10 generations in 3 decades. An iconic silo celebrates its 30th anniversary in the form of the Nike Emerald Tiempo. It sure did not let up after making an impactful debut in the 1994 World Cup. Countless stars have worn the Tiempo since then like Maldini, Pirlo, Totti and Pique. So not only is the Tiempo Emerald headlined by a young superstar today, the colourway itself sums up the entire history of one of Nike’s best of all time.
So from rear to toe, the upper is covered with what is officially called Dark Atomic Teal. The shade itself plus the glossy reflection of light definitely give the boot a luxurious feel, something that accurately reflects the occasion and the technical football maestros that have come to represent the silo over the years. Doubling down the elegance of the colourway is the white accent coming from the Swoosh, the Tiempo logo, the outsole and the knitted tongue and collar. Speaking of the outsole, it actually has a green to white fade starting from the forefoot.
Besides the premium Emerald shade, another catchy detail is the quilt on the upper itself. It’s like a curvature in space and time. But more importantly, it’s a good representation of the Tiempo’s continous evolution. The way that the embossed detailing flows through the entirety of the upper alludes to the origin of the Tiempo as an entirely leather boot. However, those familiar with the Tiempo generations would also take note of the quilt as something revolutionary because of how the Tiempo Legend IV propelled the Nike model to greater heights.
Despite the looks and the history surrounding this special release, the Emerald Tiempo is represented by the Tiempo Legend X. That means you get the pliable Flytouch Plus upper, Nike’s best-ever attempt to recreate the properties of leather in a synthetic setting. Because of this, Emerald Tiempo could also be taken as a hint that Nike may be sticking to its word of not going back to leather even for its special edition boots. Nonetheless, with it taking on the Tiempo Legend X form, Emerald Tiempo still gives a lightweight and comfortable fit that is highly functional and progressive. Expect to see the likes of Jamal Musiala and Frenkie De Jong to lace up the Emerald Tiempo for the next few weeks.
