The Complete Nike Neymar Signature Edition Timeline

Neymar is box office. He does things with a football no other players can, he can electrify the game in an instant and has a collection of Nike Signature Edition football boots that live up to his reputation in the world game.

With Neymar’s next signature edition boot imminent, we thought we’d run you through all 9 of his signature edition Nike Hypervenom and Mercurial Vapor boots he has received so far, let’s see if you remember all 9!

June 2014 - Hypervenom Phantom Premium Gold

Let’s go back to 2014 to kick things off. Brazil had a highly anticipated World Cup campaign on home soil which burst to life in the opening game with Neymar, the man carrying the hopes of the nation, scoring two goals as the Seleção beat Croatia 3-1 in São Paulo.

Pre-tournament Neymar had been flying for Barcelona, rocking Hypervenom 1’s and cementing himself as one of Nike’s brightest assets. Do those Hypervenom 1’s look familiar? Yep, that’s right, they are the pair that just got re-mastered as the Phantom Vision 2 Future DNA ‘Future Friday’ drop and if you hurry you might still be able to secure a pair.

To make Neymar the true Hypervenom poster boy, Nike decided pre-tournament that he would receive his first signature edition pair of boots in the form of the Hypervenom Phantom Premium Gold. You only need to look at them to agree that these stand out as one of his best. The design and gold upper colourway were inspired by a story of Neymar when he was 12 years old, watching the World Cup as a kid and spray painting the boots he had at the time.

The boots were to be worn by Neymar in the knockout rounds of the World Cup and while that was good in theory, disaster struck in the Quarter-Final against Colombia with only a few minutes left in the game. Colombian defender Juan Zuniga leapt knee-first into Neymar’s back which resulted in a broken vertebra, meaning we only got to see the boots in action for 45 minutes and he would play no further part in the tournament. If you remember what happened in the Semi-Final you sure as hell know how big of an impact that had on the host nation!

January 2015 - Hypervenom Phantom Liquid Diamond

After the disappointment at the World Cup and subsequent injury issues, it was nice to see Nike follow up the stunning debut Premium Gold release with another stand out to kick off 2015 – the Hypervenom Phantom Liquid Diamond. The release came in conjunction with the celebration of Neymar’s 8th year as a Nike athlete. The design inspiration came from Neymar’s play and personality, with his affinity with diamonds the key concept which created a unique colourway on the upper.

Neymar loves diamonds so much that he and his sister, Rafaella, who share a close bond, both have diamond tattoos on each of their arms. The word ‘sorella’ (sister) sits above Neymar’s arm, while Rafaella has ‘fratello’ (brother) above hers.

“The diamond tattoo I’ve got was done with my sister. We thought we’d get one done together because diamonds are rare and the feelings I have for my sister are rare, so we decided to pay homage to each other in that way,” said Neymar Jr. “A diamond is a gemstone that is simple but beautiful. It is also a rare jewel that stands out and that is what catches my attention and reminds me of my relationship with Rafa."

The boot’s colour and bling on the NikeSkin upper provided a textured canvas, enhancing the dimension of the colours and resulting in one of the flashiest boots in Neymar’s signature collection.

January 2016 - Hypervenom Phantom II Ousadia Alegria

2016 saw the first of what would be some big (pardon the pun) collaborations for the Neymar. A year after his second signature release Nike dropped the Hypervenom Phantom II Ousadia Alegria, linking up with Brazilian artist Bruno Carneiro Mosciaro (Bruno Big) for the design.

The boots aim was to embody the expression Neymar lives by and has tattooed on his calves. Translating to "daring" and "joy," respectively, these words define both Neymar Jr.’s playing style and his personal mantra. Made in both a high and low-cut version (Neymar rocked the lows) the boots were the first to feature his logo on the boots.

“I associate ‘Alegria’ with the joy of living and playing football, which I love most, and ‘Ousadia’ in having the audacity to do something different, which people don't expect to see.” 

Bruno Big’s very distinct artwork envelopes the entire upper with details on both the left and right boot making them very different, when at first glance you may be excused for thinking they are the same. For “Ousadia” Big created an image of the heart and for “Alegria” he painted a hand. On the "Ousadia" boot, fingers wrap around as if holding it. On the "Alegria" boot, the fist is centred where it makes contact with the ball.

At the launch event Big painted a giant canvas of 1,000 shoeboxes to commemorate the "Ousadia Alegria" launch, delivering the first pair to Neymar Jr. personally. Cool, right?

August 2016 - Hypervenom Phantom II x Jordan

There aren’t many bigger collaborations than those with Jordan brand. In 2016 Neymar became the first footballer to receive a Jordan brand line with the Hypevernom II releasing in a launch black version, based off the Jordan 5 which is Neymar’s favourite Jordan sneaker, and a second white version which is the version he wore on pitch.

"My first pair of Jordan’s, I wore them all the time. I would wear them to school, I always had them on."

The shark teeth design coming up from the sole plate, the cement print coming through from the soleplate and onto the upper and of course the big jumpman logo on the heel all take inspiration from the OG sneaker. Neymar’s club and country numbers, 10 and 11, were stitched onto the left side of the boots with the iconic 23, MJ’s number, stitched onto the other.

If you are a fan of MJ, Neymar or even just football and basketball on the whole – this collaboration was a massive move for big brand collaboration and perhaps paved the way for one of the biggest link ups we’ve seen, with PSG x Jordan coming together to produce incredible on field jerseys and off-field collections. PSG x Jordan looks here to stay for the foreseeable future, so we may get to see another Neymar x Jordan drop in the future. We sure hope so.

This release signified the end for Neymar and Hypervenom. What boot did you go into next? Where it all began before his signature editions started – Mercurial Vapor.

July 2017 - Mercurial Vapor ‘Written in The Stars’

With Neymar’s stature growing more and more, and with CR7 the ultimate powerhouse in Mercurial Superfly, Nike had the ability to dominate the market with their top two silos now represented by two of the best on and off field athletes. This resulted in Nike going all out for the next Neymar Vapor drop which came in in July 2017: The Mercurial Vapor 11 ‘Written in The Stars’.

The Vapor 11 highlights his most important 6 goals he’s scored in his career. Why 6? To reflect the fact that this is his 6th signature release. The boot also showcases his top speed, locations that meant a lot to him throughout his career, from growing up to becoming a star and even the birthdate of his beloved son and sister.

This was the statement boot to officially announce Neymar as a Vapor player and the fact that the Swoosh sits on the side of the boot at the request of Neymar shows his power at Nike head office with the designers.

The release also coincided with Neymar’s massive PSG move which was a world record transfer and sent the football world into a spin. Was this to be the move that made PSG the football powerhouse in Europe the club craved for so long? Could Neymar reach his full potential away from Messi and the pressures at Barcelona, moving out of one of the games best ever players to forge his own path?

Questions and excitement surrounded the move and also paved the way for the PSG x Jordan official collaboration to be underway. With Neymar in career best for in season 2019/20, enjoying the Paris lifestyle and building his brand season-by-season the move looks to have been a personal success. But with Neymar craving another Champions League trophy – and having won everything in France already – you do wonder how longer it will last. We wouldn’t be surprised to see him back in Spain in the future.

December 2018 - Mercurial Vapor Puro Fenomeno

Recognise this release? Of course you do. That’s because as much as this release was a standout back in 2018, if you hadn’t seen it back then and are old enough, you’ll remember the colourway from 1998. The Mercurial Vapor Puro Fenomeno is arguably our favourite from the 9 signature edition boots because the boot was a look forward with a nod to the past, the ’98 Mercurial.

Nike decided to bring their most iconic boot of all time which was release 20 years earlier up to speed with the modern game. Neymar’s Puro Fenomeno release took clear inspiration from the Mercurial R9, the boots Ronaldo wore at France ’98 and caused the interest in Mercurial to explode on a world scale at the time. The boots were unlike anything that had come before them in terms of weight, speed and sleek design and "changed the game in football", as Ronaldo said at the launch of Puro Fenomeno.

The colourway is stunning, and the boot’s messaging was to symbolise the passing of the torch from a Brazilian icon of the past, Ronaldo, to the icon of the future, Neymar. One nice design feature comes through on the instep, with the pattern a nod to Neymar’s first boot the Superfly II.

“He is one of my idols. Ronaldo is one of the greatest and most iconic players in history. I’m really happy and honoured to have played with him on the Brazilian National Team.”

July 2018 - Mercurial Vapor XII Elite Meu Jogo

July 2018 saw one of the brightest Neymar releases with the Mercurial Vapor XII Elite Meu Jogo which translates to “my game”. The main inspiration for this boot is all about how Neymar plays on the pitch, represents himself and his commitment to playing his game.

"I got here because of my football. If football brought me to where I am, if it made me conquer the things I did, then I don't need to change."

The eye-catching yellow colourway was chosen to symbolise his status as a Brazilian icon and as this release was made for the knockout stages of the World Cup, the matching colourway to his national team strip looked impeccable on pitch.

Neymar’s Journey once again played a big part in the design, with the white details on the upper this time a nod to Santos, his boyhood club. The elite split soleplate looks stunning once again with more bling and details underneath the boot.

At the tournament Neymar was looking to do better this time round after the disappointment in 2014. Lacing Meu Jogo up in the Round of 16 clash against Mexico, Neymar was in brilliant form with some stunning skill on display. He eventually got on the end of an assist from Marcelo, with Roberto Firmino later scoring the second and match sealer as the Seleção marched on.

Unfortunately, Brazil was knocked out by eventual third placed finishers Belgium in the quarter finals which means Neymar will have to wait until Qatar in 2022 for another shot at World Cup glory which would cement himself as one of the all-time great Brazilian footballers. With Neymar now 28 years of age, one might assume this will be his last chance.

February 2019 - Mercurial Vapor NJR Silencio

The start of 2019 was tough for Neymar after sustaining another significant injury. Nike decided to drop his next release, the Mercurial Vapor NJR Silencio, in February while he orchestrated his comeback, with a key emphasis being on his ability to drown out negativity, distractions and embrace the alegria (joy) of football during a setback.

Silencio is all about Neymar’s inner silence before a game. Nothing else matters but football and when he finally makes his way back onto the pitch he will once again be able to silence doubters, dismiss distractions and let his skills speak on the field.

With the unique miniature “Shhh” graphics all over the boot and letters gradually fading from black to grey as they move from the outsole onto the upper, you’ll find that no two boots are the same.

"SHHH is not about me silencing the rest of the world, it's about me going silent and focusing on what I have to do for my future as a player and as a man,” says Neymar Jr.

Neymar Jr.'s logo appears on the heels and is augmented by a diamond and a crown, two of his personal mantras that have featured heavily on his previous releases so far.

August 2019 - Mercurial Vapor 'Speed Freak'

High speed is ingrained in Neymar Jr.’s playmaking DNA. His speed can light up a game when his teammates need him most and no one wants to be the defender as he runs at you at full speed with his dribbling skills on show.

His passion for speed also spills over into his love for motorsports and racing. He often frequents F1 circuits, as seen on his Instagram, with the glitz and glamour of F1 also right up his alley.

The idea of loving speed on and off the pitch was the inspiration for the last signature edition Neymar boot we have seen from Nike, the Mercurial Vapor Speed Freak.

The boot carries a metallic silver upper and features a red and black checkered flag design from the underfoot up to the medial side. The heel area includes the legendary number 10 that he wears with the Brazilian national team, iconic Nike logos, as well as graphics from past boot models and some of Neymar Jr.’s personal mantras ("Sonho Dourado," "Alegria," "IV," "Shhh").

All 9 of the releases so far from Nike have been epic. From storytelling to vibrant colours, Nike have done a great job in keeping things fresh year on year. 

April 2020 – Mercurial Vapor Jogo Prismático

2020 has been a bleak year so far with COVID-19 affecting so many and putting a halt to football around the globe. That wasn't going to stop the latest and perhaps greatest Nike drop from brightening up the football world in true Neymar fashion though. The 10th Neymar signature edition has arrived; the Mercurial Vapor Jogo Prismático.

The inspiration for the boot is the prismatic elements of Neymar. It's a boot that is the embodiment of the player and his game. It doesn't matter what the situation is, Neymar will never shy away from inventing on the pitch with eye catching brilliance and athleticism. 

The boot also features graphics and symbols that tie back to some of his best releases from the past. From the Ousadia (Daring) and Alegria (Joy) printed on the heels of the boot corresponding to Neymar's tattoos on his legs which was the inspiration behind Bruno Big's Hypervenom Phantom II Ousadia Alegria, to the boot's aesthetic nods to the dynamic Mercurial Vapor Speed Freak, this boot showcases elements of Neymar and Nike Football history throughout.

To highlight the long relationship between Neymar and Nike, the boot shows the stars of his first Mercurial player edition — the 2017 “Written in the Stars” Mercurial Vapor — hidden amongst the kaleidoscopic print.

Notice anything different this time around? For the first time Neymar's new signature NJR logo, which he updated at the end of 2019, has made its way onto a boot. As always Neymar likes to stay true to his roots, so the previous NJR logo is used as a secondary detail within the pattern.

It's been an amazing 10 signature edition releases so far from Nike and Neymar. Let's hope we get 10 more.

Get your hands on the Mercurial Vapor Jogo Prismático.