In addition to the football being played, the eye-catching boots on players’ feet at the FIFA World Cup have also been turning a lot of heads.
With Nike being one of the world’s most well-known sportswear manufacturers, fans were keen to see what they would come up with for this summer’s showpiece event.
Most players have been spotted wearing the “Breakout” collection, which features a pink and white design.
However, two of the biggest superstars in action at the tournament, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, have been spotted rocking a much more exclusive colourway.
Named the “Scorpion Pack” Mercurial Vapor 17s, these boots feature a distinct orange and dark blue design.
According to estimates, Nike is the most well-represented brand at this summer’s World Cup. About 232 players in the starting lineups of the various participating nations were sponsored by Nike, while Adidas had 218 players on their books.
Within this number, there are several that some of the most well-known players in the sport. Apart from the aforementioned Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, Nike also has deals with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Jamal Musiala and Nico Williams.
Back in the group stages, Cristiano Ronaldo also got his hands on an exclusive design. To celebrate him becoming the first ever player to score at six separate editions of the World Cup, Nike announced the release of a limited-edition gold CR7 Mercurial.
The boots feature a metallic gold finish with white accents, giving the boot a trophy-inspired finish. It also contains the signature CR7 branding on the heel, along with Ronaldo’s signature, while there is also a translucent “GOAT” graphic visible when looking at the soleplate from underneath.
Nonetheless, it is perhaps fair to assume that Mbappe and Vini Jr. are perhaps the most high-profile names on Nike’s client roster at the moment, and this decision to design special boots that only they got to wear could be confirmation of that notion.
It appears the stylish boots have also succeeded in bringing out the best in the Real Madrid duo’s abilities on the pitch. Vinicius Junior was by far Brazil’s most potent attacking threat this summer, scoring four goals and providing one assist before the Canarinho were knocked out by Norway in the Round of 16.
Mbappe, meanwhile, has been even better with France. Now the captain of his team, he is joint top of the goalscoring charts alongside Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland.
While his Real Madrid teammate will not feature at this World Cup anymore, Mbappe has a real chance of going all the way, looking at how France are performing at the moment.
