Soccer cleats are easily the most intimidating footwear in sports. Not only do the spikes on the bottom remind me never to get drop kicked by a professional footballer, but the overall design is slick to a dangerous degree. Nike has just made the soccer cleat even more intimidating with its latest product.
This week, Nike introduced the world to the Mercurial Superfly IV – a new soccer cleat that the company promises will make soccer players faster on the field. It does this through two innovations. The first is a new weave that reduces the amount of material between the foot and the ball. Nike says this gives players more control of the ball when moving at fast speeds. The second is a full carbon plate attached to the bottom of the cleat which “helps players to more efficiently transmit power through the ground.” In other words, this is a badass shoe.
Nike goes on to say that the Mercurial Superfly IV will feel like a natural extension of the body for any player who puts it on:
“Players have told us that the Mercurial fits like no other boot,” said Phil McCartney, VP of Sport Performance Footwear. “It feels like an extension of the body because the Dynamic Fit Collar integrates the foot, the ankle and the lower leg. It removes distractions and allows the player to be quicker to the ball and quicker with the ball. This is the huge advantage of Flyknit: We can tune a boot to match a player’s attributes.”
McCartney later says that the Mercurial Superfly came about as more players demanded a better shoe for a more intense game. That’s what this latest soccer cleat is all about:
“We’ve delivered the boot for this new game because we know what a split second means. It can mean the difference between qualifying for the next round and elimination. It can mean the difference between being a champion and being a footnote,” said McCartney. “At Nike, we design boots to bring out the champion in all of our players. That drive and pursuit of perfection has led us to today and the Mercurial Superfly.”
Our fastest boot ever. Meet the #Mercurial Superfly IV, powered by Flyknit technology. http://t.co/S7bYp2OSXO pic.twitter.com/Ch8GInrjZY
— Nike Football (@nikefootball) April 26, 2014
If you can’t take Nike’s own word for it, maybe you’ll believe this advertisement that seems to say the Mercurial Superfly hates sculptures:
The Mercurial Superfly IV will be available for pre-order on May 26 and will be available in store on June 12 – the same day as the World Cup.
Image via Nike Football/YouTube