One of the most heated debates in the soccer world is about the type of boots you wear. To footballers, it’s not just a cleat, It’s an identity. From the brand, all the way down to the color of the laces, oftentimes a players’ cleat establishes their confidence, personality, and flair on the pitch.
This brings me to introduce one of the most popular cleats on the market today: The Nike Mercurial. Dating back to when the Brasilian Ronaldo also named R9 debuted the original model in 1998 for the World Cup.
When the original Nike Mercurial released in 1998 it was the first boot to be made utilizing totally manufactured materials to aid with the first touch and control. Now with modern technology lightweight boots have continually been popular with brands going higher than ever to lessen weight and make outwardly engaging footwear, perhaps trying to capture the same effect that R9 and the Nike Mercurial had on the world.
Nike has developed around 15 different styles and variations of the Mercurial since then- and still topping the sales charts today with their striking design, flashy colorways, and natural comfort.
The reasons for its popularity stem from four aspects that complement a player: fit, touch, traction, and style.
The fit feels like a natural extension of the foot, it maintains the integrity of the athletes’ touch by supporting control at high speeds, its traction allows for lightning-speed acceleration and breaking in any direction, and its style is always unique.
For every style of the Mercurial, Nike maintains those four characteristics in every approach because they believe it to be the foundation for a quality boot and perhaps why it remains a top contender for purchase whether you’re just starting out in the sport or going pro.
Come back next week for another product review. Why not check out this review as well: