The world’s best players all have the same thing in common – they wear Nike boots
They are some of the world’s best footballers and they all have one thing in common – they all wear Nike boots.
There is a never-ending battle between adidas and Nike to sign up the best footballers in the world and this year Nike has stepped up its game by launching specialist boots for some of the biggest names in the sport.
The new Nike boots include a spectacular purple pair designed specifically for Kylian Mbappe, a Brazilian-themed pair of boots for Vinicius Jr, and a stunning throwback to Cristiano Ronaldo’s early years.
Here, we round up the best of the new Nike boots for 2025 as worn by the world’s top players
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best players to ever take to a football field and since 2003 he has been wearing Mercurial Vapor 1 ‘Shock Orange’ boots.
The good news is Nike has brought them back as a remake boot and they will go on sale on May 19.
The Mercurial Vapor 1 boots were launched in 2002 as an ultra-lightweight pair for attacking players who want speed, comfort and agility. It perfectly suited a young Cristiano Ronaldo and the re-release of the boots in remake form are going to be hugely popular.
These may be some of the last boots ever released for Cristiano Ronaldo as he comes to the end of his career. Expect them to be popular.
Kylian Mbappe
Nike recently released the Mercurial Superfly 10 Elite Kylian Mbappe special edition. If you are an Mbappe fan you will spot the multiple graphics based on his previous boots worn since 2018.
The purple boots strike quite a picture, but when you are scoring World Cup Final and El Clasico hat tricks, standing out is not a problem. Mbappe is one of Nike’s biggest athletes and you can see the company pays particular attention to his special edition boots, saving the best on the market for the Real Madrid man.
The boots cost £265, but you can get the Academy version for just £89.99.
Erling Haaland
What boots does the best goalscorer in the world wear? That will be the Nike Phantom GXII Erling Haaland boots. Available in six stunning colourways, the boots cost £205 for the Elite version but just £65 for the ‘Academy’ version of the boots.
The boot has asymmetric lacing and offers a large touch surface for better control – and as Haaland knows well, you only need one touch to score a goal.
It has been a while since we have had a new pair of Haaland boots, so keep your eyes peeled for an upgrade in the future.
Jamal Musiala
Okay, these ones weren’t designed exclusively for Musiala. He isn’t quite there yet – but with a fifth Bundesliga title of his career recently secured, at the age of 22, it’s only a matter of time.
And, let’s face it, how could we write about Nike boots and not mention the Tiempo, one of the best and most iconic of all time?
You can grab the Tiempo Legend 10 Elite boots as worn by Musiala for £239.99, but the Academy version is available to pick up for just £79.99 – and the blackout version of both editions are even cheaper still. Shop the full Tiempo range to choose your fit.
Vinicius Jr
The Nike Mercurial Vapor 16 are designed for speed. If you are a pacey, tricky player then the Mercurial Vapor 16 are the boots for you.
They are also the boots of one of the world’s best players. Vinicius Jr wears Nike boots for Real Madrid and Brazil and he has a knack of scoring important goals in them – including a Champions League winner in 2022 against Liverpool.
With the Club World Cup on the horizon, the company has launched a new Nike Mercurial Vapor 16 ‘Vinicius Jr’. The stunning boots, which feature one side paying homage to the Brazilian flag, include quotes about Vinicius Jr.
You will be able to get them in summer 2025.
@planetfutebol What’s your most iconic Nike boot? 👀 #futebol #footballtiktok #nike #nikeboots #oldtrafford #ad ♬ original sound – Planet Football