Nike Mercurial Vapor 16

Mercurial Vapor 16

Ever since it was worn by the legendary Ronaldo back in 1998, the Mercurial has been one of the most popular football boots around. Known for appearing on the feet of the best players in the world, it has always contained Nike’s most cutting-edge technologies, and 2024’s Mercurial Vapor 16 is no different as it is the pinnacle of the modern football boot.

Everything about the Nike Mercurial Vapor 16 is engineered towards speed and skilful ball control. Its upper blends three of Nike’s most advanced materials: Atomknit, Gripknit and Flyknit, each one with its own performance-driven purpose. Tough Atomknit threads have been used to bolster the sidewalls, with sticky Gripknit woven through key contact areas, allowing the player greater control whether they be dribbling, passing or shooting. Flyknit then acts as the structure that holds everything else together into a durable, lightweight whole.

This flexible but hard-wearing outer sculpts snugly around the foot, delivering excellent lockdown in all types of weather conditions, and the micro-moulding texture covering its surface facilitates clean ball striking. It is also the thinnest upper to be used on a Nike Mercurial up to this point, so it presents just a wafer-like layer between foot and ball for exceptional feel and control.

Underfoot, the soleplate includes both chevron and blade-shaped studs organised into a wave-like pattern that produces excellent grip during a wide range of movements, from quick cuts to intricate stepovers.

A three-quarter-length Zoom Air unit has been added to the Mercurial Vapor 16, making it highly responsive and propelling the player forwards as they challenge defenders. The precise arrangement of the studs encourages the foot to engage fully with the Zoom Air cushioning, thus ensuring that the advanced sole unit is as effective as it can be. Meanwhile, when it is combined with the softly padded insole, it provides high levels of comfort.

Since its release in 2024, Nike has already released a number of vibrant colourways of the Mercurial Vapor 16, each with an elongated swoosh stretching along the lateral flank and over the toe, with a smaller one on the medial sidewall. The brand has also collaborated with one of the world’s greatest attacking players in Kylian Mbappe, who is the modern face of the Mercurial series, the rapid forward creating a striking yellow model with bright orange highlights. Another colourway celebrates the connection between the Mercurial and women’s football with a unique Chrome finish that gives it an irresistible sheen.

The Nike Mercurial Vapor 16 represents the very best of the brand’s innovation and technology. Crafted to support the fastest and most skilful attacking players as they attempt to break through defences, it is comfortable, responsive, lightweight and lightning quick, with a dynamic style to match.