Football boots aren’t just a shoe to play a sport. They are iconic and often as famous as the international athletes that were paid to wear them.
Getting a new pair of boots as a young footballer is an event in itself, and a chance to share the same footwear (not literally) as your heroes.
We all know the big boot manufacturers from Nike and Adidas through to Puma, Umbro and Under Armour. Whether you’re just learning the best football skills or getting ready to play matches on a Sunday afternoon, footballers spend a lot of time deliberating over which boots to buy.
Here are the most famous football boots ever, starting with a boot worn by some of the greatest to play the game…
Adidas Predator
Released in 1994, the Adidas Predator was not only worn by Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham, it changed the design of boots long-term.
The initial idea was to increase the power and spin that could be generated by the player – the ‘fins’ that were added to do this have become commonplace in modern football boots.
There have been several new versions of the Predator since the days of Rui Costa and Zidane. It is the definitive boot of a generation and has been used by multiple superstars from Kaka through to Patrick Vieira.
Adidas F50
The predecessor to a boot that was far more influential, the Adidas F50’s party trick was the hidden laces.
Although manufacturers soon realised this was pointless and a pretty silly gimmick, it was a fun boot when it first arrived on the scene.
Arjen Robben was probably the biggest star to wear the F50, though some of the best players in the world also laced them up including Bastian Schweinsteiger and Ashley Cole. Cheaper options, the F30 and F10, were available.
Puma King
A true ground-breaker, the Puma King changed – and in a sense created – the football boot industry. It added fuel to the fire that was the Adidas and Puma rivalry and opened the door to football boot sponsorship deals.
The Puma King was the first boot to really address the issue of weight – it was lighter than any competitor – and opened the world’s eyes to coloured boots with its all-white version.
Pele, Johan Cruyff, Diego Maradona, Eusebio and Paul Gascoigne all wore the Kings (that would’ve been a good five-a-side team).
More recently, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and France manager Didier Deschamps sported the revolutionary boot. Find odds for Deschamps and Arteta’s teams in 888sport’s football betting.
Nike Total 90
Considered a ‘power boot’ the Nike Total 90 advertising campaign has its own place in football history.
The off-centre lacing was as a first in the world of football boots too, and they had more than a few world-famous figures to endorse their game-changing boot.
Luis Figo was the headliner, but fellow generational talents Roberto Carlos, Wayne Rooney and Patrick Kluivert were Total 90 athletes. The boot has changed in recent years, and its not quite as popular as it was in the mid-2000s.
Adidas Copa Mundial
The Copa Mundial is the highest selling football boot ever. It was first released back in 1979, and is still being sold as we head into the 2020s.
The boot was well ahead of its time back when Franz Beckenbauer was lacing them up – it was far lighter than any other boot on the market.
Beckenbauer wasn’t the only big name to put on the Copa Mundials. French legend Michel Platini and Franco Baresi, arguably the greatest defender in the history of the sport, were also known to wear the boots.
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Gregory Bull / AP Photo*
