There was no secret that Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant had a strong love for soccer and the passion behind the European fans. Although he spent a solid chunk of his childhood playing basketball in Italy, Bryant chose FC Barcelona ad his adopted team later in his adult life. It wasn't long before Nike and Kobe collaborated on a few FC Barcelona-inspired sneakers and in a full-circle moment, we'll see yet another Barcelona Kobe sneaker in the form of an Air Force 1.

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The Nike Air Force 1 has been a popular canvas for Kobe-themed designs throughout 2025 and after the success of initial releases, Nike is planning to move even deeper into the space with more imaginative colorways. Recently, they dropped a Lakers Home/Away pack and are planning to add another “Triple White” release to their catalogue as well.

The FC Barcelona x Kobe Bryant ties have been strong in the past as sneaker diehards will remember the ultra-exclusive Nike Kobe 6 Barcelona coming in both a red/blue home iteration and the classic mango away version as well. Original pairs are fetching upwards of $8,000 on the aftermarket, so this will certainly be a breath of fresh air for Kobe collectors.

Kobe Bryant x FC Barcelona x Nike Air Force 1

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The Air Force 1 will be tailored to another Kobe Bryant theme with an all-over purple look to honor the colors he wore with the Lakers. The shoes appear to be textured all throughout the upper in snakeskin material and contrasted with black stitching throughout. The outsoles will be done in flat black to match the laces, tongue, and sockliner.

Closer looks reveal a glossy patent leather Nike Swoosh along with a re-tooled back heel cut into the shape of the Black Mamba logo. Kobe Bryant's signature is done in black along the midsole while we see the FC Barcelona crest across the tongue and lace dubraes. All in all, this is certainly a unique tribute to the Black Mamba himself and we should see another exclusive release behind these.

There's no word on an official public release just yet, but we should receive word in the coming months as to whether this release will ever see the light of day. Where does this rank among Kobe's other Barcelona collaborations?