At SoccerBible we've got our hands on another football rarity – a pair of custom built Cristiano Ronaldo Nike Mercurial football boots. Crafted to the specifications of the Real Madrid and Portugal man, these Mercurials are unlike any other pair in the boot world, as Cristiano himself has helped to design them...
Match ready to be worn by the prolific and skilful forward, our exclusive photography gives never-before-seen close up access to the exact customisation Cristiano has on his football boots. For some time now Cristiano has been wearing a mixed stud sole-plate, so take a look at how Cristiano prefers to have his football boots compared to the standard versions.
It won't have escaped the attention of eagle-eyed boot spotters, in recent weeks Cristiano has been wearing a slightly different stud configuration. Speculation is rife Cristiano's current footwear is the new Nike Mercurial Vapor VIII football boots, and if that's true then what we're looking at could give us an insight and be the inspiration for the next generation of Nike Mercurial football boots.
With a specific design/manufacturing code penned onto the outsole, we can see how Cristiano's sole-plate differs. There are similarities in the materials used and the spiked toe grip area, but otherwise the screw-in and moulded studs are completely different. We imagine to develop this outsole for optimal performance, there must have been hours of design and testing with Cristiano, which begs the question when will these mixed-stud versions be released to the market?
With close-up inspection we can see Cristiano's sole-plate has a standard six-stud soft ground configuration. Complimenting these are moulded blades at the heel which aren't too uncommon, but it's when we get to the fore area we're really into unique territory, as supporting each screw-in stud is a blade positioned at a different angle.
The two blades positioned nearer the midfoot are seemingly angled to assist traction for turning and changing direction. Whilst the two blades nearer the toe are almost parallel for acceleration and grip from a standing start, which is particularly significant when you consider Cristiano is a player known for his explosive speed.
We'd love to hear what you think of Cristiano's unique football boots and customised sole-plate, along with what the implications might be for the next generation of Mercurial football boots. Let is know what you think and share your thoughts with the
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