It’s worth noting that we’re going to look at some unusual cases and special boots we’ve seen recently, and perhaps some players have already made changes. Furthermore, these changes are very, very personal and don’t mean that the rest of us players should follow suit; sometimes the changes made by professionals are simply down to superstition, aesthetics, or because they’re experiencing discomfort in a particular area. With that in mind, let’s get started.
Previous models
We wanted to start by taking a look at those players who bring back old-school boots right up to the present day – something that fills all of us who’ve been kicking a ball about for more than a few years with fondness and nostalgia. We’ll start with Chelsea FC striker Michy Batshuayi, who has recently been wearing vintage adidas boots and surprised us all in recent matches with the leather-upper adidas F50s, straight out of 2012.
Another footballer who has been making a name for himself recently – and who’s bringing back the styles we’ve all been missing so much – is CD Osasuna’s Chimy Ávila. The Argentine, having previously worn the adidas Copa, adidas Nemeziz and a few other models from the adidas football boot range, has opted for the adipure II TRX in recent matches – a leather boot offering excellent grip, which Chimy loves and, of course, is a hit with all the Navarran fans.
Modifications
We’ll now move on to a slightly more personal section, as this isn’t about old models, but rather the modifications top-flight footballers make to their current boots to improve how they feel when wearing them. The case that attracts the most attention, perhaps due to the media coverage it has received, is that of Luka Modric, the Real Madrid footballer, who makes a small cut in the Dynamic Fit collar of his Nike Mercurial Superfly VII boots, adjusting it to fit his ankle.
It’s a rather unusual choice, given that with the Nike Mercurial Vapor Elite already available, it’s quite rare to opt for the Flyknit version; however, judging by the results, it seems the design works a treat.
Another player who has customised his boots is Sergio Busquets of FC Barcelona; although he appears to be wearing a standard version of the Nike Phantom Venom, the sole has been completely modified. This type of football boot sole is taken directly from older Nike Tiempo models, and it seems that his team-mate, Sergio Roberto, has copied the midfielder’s choice.
Toni Kroos
And then there’s the odd one out amongst the odd ones out, the one big exception of them all: the German Toni Kroos, who, as we’ve mentioned several times before, has been playing in his much-loved Adipure boots since the 2013/2014 season.
The German player wears a pair of Adipure 11 Pro 2s, a boot made from modified natural leather, as the sole is very similar to that of the Adipure IV, a model launched in 2011. Adidas continues to supply him with the model he loves so much, and despite the passing of the years, the German player seems to have no intention of changing.
Therefore, these are the football boots worn by professional players – full of quirks, details, quirks, details and special modifications. Do you know of any other examples of special football boots?
