THEY JUST DON’T make them like they used to.
Without sounding like a bitter and twisted old cogger, attempts to develop football boots in the past 20 years has resulted in many of our favourites being replaced by outlandish-styled upgrades.
This past week we came across news that Adidas are seemingly releasing a new batch of their legendary Copa Mundials – in an array of different gaudy colours.
Credit: Soccercleats101 (h/t: Andy McGeady)
Below, we take a look at how boots have changed in recent times:
1. Adidas
The classic: Copa Mundial
Credit: Adidas.com
Latest model: F50 adiZero
Credit: ProDirect
2. Nike
The classic: Tiempo
Credit: Footballboots.co.uk
Latest mode: Nike Mercurial Vapor IX
Credit: ProDirect
3. Puma
The classic: Puma King
Credit: GhostGoal
Latest model: evoSPEED 1.2 (as worn by Sergio Aguero)
Credit: Dave Thompson/PA Archive/Press Association Images
4. Umbro
The classic: Speciali
Credit: ProDirect
Latest model: GT II Pro
Credit: ProDirect
5. Diadora
The classic (as worn by Roy Keane)
Credit: Neal Simpson/EMPICS Sport
Latest model: Evoluzione R
Credit: Diadora Soccer
God be with the days of the led heavy Blackthorn boots.You could kill a man with them but that’s if you could lift them up out of the boggy football pitches.Shoelaces about 10 metres long n ud have to strap them all the way up to your knee caps.LETHAL !!!
Blackthorn could be got for 19.99 euro in some places. Great for the kickout. Bad for the toe blister….
The umbro ones dont look too bad in comparison to some of the rest. I’d take the guady colours if the quality of the boots were up to par. Some of these new boots are shoddy as hell and barely last a couple of months.
You say they dont make them like they used to except they do. I just retired a pair of copas that I wore for an average of two hours a day for two years after they eventually split. The pair I had before that were a pair of Puma Kings!
There is clearly a demand for brighter and lighter boots hence they are selling so much. It might not be to your or my preference but the classics are still out there for people who want them. And if you do buy one ofnthe newer types as long as you buy the real deal and look after them they will last for years.
AANNDDD a lot of those arent even evolutions of the boot you are comparing them with but completely new releases. There was probably someone giving out about the copas the day they got released.
I can just see everyone in the score office shaking their heads and banging their sticks shouting “change is not good”.
End rant.
The issue with the new sparkly boots that manufacturers are selling is that they are made lighter but not durable hence the amount of injuries that are sustained by footballers.
The time when Rooney and Beckham broke their metatarsals, back in the early years of the premier league that wouldn’t of happened as the boots protected the foot.
Nowadays the boots are made lighter for speed and agility but lack the protection. Plus it’s easier for footballers to roll over on their ankle with the newest boots.
Copa Mundial and nike tiempo boots are the best I’ve used.
Nike tempo are still kicking around always get them ! Black boots with a white tick can’t go wrong such a solid boot
Diadora? Jaysus, I forgot about those! Do any of the top footballers wear them anymore?
Had the Nike Mercurial’s a few tears ago, not the replicas, best boots i’ve ever had, lasted years.
Aguero has girls feet!