Not all football boots are created equal. Like certain pairs of sneakers, some styles transcend to icon status and Nike’s latest bring-back is one of them. Much like adidas’ Predator received a reboot early this year, the Swoosh is reviving Ronaldo’s ‘Chrome’ 2002 Mercurial Vapor 1 RGN, and they’ve picked Vini Jr to help debut it.
Decked out in the iconic ‘Chrome’ colourway, the boot is made for flashy footwork – its silver upper comes complemented with neon green accents, and an R9 logo on the tongue makes it even more of a standout. And although the retro Mercurial looks just as good as it did in the early aughts, to keep pace with the modern game Nike have kitted out R9’s boot with a suite of techy upgrades. Notably, the Mercurial Vapor 1 now features form-fitting FlyTouch+ technology that helps to give players more grip in wet weather – which probably comes in handy if you’re playing in a Sunday league somewhere rainy and not in the blazing heat of Brazil. In addition, the style has been bolstered with Air Zoom Units for maximum speed, and it was even modelled on a last that’s specifically designed to make the boot’s shape more comfortable.
Speaking on the opportunity to debut the retro, Vini Jr said, ‘It’s a really special feeling to use these boots now, knowing the history behind them. They’re such an iconic boot and a symbol of one of the biggest legends of the game, Ronaldo. I can’t wait to try them in the next games — hopefully, I’ll score as many goals as R9 did with them.’
Dropping in a limited run of 4500 pairs, the Chrome Mercurial Vapor 1 RGN will touch down at Nike and select retailers on December 9. Hit the links below to get yours on the day.