate Review

• Release Year: 2018
• Generation Number: 9th
• Purpose: Agility Boot
• Competitor/s: –
• Notable Players: Jack Grealish, Neymar Jr.

The FUTURE continues to evolve. I need a boot that feels comfortable and allows me to move with speed in all directions. The new FUTURE feels even more supportive and adaptive which helps me to make quick cuts when dribbling with the ball, so I can play without restraint.

Neymar Jr., Attacking Midfielder

Testing Conditions

• Surfaces: Firm ground and artificial grass
• Weather: Dry and damp sessions
• Sessions: 2 Competitive Matches, 3 Training Sessions
• Foot Type: Medium Width (EU 43 1/3)
• Playing Position: Attacking Midfielder
• Playing Style: Dribbling and directly taking on opponents, Gets forward most of the time
• Break-in Time: Approximately 30–45 minutes

FUZIONFIT

Coming from the Future 8, the biggest shift in the Future 9 is the return to a one-piece upper construction. If you’re moving from the previous generation, whether you prefer this change will largely come down to how much you liked that dual-layer setup with the inner LYCRA sleeve. Some players really enjoyed that inner layer hugging the foot, while others found it a bit much. Personally, I’m perfectly fine with the switch. It feels more streamlined, more natural, and frankly more in line with how most modern boots shape themselves around your foot.

As for the upper material itself, it’s mostly a coated mesh backed internally by a layer of foam. There’s a decent bit of give to it, but with FUZIONFIT you should expect that the boot will just feel less plasticky. It’s not a boot that melts around your foot like the softest options out there. The setup gives you a blend of pliability and stability rather than pure plushness, and I expect that you might just need to give it some moment to fully break-in. So if maximum comfort is at the very top of your list, you might be better off exploring other boots that lean more heavily into that softer, more forgiving feel.

Along the surface of FUZIONFIT, you get a slightly tacky feel thanks to the GRIPCONTROL PRO coating, helped along by the mix of multi-textured grip zones and the Fuzionpods across the forefoot. Because of that, the Future 9 feels like one of those boots that give you that extra bit of grip on the ball while also taking a touch of sting out of your first touch. I also get a subtle sense of feedback from the Fuzionpods, almost like they help me stay more aware of where the ball sits in relation to my foot.

Flexgility

With Flexgility, the Future’s soleplate uses these big, bladed studs arranged in a circular pattern around the toe area where you naturally plant and pivot. In concept it’s very similar to the Cyclone 360 setup on the Nike Phantom. Puma has dropped the FG/AG tag here and, rightly so, positioned this as a true FG configuration. Traction is properly aggressive and absolutely not something you’d want to take onto AG. The soleplate sits on the stiffer, more responsive end, and the outsole itself feels noticeably heavier than what you get from other modern plates, which I think slightly clashes with the Future’s whole aim of keeping you quick and nimble on your feet.

Fit and Feel

I think the Future 9 really has to rely on both the stretch of the knitted tongue and collar, as well as the natural give of the upper, to make things work for wider feet. Without that combination, I’d say the boot sits at about average width at best, especially with the noticeable taper through the midfoot. The Future 9 does come up about a quarter-size long and still has more wiggle room than I would like around the outstep toes, but I still wouldn’t recommend sizing down, as doing so would almost certainly make the overall fit far too tight.

Lockdown and Responsiveness

Lockdown and responsiveness, I believe, hinge quite a lot on how the heel feels. Compared to the previous Future, there are some big improvements, as the heel shape has been narrowed (at least around the top end). There’s still a bit of room lower down, though, which means you’ll want to see whether the PWRTAPE can pull your foot back and hold it in place. I do think the pinch on the achilles and the structure of the PWRTAPE over the arch keep you secure, but you may need a pair of grip socks to minimise that small bit of looseness around the heel.

Another thing that I think holds the boot back in terms of lockdown is the shallow lacing. The closure is limited to just a few lace holes, and they’re bunched far more closely together than I’d prefer. Because of that, I end up feeling a pressure point along my arch, and it just seems inefficient to place all the lockdown work on such a concentrated area.

The inherent structured-feel of mesh and stiffness of the sole makes a conducive combination for a responsive performance. Just be reminded that the soleplate does pack some weight. And so while the underfoot make up can be a stable platform, it can also be an additional burden that affects objective performance.

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How The Football Boots UK Puma Future 9 Boot Testing Was Conducted

A description on what goes to our boot testing can be found here. Essentially, I would be checking on the boot experience and what the Future 9 has to offer on its own. It is inevitable though that comparisons will be made, and being that we have been following the Puma Future for a long time now and have covered earlier generations, I also sought to bring some perspective to the evolution of the silo. Puma runs a three-silo lineup, though arguably it’s the Future and the Ultra that are way more popular as far as the brand is concerned.

Which Future model should you pick?

Choose the Ultimate if you want the most stable and stiff soleplate, haptic feedback on the ball and the best execution of the Fuzionfit material.

Choose the Pro if you want a less stiff outsole and a more synthetic feel to the upper, at the expense of less texturing and lack of haptic Fuzionpods.

Choose the Match if you like more width and volume, plus some more texturing. This actually gives the Match an edge over the Pro in terms of value-for-money.

Key Facts about the Puma Future 9

Boot type: Agility/Control

Generation: 9th

Upper: Four-way stretch upper that softens after 30–45 minutes of play

Grip: Grip Control Pro with 3D Grip Zones and Fuzionpods

Stability: Flexgility soleplate

Fit: Average width and possibly need to go half-a-size down for narrower feet

Best surface: Natural pitch

>> Check out the Latest Future Available *affiliate link to Puma

Future 9 Pro

In the Pro, you still get some texturing on some key areas, but the Fuzionpods here are mere graphics and do not provide any haptic feedback. The upper is relatively thick, probably because the plastic overlay is much more prominent to the point that you might think of the upper as a synthetic one. Because of the upper change, the boot feels slick to the hand touch. The soleplate is still stiff but I would say a bit tapered down compared to that of the Ultimate. Unfortunately, heel slippage is still to be expected because of how slick the materials are.

Budget Puma Future Match

Surprisingly, the mesh upper of the Puma Future Match has more texturing than that of the Future Pro, so in that sense it already does a better job of replicating that ball control aspect of the Ultimate. There’s also more width and volume to the Future Match, which I think would appeal more even though the Pro has the relatively nicer upper material. The tooling is FG/AG by default, but I think that bladed studs is still too much for synthetic pitches. It still has that stiff profile, and as such would be subject to personal preference of the wearer. Heel lockdown might be a little better, but expect to feel some pressure from that mini heel counter on the outside.

Final Thoughts about the Puma Future 9

On its own, and most especially when you consider the generation it replaces, the Puma Future 9 is a serviceable boot. But things start to go against the silo when you consider other top-tier options not just from Puma itself but more importantly from Nike and adidas. The grip technologies and haptic feedback from ball touch are the highlights, and they could be the lone bright spots in the boot’s competition with other Elite silos. Weight is definitely a lowlight, as well as the minor heel slippage, with the stiffness of the soleplate surely going to divide opinion. And because the Match offers better fit even to wider foot shapes and more texturing, it has better value-for-money and kind of puts the Future Pro out of place.

Evolution of the Future

The Future silo started in 2017 and became popular for its Netfit system, allowing you to customise your lacing with its multiple lace hole options. Over time, the Future became less and less about Netfit, and in 2021, overhauled that closing system with the launch of the Future Z and its Fuzionfit, which currently informs the make of the Puma agility boot.

Future 8 Ultimate

Future 8 was that generation that had outer mesh layer and an inner LYCRA shell, with the idea being the more pliable LYCRA being balanced and restricted by the layer on the outside. The generation also introduced the Flexgility sole, which did bear some similarity with previous generation Future soles except for the circular formation of blades around the forefoot to assist in planting and pivoting.

Future 7 Ultimate

Future 7 didn’t change much from the Future Ultimate. DMS was still there and the dual mesh was still the dominant material for the upper. Much of the change was on the PWRTAPE, which sat on the top of the arch instead on the sides of the boot. The material had also been streamlined to cover the tongue area.

Future Ultimate

By the end of 2022, Puma gave us the Future Ultimate. In this Future, the forefoot dual mesh is extended towards the sides and the quarter, providing a more consistent feel throughout your foot. That revamping of the Fuzionfit360 coverage left the integrated tongue and collar to be comprised of a stretchy knit material. One thing distinct to the Future Ultimate is the introduction of the PWRTAPEs positioned on the lateral and medial sides.

Future Z 1.3 and Future Z 1.4

If you had the Future Z 1.3, you were not missing much in the 1.4. The 1.4 simply changed the pattern of the meshed medial and the textured lateral sides of the Advance Creator Zones. Apart from that, you were still going to get the expanded Fuzionfit+ midfoot compression band, the Grip Control forefoot coating, and the uber-comfortable sensation its sock-like build delivered.

Future Z 1.1 and 1.2

Right out of its introduction, the Future Z was already performing above-average in terms of comfort in football boots. The first construction of the Fuzionfit system, however, was focused heavily on the midfoot, resulting in a less streamlined feel where the midfoot had all the tightness and the forefoot less restricted. In-character with Puma, the Dynamic Motion System remained the same throughout the several generations of the Future Z.