1998: The Birth of the Nike Mercurial
Mon, May 01.23
25 years of Mercurial has brought the world lightweight and groundbreaking innovation within the football boot industry. The cleats of choice amongst several high profile players, from Ronaldo Fenomeno to Cristiano Ronaldo and now Kylian Mbappe, the list goes on.
To pay tribute to arguably the greatest line of speed boots ever, we take a look back at the original pair which launched in 1998, and why it remains as one of the most wanted from diehard collectors.
Boots Inspired by El Fenomeno
In 1998 Nike released the Mercurial specifically for their best player at the time, Ronaldo Fenomeno. No doubt the world’s most exciting player at that moment, Nike decided to work closely with the Brazilian to create the ideal football shoe to help him perform at his best.
R9 was known for his speed, dribbling and goal scoring ability, so the heavy traditional leather cleats at the time just didn’t make sense for the striker. To drastically reduce weight, Nike had made the 1998 Mercurial entirely from synthetic material on the upper with their KNG-100 technology - which is both lighter and more durable than traditional kangaroo leather (while emulating the touch and feel).
Speed boots or not, 250 grams today would be classified as heavy by the current and upcoming generation of players. However, back in the 90’s, this was the lightest pair by a mile across all brands. In many ways, the design was groundbreaking as well, as boots that weren't black or white were still considered an odd feature.
Boots that Revolutionised the Industry
The importance of this boot from 1998 lies deeper than being the first Mercurial, as it truly revolutionised football boots for the following 25 years to come.
The idea of creating the perfect boot to player combination was taken to a whole new level since this initial Ronaldo Fenomeno inspired pair. Neymar Jr for Hypervenom, Iniesta for CTR 360 and De Bruyne for Phantom GX.
The groundbreaking impact that the 1998 Mercurial had goes beyond just the Swoosh too, as competitor brands slowly adopted the model of weight reduction, synthetic/textile materials and the implementation of multi-colored designs.
Nowadays, many speed boots are under the 200g benchmark and feature a mix of synthetic and mesh materials to create a modern package whilst remaining light.
Who do we have to thank? The 1998 Mercurial. The pair which pushed the boundaries of making a football boot truly light and dynamic.
The Future of Mercurial
Speed in football today is only getting more important. Across the pitch, you will find fast players who prefer to be equipped with a pair of speed boots.
As we’ve seen across the different generations of Mercurial, weight and innovation has come a long way. From the 1998 Mercurial featuring the KNG-100 material, to the latest Zoom Mercurial featuring airbag technology. Nike are no strangers when it comes to innovation.
Interested in a pair of the latest generation Mercurial’s? Visit us in-store or shop the Nike Mercurial collection online today.
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