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Nike Football Boots

Ian Ebbs

As worn by the likes of Ronaldo & Mbappe, Nike football boots are the most popular boots in the world, and you can jump straight to their latest releases by clicking on the images below.

What You’ll Find On This Page:

What Football Boots Do Nike Make?

Nike’s current football boot lineup is as varied as its number of star players. Currently, the brand silos are the Mercurials (Superfly 10 and Vapor 16), Phantom GX 2 and Luna 2 (Phantom Luna 1 for Women) and Tiempo Legend 10. They each come in Elite, DF, Pro, Academy and Club editions, more about those options below…

Nike Football Boots
Selection of the latest Nike boot releases

The Mercurial is one of the most iconic of all time and known for being a speed boot. Brazilian striker Ronaldo made them popular, with Cristiano Ronaldo taking the mantle to new heights.

Nike Mercurial Superfly

The Swoosh’s flagship boot with a dynamic fit sock collar as worn by Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Jadon Sancho.

Some select-Nike players led by CR7 and Mbappe wear the Mercurial Dream Speed series, now on its 8th generation. Check out the boots below:

Mercurial Vapor

The Vapor is the most popular boot in the world and worn by Robert Lewandowski, Bruno Fernandes and lots of professional footballers worldwide.

Phantom GX

Worn by Erling Haaland, Mason Mount and Phil Foden this is the collarless version of the Phantom, ideal for those who want the Gripknit upper without the sock.

Phantom Luna

The Phantom is designed for the skill players, with a grippy upper, the Luna pairs have a sock collar and are worn by fewer pro players than the low, the original Phantom Luna 1 was marketed as a female boot, but is now for all.

Tiempo Legend

The Legend is Nike’s heritage leather boot, offering comfort and tradition worn by Virgil Van Dijk, Jorginho and Thiago Silva.

Known as Nike’s premier leather boot for a long while, the Tiempo Legend has just switched to a synthetic leather make following the brand’s announcement of discontinuing the use of K-leather.

Premier

Soon to be phased out as Nike goes all in on synthetic leather, the Premier is the last remaining retail option from the Swoosh brand for a pair of premium K-leather boots.

ModelQualityPitches Linkout
superfly Mercurial Superfly EliteGripknit+AtomKnit upper with Flyknit DF

Air Zoom Outsole
FG AG SGsuperfly>> Get Elite Mercurial Superfly 10 at Nike
vapor
Mercurial Vapor Elite

Gripknit+AtomKnit upper and Zoom Air outsole
FG AG SGvapor>> Get Elite Mercurial Vapor 16 at Nike
phantomgx
GX Elite

Gripknit & Flyknit upper

Cyclone 360 Outsole
FG AG SGphantomgx>> Get Elite Phantom GX2 at Nike
luna
Luna Elite

Gripknit, Flyknit & sock collar

Cyclone 360 Outsole
FG Grass AG Artificialluna>> Get Phantom Luna at Nike
tiempo
Tiempo Legend Elite

FlyTouch Plus upper

Hyperstability Outsole
FG AG SGtiempo>> Get Elite Tiempo Legend 10 at Nike
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Nike Boot Reviews

Below we have reviews of all of Nike’s Elite boots, take a look and work out which is best for you? Get your FREE Boot Secrets guide so you can work out which is best for you!

Latest Nike Boot Packs

Mad Voltage Pack

Nike’s Mad Voltage Pack put up a combination of striking and sombre and used that contrast to light things up this fall. The release was timed right in the middle of the opening phase of the 2024/25 Champions League. Volt and grey were the themes of the pack, and each silo did its own interpretation of the Mad Voltage colourway.

In this case, the Mercurials went all-out in being the striking one and opted for an almost full-volt look. It was only interrupted by the black outline of the AIR heel branding and the solid fill of the silver bordered Swooshes. Like in previous packs, the Phantom gave the balanced take, using grey for the Gripknit upper and volt for the gradient quarter.

Lastly, the Tiempo tried to be the low-key one by colouring its Flytouch Plus with grey and switching the outline of the black Swoosh to volt. Arguably though, the upper’s metallic finish somehow delivered the Mad Voltage Tiempo some amount of glimmer and shine.

Who Wears Nike Boots?

The most popular brand of choice amongst pro players, wearers include:

Cristiano Ronaldo

Original headline wearer of the Nike Mercurial, he would have regular special editions for big tournaments & achievements and wore the Dream Speed editions too, in recent times he has been taking a step back from being the face of Mercurial.

Kylian Mbappe

New contender to the Superfly throne, Mbappe has his own Signature collection and has also worn the GS360 and other Limited Nike boots, as well as the MDS 001 to 008.

Virgil Van Djik, Jadon Sancho, Frenkie De Jong, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, Robert Lewandowski are amongst the other professional names wearing Nike boots.

What is difference between Nike; Elite, Pro, Academy & Club?

Ever wondered what makes a Nike pair of shoes get an Elite or Academy label? We will tell you about these different labels and what to expect from each version….

The Elite are the best available pairs, as worn by professional footballers. Then you get the Pro, Academy, and Club as take-down versions (in that order from highest to lowest). As you go down each level, some if not all the features in the Elite are either re-configured or removed. This reduces the price each to time you go further down the tiers.

Elite versions all have ACC treatment, a technology applied to the upper to maintain your touch and control on the ball in wet or dry conditions. The Pro, Academy and Club do not have this coating applied to them.

Pro Nike Boots

The Nike Pro boots are the first set of boots under the Elites that represent minor changes from the top-tiers to bring down the price by around £100. Understanding these will help you work out if you can get more value for money by going to the Pro boots instead.

ModelQualityPitches 
superflypro
Nike Mercurial Superfly Pro
Flyknit upper with DF collar

Limited Zoom Air Tech
FG Turfsuperflypro>> Get Mercurial Superfly 10 Pro at Nike
vaporpro
Mercurial Vapor Pro
Flyknit upper

Limited Zoom Air Tech
FG Turfvaporpro>> Get Mercurial Vapor 16 Pro at Nike
gxpro
GX Pro

Engineered Mesh upper
FG Turfgxpro>> Get Phantom GX Pro at Nike
tiempopro
Tiempo Legend Pro

FlyTouch Pro upper
FG Turftiempopro>> Get Tiempo Legend 10 Pro at Nike

The Mercurial Pro gives significant value for money considering it does feel good, though arguably not as premium as the Elite. That is because the Flyknit upper does not have that Gripknit technology. The Pro Mercurial limits the Zoom Air unit to the heel, with the rest of the outsole traditionally reinforced with an inner board. This makes the Pro less lightweight than the Elite.

It’s unfortunate that Nike is not able to pass on Gripknit to the Pro-level Phantoms. What you get is an engineered mesh coated with a Nikeskin plastic. It’s soft enough for comfort but does have a more structured feel. The quarter is comprised of a neoprene fabric that compress nicely to the foot shape. For those that find the Elite’s soleplate too flexible, the Pro is a welcome change because of its stiffer, more stable midfoot. And while the top GX model has a heel structure where the counter is limited to just the sides for the sake of comfort, the Pro opts for an internal heel counter to perhaps focus back on lockdown instead.

If the Mercurial Pro already gives value for money, wait ’til you get the Tiempo Pro. There is really no telling if there’s a difference in the Flytouch material used for the Pro and for the Elite. Changes occur on the peripheries, and they appear to be insignificant to really differentiate the Pro. The cutouts on the conical studs are less prominent now, though we doubt that really does much in affecting the feel of the traction.

Among the three, the Tiempo Pro is the one most similar to its Elite counterpart in terms of feel. The GX Pro, as mentioned above, has a soleplate that has a rigid midfoot as opposed to the flexible one on the Elite. Mercurial Pro’s tooling feels relatively thicker because an inner board takes up the space left by the Zoom Air unit, which is now limited to the heel. No changes on the stud layout from any of the Nike Pro boots.

Club Options

Quality-wise, I feel it’s better to save up some more and look at other available boots, most especially those Elite old colourways or generations that are now discounted. You are also better served by at least considering the Academy model. The Club still serves its purpose, especially for really young players and if you are simply looking for the cheapest boot possible to get started.

Club ModelQualityPitches 
superflyclub Mercurial Superfly Club Textured Synthetic materials and textile collar

Multiground plastic soleplate
Mixed Grass Artificialsuperflyclub>> Get Mercurial Superfly 10 Club at Nike
vaporclub
Mercurial Vapor Club

Synthetic upper and MG outsole
Mixed Grass Artificialvaporclub>> Get Club Mercurial Vapor 16 at Nike
gxclub
GX Club

Textured Synthetic materials

MG outsole
Mixed Grass Artificialgxclub>> Get Phantom GX Club at Nike
tiempoclub
Tiempo Legend Club

Textured Synthetic materials

MG outsole
Mixed Grass Artificialtiempoclub>> Get Tiempo Legend 10 Club at Nike

For the Club, Nike uses a generic synthetic material, and the brand simply adopts texturing and graphic techniques to make them look like the Elite model. With a generic material also comes a generic fit. Club boots are multi-grounded by default, this means they can be worn on firm grass and artificial pitch surfaces, there are also models with TF outsoles for those playing in older generation, carpet-like synthetic grass pitches.

Nike Academy Boots

The Academy boots are usually the most sold as they provide the good balance between budget and functionality. You can click on the the images below to go straight to our Academy reviews.

Frequently Asked Nike Boot Questions

What are the best Nike football boots?

The Elite models, with all the features, technology and benefits as worn by professionals.

What are Nike Academy boots?

Academy boots are a cheaper alternative that look like those worn by pros but with less quality materials & technology used.

What are Nike Elite boots?

These are the top-end and most expensive models of all their boots that include all the premium qualities and material and are worn by professional players.

Not sure what style, colour or even size shoe to buy? Consider a Nike Gift card as a gift this year – Physical Card in a box to open or Digital version by email available.

Many Nike boots use Flyknit fabric for the upper construction, this can also be found on many PRO models, but is absent in the academy and club that use cheaper upper materials. In the Mercurial lines, the Elite boots use one piece of 360 degree flyknit, whilst the Pro Vapor & Superfly still have Flyknit, but it doesn’t wrap the boot in the same way, on the Academy and Club the flyknit is replaced completely by synthetic leather.

Nikeskin a thin Nike synthetic layer (a polyurethan film) is also used on many Elite and Pro boots, but is not on the cheaper models, where you’ll find a more basic trophy synthetic.

Why Are Nike Boots at different price points?

The technology and quality of material varies between boots. An Elite GX for instance has the Nike-proprietary Gripskin technology, a special variation of Flyknit with integrated sticky yarns for enhanced ball grip. Such is not the case on the Pro and Academy versions, which does not have the sticky upper and instead resorts to cheaper mesh material with a plastic coating overlay.

Elite boots have the lightest soleplates, with technology removed or the quality reduced, as you move down the scale.

Academy sole-plates often only come in mixed soles (MG) a combination of Firm Ground and Artificial to suit both surfaces. FG and AG are on Elite pairs, with soft ground (SG) only on some tiers, Anti Clog tech only comes as standard.

Designed for different styles; the Nike Mercurial silo suits Speed, Phantom Skill and Tiempo for Comfort. Elite, Pro, Academy and Club at full retail price are around £250, £140, £80, and £60.

A popular choice amongst professionals and amateur players alike, if you like the look of Nike boots, then we can help you find a pair that will fit and perform to your expectations. There are different styles for speed, skill and comfort, and varying options for different price points with different materials and technology, hence the new Elite, Pro, Academy and Club naming convention as well as DF for used to indicate Dynamic Fit collars.

Nike’s Jr. Boots For Kids

Nike football boots for Kids come in all of the brand’s current lineup: Mercurial Vapor and Superfly, Phantom GX, and Tiempo Legend. To cater to the level of physical demand in kids football, the features available in each silo have been made tailor-fit; Pro models are available only in the Mercurials, with Academy being the highest model for the Tiempo Legend and the Phantom. Regarding the soleplates, the Mercurial are available in FG whereas the the other two are multi grounded. Despite this, the stud configurations of the boots are patterned to their mother boots, so the sole looks and performs in a similar way. The only exception to all of these is the Phantom Luna, since even in the adult version the Luna only has an Elite model to begin with.

Tech-wise, the children’s boots use many of the similar features of the adult boot; the upper in the Mercurials and the Phantoms has been made Kid-friendly while the silos’ distinct features like the Mercurials’ Zoom Airbag and the Phantom Academy’s NikeSkin coating have been retained. The Tiempo Legend has been scaled down though with its FlyTouch Lite upper, rather than the Plus on the Elite Tiempo. It gives a more protective, padded feel which should be sufficient for kids football.

A history of Old Nike Boots

Besides the current lineup, Nike’s dominance on the pitch had been carried out by some of the most recognised boots in the history of the game.

Nike Venom

Phantom Venom

Nike’s strikers replacement for the Hypervenom Phantom (Kane, Rashford, Lewandowski)

Nike Vision

Phantom Vision

Phantom VSN 2 – Quadfit, Ghost Laces (De Bruyne)

The Phantom Vision and Venom were Nike’s power and control boots respectively. It was no surprise that strikers like Lewandowski and Kane were proud wearers of the Phantom VNM while midfielders De Bruyne and Havertz were picked to play with the Vision. These two boots have since been superseded by the Phantom GT a boot designed to work for Venom and Vison wearers together.

Nike Hypervenom Phantom

Hypervenom Phantom

With a revolutionary NikeSkin upper and designed for a new breed of attack like Neymar Jr.

No one can forget the Hypervenom which introduced a soft and supple, mesh-based Nikeskin upper that was never before seen at that time. It had Neymar for it’s launch and was immediately worn by other stars like Ibrahimovich and Rooney. Despite some early reservations with the replacement of the beloved T90 series, players became receptive to the Hypervenom eventually because of its revolutionary technology.

Magista Obra

Magista Obra

The first boot with a flyknit upper, the Magista Obra was designed as a midfielders control boot.

Nike’s patented Flyknit technology was engineered for football for the first time with the release of the Magista, the Magista’s Flyknit upper enabled the boots to have a more direct feel for the ball and none other than the technically savvy Iniesta had become the face of the silo. But perhaps the most spectacular highlight in Magista’s lifetime would be Mario Gotze scoring the winning goal in the 2014 World Cup Final wearing them.

T90 Laser

Total 90 was another Nike silo that was beloved by players, it was specifically known for its striking elements and arguably the spiritual predecessor of the Phantom VNM. Spanning a decade from 2000 up to 2011, the T90 had been part of some of football’s greatest moments-Rooney’s bicycle against Man City, Roberto Carlos’ free-kick against China, and Torres’ record-breaking goal against Tottenham for the most goals in a debut season from a foreign player in the Premier League.

The T90 also had iconic ads, capped by the ‘Take it to the Next Level’ 2008 commercial featuring a first-person view of a player’s progression from grassroots football to international level, showing the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic, Ronaldhino, and even legendary manager Arsene Wenger along the way.

CTR 360 Maestri

Tracing the family tree of Nike’s control boots would lead you to one of its roots in the form of the CTR360, constantly being debuted by Cesc Fabregas, it complemented Nike’s other silos at that time like the Total90 and Vapor; lines that were designed for strikers, by being created for playmakers. Specifically for the CTR360, Nike developed a new synthetic leather at that time called KANGALITE that was water-resistant and had better ball feel and touch.

If the Phantom VNM has the T90 and the Phantom VSN2 has the Magista and CTR360, the Tiempo Legend has its start with the likes of the Air Legend. The 2006 boot was made famous by Andrea Pirlo and was also worn by Fabregas and Tevez. It had Nike’s Zoom Air technology which is a cushioning system designed for speed and agility.

Nike Boot History

For the history of Nike Boots, watch our YouTube video here:

Nike Boots UK

Nike boots are available globally with all major releases available in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland), Ireland, Europe and into Australia and New Zealand, you can get your pair delivered to most of Asia just ask us.

The well known Swoosh logo and the trademark ‘Just do it’ arrived later in the story of Nike, they began life as Blue Ribbon Sports in 1964, not becoming Nike Inc until 1978, the company made their first soccer shoe in 1971, since many classics have been created including the Tiempo and Mercurial lines, worn by some of the greatest players to play the game, are you next?

Author

Ian Ebbs

Founder of FootballBoots.co.uk back in 2010, Ian went on to create and host their YouTube channel which now has 1.5million subscribers and over 300 million views, he also hosts their podcast which you can find on Spotify. He regularly plays masters football, coaches girls and boys teams and is President of his local club. Taking his over fifteen year experience in the football industry, Ian wrote the book: How To Choose Your Boots (find it on Amazon) where he looks to help footballers of all levels find their perfect pair.

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