Portugal’s dreams of lifting the 2026 FIFA World Cup came to a premature end in Arlington on Tuesday as they lost 1-0 to Spain in the Round of 16.
The telling blow was delivered by substitute Mikel Merino in injury time after a well-crafted move left him one-on-one with Diogo Costa.
Even though they managed to hold Spain up until then, Portugal seemed second-best throughout the encounter.
Their front-three of Pedro Neto, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Joao Felix offered little threat and barely created any notable chances. While poor attacking choices have been a story throughout Portugal’s campaign, their supposedly poor equipment also came under question during the Iberian derby.
In the final few minutes of the first half, Felix rose for a header and in the aftermath ended up clanging his shoulder into the advertisement boards.
As he received treatment, the cameras switched to a barefoot Neto involved in an animated conversation with the referee. He held up his right boot, showcasing a huge tear in the back and demanding a replacement.
However, viewers were left bewildered when the new boot supplied to Neto from the sidelines had an equally large hole. Fans were quick to criticize Nike for the tenacity of their footwear.
Not a good look for Nike right now💀😭 pic.twitter.com/9u3vGnKjAd
— Blossom🌸 (@Bloseptnew) July 6, 2026
“Really bad ad for Nike there”, a fan wrote on X.
Yet, it quickly became clear that the torn boots were no mistake.
The hole in the replacement shoes looked neatly cut and deliberate, instead of having any tattered bits hanging about.
“It’s done on purpose, it giving him more room”, another user argued.
“doubt they give them broken in boots”, echoed another reply.
Why do players cut the back of their boots? pic.twitter.com/yMYMoi6iQz
— george (@StokeyyG2) July 6, 2026
As it turns out, several players at the highest level employ the open-back boots technique for a multitude of reasons.
Primary amongst them is to avoid Haglund’s deformity, a medical condition where a bony enlargement develops on the back of the heel. A major cause for it is the constant friction enacted on the feet by shoes.
“some boots fit too tight around the heel, so they cut them”, a user on X hinted the same.
Apart from the bony growth, symptoms also include redness, calluses, and blisters along with considerable pain. Football players are particularly susceptible to the deformity because of their tendency to wear tight-fitting in order to get a proper feel for the ball.
Moreover, the open-back also relieves tension on the achilles and can help avoid injuries. It also undoubtedly helps with air-flow, which can prove to be crucial in the warm conditions the current World Cup is being played under.
“Its not @Nike fault, the match was too hot Nike can’t afford the lawsuit,” an X user wrote speculating the same.
With his World Cup now over, Neto no longer needs to worry about how his boots fit for at least another month. However, it won’t be long before he returns to Chelsea with the Premier League season set to begin on August 21.
