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Nike’s Answer to the Adidas Samba Could Be a Future MVP of Retro Sneakers

The reissued Field General is a blueprint for vintage-inspired kicks.

white and blue nike sneakerNike

By Jack Seemer

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Heritage. Comfort. Simple colorways. A budget-friendly price tag. These are just some of the qualities that have turned the Adidas Samba into one of the most important sneakers of the 2020s.

That said, they’re not exclusive to the 76-year-old design that first debuted in 1949 as a winter soccer for icy pitches.

Nike, too, has its fair share of old-school silhouettes and it’s betting the house that one called the Field General can compete with its longtime rival from Herzogenaurach, Germany.

white and blue nike sneaker
Nike’s first Field General of 2025 features an authentic white upper and black waffle outsole, contrasted with blue detailing.
Nike

Out of left field

Originally designed to meet the needs of football quarterbacks in the early ’80s, the Field General faded into obscurity after its initial release, only to resurface in 2024 as the Swoosh’s retro-inspired answer to the Samba craze.

Now, thanks to a new blue-and-white colorway, Nike’s shown the sneaker world it has every intention of keeping its foot on the gas coming into the new year.

white and blue nike sneaker
Like the original Field General from the 1980s, the reissue combines leather and ballistic nylon for the upper.
Nike

Typical of the original Field General worn by NFL legends Archie Manning and Dan Fouts, the reissued sneaker boasts a leather-and-nylon upper, grounded by a black waffle sole designed for multi-directional movement.

sole of nike sneaker
Unlike the Samba, the Field General carries a waffle outsole design, originally intended to give NFL quarterbacks traction on grass and turf.
Nike

A white upper here keeps the overall package authentic to the original, while a royal-blue swoosh and heel panel sub in for the red detailing found on those first designs.

Pricing and availability

The blue-and-white Nike Field General ’82 SP is now available with an approachable price tag of $100. It also comes in an impressive number of sizes, ranging from men’s 3.5 to 15.

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