RAFA SILVA's FOOTBALL BOOTS AT SL BENFICA

Rafael Alexandre Fernandes Ferreira da Silva is a professional footballer signed to Nike, although we all know him simply as Rafa. Born in Barreiro on the 17th of May 1993, he grew up in an area of Portugal known for being a real breeding ground for footballing talent. It is therefore no surprise that Rafa took his first steps in the world of football there. After coming through the youth ranks at FC Alverca, he spent a season with CD Feirense’s youth team. At just 18, he made the leap to the first team and, after a spectacular season, secured a move to SC Braga.

Rafa is a well-known fan of Nike football boots and, like many other players of his calibre and position, he opts for one of the American brand’s speed ranges: the Mercurials. Amongst all their features, there are several aspects that particularly appeal to the Portuguese footballer: their snug fit, their ultra-lightweight design and a very aggressive and agile outsole, which allows him to change pace and direction quickly without losing stability.

But the Mercurials weren’t always the boots of choice for the young Portuguese footballer. In one of his matches for the Portuguese Under-21s, we saw the Benfica player wearing a pair of Nike Magistas. The Magistas were a huge hit amongst a very select group of footballers sponsored by the American brand. Some loved them, whilst others weren’t entirely convinced, mainly due to their design and a silhouette that gave the impression of being less lightweight and agile. However, we’re talking about boots that stood out for offering a very precise touch on the ball, an extremely aggressive outsole and a very low weight for a pair of top-of-the-range football boots.

Rafa Silva currently plays for SL Benfica, where he has become one of the key players in the Lisbon side. He is also a regular for the Portuguese national team, with whom he has featured in the two finals that resulted in titles for Portugal.

This season, Rafa has been playing a particularly prominent role in the Benfica team, thanks to his goals and spectacular runs – all whilst wearing his new Nike Mercurial Superfly VII Elite boots. Don’t forget that you can now buy the new colourway of these boots at Fútbol Emotion, available as part of the new Nike Future Lab collection.