Puma Liga Finale Sala Indoor Review

Puma are a company that never fail to deliver on creating quality soccer apparel, and so goes the story with this 80’s inspired Liga Finale Sala indoor shoe. One of the more attractive aspects of this shoe is that it can easily double as an everyday street shoe, with a modern design and comfortable fit. The in-game performance of the shoe might not be top of the bunch, but it does offer many positives that will suit the general, everyday player. For review, I wore a pair of the classic looking White/Black/Team Gold in a size 9US.

Breaking In/Comfort
In typical Puma fashion, the Liga Finale Sala broke in really easily and was comfortable throughout testing. The biggest positive for me was the actual fit, as they suited my foot shape down to a tee. If you need a medium/wide fit they are a good option. These are the type of shoe that already feel broken in when you get them on your feet, particularly with a very flexible soleplate. The one area where I noticed some issues was with the oddly shaped tongue. I can see exactly what Puma were trying to do with its positioning, as it wraps around your ankle and tucks under either side of the shoe entry. The problem being that it is just a little too thick and this results in a slightly awkward feel at times.

1986 Mexico Finale Inspired Design
This is another shoe that takes inspiration from Diego Maradona and his antics at the 1986 World Cup! Ok, well maybe not his antics, but they have been developed with the shoes he was wearing at that tournament in mind. Recently, you might have caught the Puma King Finale review, which holds the same design inspiration. Puma decided to suede this shoe up, with plenty of the durable fabric lining the front toe cover right up along the lacing, across the tongue and enveloping the heel. This obviously adds something completely different to an already unique shoe, particularly when it comes to touch on the ball. Detailing again plays a role on a Puma release from the Liga printed just below the laces and on the side of the shoe, to the gold Puma that is placed in several locations around the shoe.

Traction
As you would expect on an indoor shoe, you get a non-marking gum rubber sole. Rather than having an even surface, Puma have added a completely textured sole that is designed to improve traction. From the heel to about mid foot, lines of opposite facing grooves help compliment stopping power. The front half of the sole has honeycomb panels that allow for added flexibility as you bend and twist. Overall, you are getting a solid level of grip in play but they really won ‘t match the requirements of the highly competitive player. They just don’t cut it when you are talking about quick, sharp turns because the sole is a little thick and can feel sort of chunky when you really need to turn a corner.

Performance
Here is the thing abut these shoes, they are not going to suit every player’s needs. For the everyday player who is looking for a consistent boot, these should be high on your list. Consistency mixed with extremely high durability will suit anyone looking for value and a boot that will last. On court, they feel good and compliment general movements and the all around performance level sits with the best shoes in the game. When it comes to striking the ball, they feel great and the addition of suede right across the front of the shoe means your shots are extra cushioned on impact.

But at 11.2oz and lacking the right type of traction for quick and speedy turns, they won’t suit the competitive player who is looking for an advanced level of performance (see Traction above).

Negatives
I am not too keen on the actual design of the Liga Finale Sala, particularly the color of the suede area. When it comes to indoor shoes, reviewing the actual design becomes pretty arbitrary as people will often double their pair as a street shoes. Ultimately, if you like the design these will probably be a good fit for you. Another negative is the thickness of the sole, as it seems a little too clumsy for my taste.

Summary
As usual, Puma deliver on offering a classic and comfortable shoe that is sure to suit the everyday player. If you want a shoe that will offer durability and a few seasons of indoor play, then the Liga Finale Sala should be on your shortlist. Although they might not offer the same performance as the likes of the Nike Lunar Gato, they do have a tasty price tag of around $59 at soccer.com. The bottom line is this; when a company chooses to continue releasing a boot season after season, there has to be something positive about them, right!

Puma Liga Finale Sala	Rating (out of 10)
Performance	8.5
Comfort	9.5
Durability	10
Grip/Traction	9
Value	9
Overall Score:	9.2

*Shoes supplied for review by Puma