Rare, brand new, original, authentic Nike Mercurial Vapor IX Firm Ground cleats
A tribute to the famous 1998 boot worn by Ronaldo. Fifteen years since he laced up in the first Mercurial, R9 is still influencing his iconic range and this Vapor is more than just a color update, it comes with a story
Visually, it's a completely different color combo, the neo lime/crimson design hardly reflects the blue, yellow and silver on the '98 Mercurial, but it's the smaller details where some resemblance emerges such as the '98M' on the heel which pays homage to the original
Other than the obvious link on the heel to the Mercurial 98, you have to search a bit harder to find others
Inside the boot there's a small fact box on the sock liner explaining the story further; the moment the inspiration for the boot comes from - Brazil's Ronaldo wearing the first ever speed boot and Nike also share a secret fact that the Mercurial was almost named the Ultravelox
Another subtle resemblance to the 1998 Mercurial is again tricky to spot, but if you look closely at the 'Nike' text on the instep of the boot you'll see three swerving lines that mirror the pattern found on the original boot
At first glance you wouldn't know this boot was in honor of the Mercurial '98, but the story is very much hidden in the details
Nike have designed the latest Mercurial colorway with a silver tongue, a trend we've seen them adopt since the launch of the Tiempo Legend V
The body of the boot fades from blue to lime as the paint job makes its way towards the toe-box and the bold 'Nike' on the instep and Swoosh are finished in bright crimson
Tech wise, it's 185g grams of ultimate speed
The Mercurial gives you the platform to be at your fastest with Speed Control texture that wraps around the foot and lightweight sole plate
The days of blister causing Mercurials have gone and the Vapor IX now features more comfort for a softer feel without sacrificing weight
