Welcome back to Gears Up! In our last edition, we went back in time with the iconic Adidas Predator Precision. This week, we’re shifting our focus to another legendary boot: the Nike Mercurial Vapor VIII. Join us as we explore the type of players who have chosen to lace up in this speed-focused cleat.
The Vapors were usually worn by speed merchants, nimble dribblers, or lethal strikers in most teams. Some of these players often practiced skills and tricks more than anything else (who remembers Joga Bonito?) and cherished showboating over efficiency while others glided on the field gracefully right before an amazing assist. Mercurial players had a lot of confidence in their football abilities and were willing to take on anyone in a 1v1 tussle. They were also very conscious about their physical appearance and mostly played with untucked, long sleeved shirts.
Some of the big names to grace the field in these cleats were greats like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mesut Ozil, Juan Mata, Theo Walcott, peak Jesus Navas and most importantly, Cristiano Ronaldo. Let us know who was your favorite player to wear these cleats in the comments.