Shoe with a central fastener

Shoe, having an upper formed of a flexible upper material, of a type used for sport, leisure and rehabilitation shoes, comprising a central fastener provided on an instep cover that is movable toward and away from an instep, and having a tightening member from which a ropelike tightening element connected to it extends toward each of opposite side portions of the upper of the shoe wherein:

• A) the instep cover is formed of a soft elastic tongue comprised of a padding;
• B) a lower end of the tongue is deflectably fastened to a toe end portion of the upper material of the shoe;
• C) the central fastener is attached to an exposed center strip of the tongue by a holding plate made of a hard, dimensionally stable material;
• D) the length of the holding plate is at most 95% of a corresponding length of the instep;
• E) the holding plate is attached to the center strip of the tongue in a manner leaving at least 5% of the length of center strip, between a lower front edge of holding plate and the lower end of the tongue uncovered;
• and
• F) the tightening element runs, on each side of the tongue, from a lateral guide at the central fastener, in a direction toward the toe of the shoe, alternately over a top guide element of a side part of the shoe, then over a guide element on one of the tongue and the holding plate, and then at least over another guide element of the side part to the lower end of the tongue where it is free of the holding plate.