FeatureInside adidas' HQ: Technology, the 'World of Sports' and LFC memorabilia

You pass along the footprints of Lionel Messi, Stan Smith, Patrick Mahomes and many more sporting greats on approach to the main doors of this incredible facility.

The office to more than 5,000 employees, these buildings – which wouldn't look out of place as the Avengers' home – form part of the 'World of Sports' and heartbeat of Liverpool FC's official kit partner.

Greeted with 'adidas welcomes Liverpool FC' on a giant screen at reception, Liverpoolfc.com was recently invited for a special tour of the HQ.

• Buy LFC's 2025-26 adidas kits at our official online store

With a size of 346 acres, the most efficient way to get around the site is via bicycle, though there are some trampolines on the sidewalk. Workers can literally bounce into work.

We begin by taking a look at the design team, located in a building called 'Laces'. The name comes from the way its stairs criss-cross in the way of shoelaces and symbolise how departments are interwoven.

In one design studio, current and previous Liverpool adidas shirts are laid out on the worktable. Work here will soon start on future-season editions.

After a pleasant chat with senior design director Jürgen Rank, a Liverpool fan himself (find out more about him here), we hop back on the bikes.

It's a ride past the Olympic-size swimming pool and employees playing padel and beach volleyball, on the way to Homeground.

This space served as the base of Germany's national teams during Euro 2020 and 2024 and Women's Euro 2022.

It includes on-site accommodation, restaurants, offices, a communal living room to encourage bonding, health facilities and, most importantly, training pitches.

Various clubs can use it throughout the year, as well as invited guests when visiting the HQ on business.

We take a peek at it on our way to the most exciting aspect of the tour from a Liverpool perspective: a dive into the archive.

Founder Adi Dassler's designs from a century ago are preserved here, along with many more priceless items, so gloves are required to enter this climate-controlled room.

It must remain 18 degrees celcius with a humidity level of 55 per cent to preserve its contents, and we're told we'll need to leave should the environment shift and only return when it resets.

Ahead of time, the collection managers have combed through the 40,000 pieces in this archive to pick out ones they felt we would appreciate. Their choices didn't disappoint.

First up are custom-made boots – Predators and F50s – worn by Steven Gerrard and Mohamed Salah, with their personalisations very much proving who they belonged to.

Then, shirts from every year of Liverpool's partnership with adidas – some of which are match-issued, including Gerrard's from the 2012 League Cup final.

A striking gold jersey that never made it past the concept stage has also been stored here.

And footballs from Liverpool's victorious Champions League finals in 2005 and 2019 are taken out of boxes and put on display for us to reminisce.

We need the reliability of Alisson Becker when it comes to handling these artifacts.

After a hugely enjoyable two hours in the archive, it's time for the final stop.

This is a visit to the experts and their cutting-edge technology over at the APEX (athlete product excellence) facility.

It's the place where the elite of the elite from all sports come for measurements of the custom adidas equipment they use.

We're treated to a demonstration of how a professional footballer's boots are fit to the millimetre, using 3D foot scanners and foot sole pressure mappers.

'Comfort has a correlation with performance', is the firmly established belief among the experts here, as well as the players themselves.

And with that wisdom, it's back to where we began, at the entrance to the 'World of Sports' – a name that truly lives up to its billing.

• Buy LFC's 2025-26 adidas kits at our official online store