The history of Nike Tiempo dates back to Nike’s early days in the world of football, and continues to the present day. It all began when Nike decided to launch its first studded boot, using its flagship ‘Cortez’ model and simply adding a studded sole.
And so began Nike’s story in the world of football – a story that, quite literally, would stand the test of time.
The history of Nike Tiempo
Although the project got underway in 1972, it wasn’t until 1983 that the first Nike Tiempo as such appeared: a black leather model (of course, the world wasn’t ready for colour yet) that was hugely popular with players, featuring gold detailing and the word ‘Tiempo’ embossed on the side.
A few years later, in 1992, Nike produced what would become the star boot of the 1994 World Cup: the Nike Tiempo Premier. Eight players from the Brazilian national team – who went on to win the World Cup – wore these boots, leaving an indelible mark with a pair of Tiempo on their feet. A leather boot, but this time made from kangaroo leather, which, as I’m sure you know, maximises softness and comfort; it also featured a prominent tongue with the Swoosh in the centre. Simply a thing of beauty.
Nike’s football boots and market continued to evolve, and the Nike Premier concept was carried forward in the years that followed, during which time a number of outstanding Nike football boots were also launched. In the late 1990s, the first Nike Air GX boots were released, as well as, of course, the Nike Mercurial football boots, the icon of speed.
The Tiempo range continued with this classic kangaroo leather boot design, and we saw various versions of the Premier 94, featuring slight modifications, but without any radical changes until 2002, when the Nike Tiempo Premier was launched. Influenced by the trend towards lightweight boots, these were significantly lighter and presented themselves as a more modern and adaptable boot.
Ronaldinho's football boots
But then came 2004 and 2005, friends, and during those years the global superstar Ronaldinho, after trying out various Nike models, finally settled on the Nike Air Legend – an evolution of the Premier featuring the Mercurial sole that the Brazilian star loved. And so began the story of Ronaldinho and Tiempo, with special editions and exclusive Nike models, including the legendary Nike Air Legend R10
The ‘Premier’ name was dropped, and with the inclusion of Nike’s Zoom Air technology in the boots, this naming convention was adopted; however, the legacy of the Tiempo lived on in the new Nike Air Legend II, launched in 2008, which featured the word ‘Tiempo’ embossed on the side.
A stunning boot, which was much lighter than previous versions and also featured some of the finest kangaroo leather.
2010 World Cup boots
And with the World Cup upon us, we have a new Tiempo model: the Nike Tiempo Legend III, which retained that classic boot design but with a more minimalist and clean-cut look, minimising the tongue as much as possible. It also featured top-quality kangaroo leather.
In 2011, the evolution continued with the new Nike Tiempo Legend IV, a new model that retained the essence of the original but now features a very contemporary design. Kangaroo leather on the forefoot, ACC technology, and tri-claw studs in the centre for greater traction.
The tongue was completely removed, marking Nike Tiempo’s first step towards the boot we know today.
More "Tiempo" than ever
As we enter 2013, we have one of the finest Tiempo models ever, with the fifth iteration of the Tiempo Legend. It builds on the previous model, but features Kangalite on the rear, which replaced the previous synthetic microfibres and blends seamlessly with the kangaroo leather on the front. A true masterpiece.
There were some truly brilliant special editions, such as Totti’s, which will always remain in the memories of true classic football fans.
The evolution of the Tiempo continues, but with a truly significant leap forward. For the Nike Tiempo Legend VI, the seams on the forefoot were removed and replaced with an internal cage that provides structure to the kangaroo leather. This change was striking, but it laid the foundations for Nike’s latest football boots. With no seams, we had a cleaner, more neutral feel, yet without losing the essence of natural leather. As for the stud plate, it remained unchanged, as the players simply loved it.
The Nike Tiempo Legend VII was launched in 2017, featuring a revamp of every detail of the boot and the inclusion of Nike’s flagship technology: Flyknit. The internal cage in the leather forefoot was retained, but the rear and inner lining were shaped using the latest Flyknit, creating a technically cutting-edge boot that nevertheless retains its classic essence throughout.
Nike Tiempo Legend 8 football boots
And so we come to the latest version of the Nike Tiempo football boots, which features a redesigned upper and replaces the internal structure with the Quadfit system, which runs the entire length of the boot and ensures a snug fit. The weave of the upper has also been modified to provide better grip on the ball.
Of course, the back is made of synthetic microfibre, with Flyknit reserved solely for the inside and the lacing of the boot. A boot that has undergone changes and, as you can see, is performing brilliantly at this EURO.
And that, friends, is the whole story of the Nike Tiempo Legend: a long journey full of changes, twists and turns, and brilliant boot designs that we can say without a doubt is impressive. The best thing about all this, however long it may seem, is that it continues, as the story of the Nike Tiempo seems to have no end.
Log in or
create your account
Your best self starts here. Come in and get in your prime