The Samba isn't just a shoe anymore. It’s a uniform. Walk through any borough in London or a coffee shop in Silver Lake, and you’ll see that slim profile everywhere. But there’s a specific version that makes people stop and stare—or sometimes, recoil in confusion. I'm talking about the Adidas Samba with long tongue details. It’s that oversized, foldable flap of leather that reaches up toward your shin, often covered in textured "busenitz" style ribbing or a classic trefoil logo.
Some people love it. Others think it looks like a stray piece of sports equipment that forgot to leave the pitch. Honestly, both are right.
To understand why this design exists, you have to look at where the Samba actually came from. We aren't talking about TikTok trends or Harry Styles. We're talking about frozen football pitches in 1950s Germany. The original Samba was designed to give players traction on icy, hard ground. But as the shoe evolved into the "Samba Classic," that elongated tongue became a functional necessity. It was meant to be folded over the laces to provide a smoother striking surface for the ball and to keep the laces from coming undone during a match.
The Identity Crisis of the Samba Classic
If you walk into a Dick’s Sporting Goods today, you’ll find the Samba Classic. This is the primary Adidas Samba with long tongue construction that most people encounter. It’s different from the "Samba OG" or the "Samba Vegan." The Classic is built for indoor soccer.
The tongue is massive. It’s made of a molded EVA material that feels a bit more "plasticky" than the rest of the leather upper. For a purist, this is the only real Samba. For a fashion enthusiast who just wanted the shoe they saw on Bella Hadid, it’s often a shock. I’ve seen countless Reddit threads on r/Sneakers where buyers ask if they got a "fake" pair because the tongue is hitting their ankle.
It’s not fake. It’s just heritage.
The length of that tongue serves a purpose for athletes, but for lifestyle wear, it creates a unique silhouette. It breaks the line of your trousers. If you’re wearing cropped pants, that long tongue becomes the centerpiece of the whole outfit. It’s aggressive. It says you actually might play a game of five-a-side after your latte.
When High Fashion Met the Fold-Over
The long tongue isn't just for the $75 indoor soccer shoes, though. It’s been elevated. The most famous modern iteration of the Adidas Samba with long tongue is undoubtedly the collaboration with British designer Wales Bonner.
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Grace Wales Bonner didn't just bring back the long tongue; she obsessed over it. She turned it into a luxury statement. Her versions often feature heavy top-stitching—that "football stitch" look—and premium leathers. When these dropped, the narrative shifted. Suddenly, the "annoying" long tongue was the most desirable thing in streetwear.
The Wales Bonner Sambas use a fold-over tongue that stays down. It’s weighted differently than the athletic version. It creates a flap that covers the laces entirely, nodding to the soccer boots of the 1990s, like the Adidas Predator. This is high-level nostalgia. It works because it feels intentional. It’s not just a long piece of leather; it’s a design choice that references Afro-Atlantic culture and European sportswear history simultaneously.
Decoding the Textures
Why does the tongue have those ridges?
On the Samba Classic, those horizontal lines are there to help the tongue fold naturally. It’s ergonomics. On the skate versions—the Samba ADV—the tongue is often thinned out or modified, but the long-tongue variants keep that ribbing to protect the top of the foot.
If you look at the Adidas Samba with long tongue models across the board, you’ll notice three distinct types:
- The Samba Classic tongue: Harder, molded EVA, very long, usually white with a blue Adidas label.
- The Wales Bonner style: Soft leather or suede, designed specifically to be folded down, often with contrasting stitching.
- The Busenitz influence: While technically a different shoe, Dennis Busenitz’s signature Adidas skate shoe is essentially a Samba on steroids with a "cut-to-size" long tongue.
The Great Tongue Debate: To Fold or Not to Fold?
This is where things get heated in the community. If you own a pair of Adidas Samba with long tongue Classics, how do you actually wear them?
Most soccer players leave it up. It protects the bridge of the foot. But in a lifestyle context, leaving the tongue standing straight up can look a bit... goofy. It creates a vertical line that can make your legs look shorter.
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The "pro move" is the fold. You tuck the tongue down so it covers about half of the lacing system. This reveals the underside of the tongue, which is often a different texture. It gives the shoe a wider, more substantial look.
But there’s a third camp. The "cutters."
Yes, people actually take scissors to their Sambas. Because the Samba Classic is cheaper than the OG, people buy them and then realize they hate the long tongue. There are dozens of YouTube tutorials showing you how to trim the EVA tongue down to a "normal" size. Honestly, it’s a bit of a gamble. If you mess up the curve, you’ve ruined a classic.
Why the Long Tongue is Winning in 2026
We’ve moved past the era of "clean" sneakers. For a while, everyone wanted the most minimal, stripped-back version of everything. The Stan Smith was king because it was simple.
But fashion cycles always move toward the "ugly-cool" or the "technical-weird." The Adidas Samba with long tongue fits perfectly into the current obsession with "Blokecore"—that aesthetic that leans heavily into vintage British football fan culture.
It’s a shoe with a "wrong" proportion. And in 2026, "wrong" is usually what looks right. The oversized tongue adds bulk to a shoe that is otherwise very slim. If you’re wearing wide-leg trousers or baggy denim, a standard Samba OG can sometimes get "lost" under the hem. The long tongue fights back. It creates a point of friction where the pant meets the shoe.
Real-World Comfort Issues
Let's be real for a second. If you aren't used to it, that long tongue can be a literal pain.
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The EVA material on the Classic models is stiff. Out of the box, it might dig into the front of your ankle. I’ve found that it takes about two weeks of consistent wear for the material to soften enough to fold comfortably. If you have a high instep, the Adidas Samba with long tongue might feel restrictive.
Also, the squeak. My god, the squeak.
The friction between the long synthetic tongue and the leather eyelets creates a sound that can only be described as a wet balloon rubbing against a window. It’s the primary complaint about the Samba Classic. Pro tip: Rub a little bit of clear lip balm or unscented candle wax on the edges of the tongue where it hits the shoe. It kills the noise instantly.
How to Style the Long Tongue Without Looking Like a Referee
If you’re diving into the Adidas Samba with long tongue world, you need to balance the proportions.
- The Wide-Leg Route: Wear oversized chinos or carpenter pants. Let the hem hit the top of the folded tongue. This creates a chunky, grounded look that stops the Samba from looking too much like a ballet flat.
- The Sporty Twist: Lean into the heritage. Wear them with white crew socks (scrunch them down, don't pull them tight) and nylon shorts. This is the "off-duty athlete" look that has stayed popular for decades.
- The Contrast Method: If you have the Wales Bonner version with the cream tongue and dark leather, let that tongue be the star. Keep the rest of the outfit monochrome.
The Samba isn't going anywhere. It’s a 70-year-old design that has survived every trend cycle imaginable. But the long tongue version is the one that separates the casual fans from the people who really appreciate the deep cuts of footwear history. It’s a bit weird, a bit loud, and slightly annoying to break in. But that’s exactly why it works.
Your Next Steps for the Perfect Fit
If you're ready to commit to the long-tongue look, don't just buy your usual size. The Samba Classic (the most common long-tongue model) tends to run a bit narrower than the Samba OG.
- Go up half a size if you have wide feet; the arch support in the Classic is much more aggressive than in the fashion-focused versions.
- Invest in some leather conditioner immediately if you get a leather-tongued collab version; keeping that flap supple is the only way to ensure it folds flat and stays there.
- Check the model number. Look for "G17068" if you want the definitive black/white long tongue experience.
Stop worrying about whether it looks "too much." The oversized tongue is a piece of sports history on your feet. Fold it down, lace them tight, and embrace the squeak. It’s part of the charm.