New in: 2026 Mercurials

Last week saw the launch of the new Nike Mercurial range, as usual featuring the two high-end models, the Vapor and the Superfly, but this time they’ve introduced two different boot designs, as was the case in the past, and they’ve done so with a major change: the collar is no longer there. 

Nike Mercurial Vapor

We’ll start with the Mercurial, which will be worn by many professional players. It’s a boot with a narrow last and a successor to GripKnit called AtomKnit – a material designed to strike a balance between lightness and grip, providing support at top speed whilst offering just the right amount of touch for perfect ball control. 

The sole is made of nylon and is incredibly responsive, taking me right back to 2014, and the stud pattern is very, very much in the Mercurial style. The boot as a whole captures the pure essence of Mercurial and is the most typical successor to the previous generation. 

Nike Mercurial Superfly

And now we come to the boots we’ll see on Mbappé’s feet and those of many others; they’re the ‘hardcore’ version, so to speak, the upper is made from Flyweave Ultra, a material inspired by the old lace-up designs we used to see on many Nike boots, which in this case helps to shape the entire upper, ensuring a perfect fit and an extreme sense of lightness and speed. 

This upper also provides extra grip on the ball, and on top of all that, the last is slightly wider than on the Vapor, which will be appreciated by many. 

The outsole is set to revolutionise the market once again, featuring an Airzoom plate that is far more aggressive and better positioned than in the previous version; this plate guarantees simply incredible comfort and responsiveness with every step you take in the Superfly. 

In addition, it is combined with a stud pattern that also features a distinct three-block design, which, together with the ZoomX foam, guarantees some of the most aggressive traction on the market. 

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  Football Boots Air Zoom Mercurial Superfly 11 Elite FG Multi-Color-Black

  £259.46

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• 

  Football Boots Air Zoom Mercurial Vapor 17 Elite FG Multi-Color-Black

  £242.16

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Here are the new Nike Mercurials: two different styles of boot, both of which capture the very essence of the Mercurial and give us exactly what we’re all looking for in boots of this kind – making us feel lighter and faster. And, my friends, they’ve more than delivered. The queen of speed is back.