10 GOAT Adidas Samba Colorways Worth Hunting
The Adidas Samba has lived many lives. It was manufactured in the 1950s as a training shoe built to keep soccer players steady on icy pitches, and has since slipped into just about every corner of culture. It’s been part of terrace style in Europe, a staple on skateboards in the 1990s, and the sneaker of choice for everyone from Kate Moss to Bella Hadid. At nearly 75 years old, it’s still everywhere.
What makes the Samba special is how it has been reinvented repeatedly without losing its identity. The colorways tell the story best. Adidas has released so many that it’s impossible to count. Here are 10 of the greatest Sambas of all time, the ones worth chasing down if you want the real deal. This list doesn’t even scratch the surface of how many colorways have come and gone, but they capture what makes the Samba such a cultural force.
Adidas Samba OG Classic Black
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Ksharks2
This is the one that started it all. The OG Adidas Samba bears black leather, white stripes, and a gum sole. It was first produced in the late 1940s, and by the 1950s, soccer players across Europe were using it as their go-to training shoe. It’s the most recognizable version to date.
Adidas Samba OG Classic White
The mirror image of the black pair, the all-white Samba took the original design and gave it a summer-ready feel. The combination of light upper, grey suede toe, and gum sole is still popular. It’s been reissued countless times, and it’s always the pair you’ll see styled with cropped pants or vintage jerseys.
Wales Bonner x Adidas Samba OG Core Black
Grace Wales Bonner’s 2020 collaboration with Adidas was the spark that put the Samba back on fashion’s radar. The crocheted stripes, the deep black suede, and her minimal but thoughtful tweaks made this pair a grail instantly. It kicked off a whole wave of Samba hype and showed how a classic could be elevated without losing its DNA.
JJJJound x Adidas Samba OG Made In Germany
JJJJound’s formula is stripping shoes down to their purest form, and with the Samba, they went back to Adidas’s Scheinfeld factory in Germany. Premium leather, subtle branding, and authentic vintage details made this pair feel less like the definitive version of the Samba.
Sporty & Rich x Adidas Samba OG Blue Rush
Emily Oberg’s brand gave the classic Samba a new look in 2023 with a bright blue upper and clean white stripes. The simple color change made the shoe feel new again, and demand was immediate, since resale prices spiked right after the drop.
Adidas Samba OG Harris Tweed
Image via Reddit/ElGatoMx006
In 2024, Adidas added Scottish Harris Tweed wool to the upper to create one of the most region-specific Sambas ever made. It was a tribute to the shoe’s deep ties to UK terrace culture, and the mix of rugged fabric with the traditional gum sole turned it into a cult favorite.
Ajax FC x Bob Marley x Adidas Samba OG Three Little Birds
This 2021 collaboration celebrated Ajax fans’ tradition of singing Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” during matches. It featured red, yellow, and green accents and subtle bird embroidery.
Wales Bonner x Adidas Samba OG Navy Croc
Image via Reddit/Plenty_Flower3978
By 2024, Wales Bonner had already made multiple hits with Adidas, but this navy croc-textured version topped them all. It proved that the collaboration wasn’t running out of steam and that Sambas could still surprise collectors.
Humanrace x Adidas Samba OG Terracotta
Pharrell Williams brought his Humanrace label to the Samba and drenched it in monochromatic colors. The terracotta pair, in a muted brick red, stood out because it was bold without being loud. It showed that even one solid color across the entire shoe can be refreshing.
Adidas Samba OG Dia De Los Muertos
Image via X/SOLELINKS
Each year, sneaker brands release shoes inspired by Día de los Muertos, but Adidas nailed it with this one. A black leather base with small floral embroidery and a skull detail on the tongue kept it respectful and stylish. It was one of the cleanest special-edition Sambas in recent memory.