Nike Football Boots by Phaidon

The first book to chart the unprecedented history of Nike’s iconic football boots, from the evolution of their design to the legendary stars who have worn them

Football (or soccer) is surrounded by a particular mythology. As the world’s most popular sport, its players and iconic performances have become part of public consciousness – and so have the boots that footballers wear.

Nike Football Boots charts the history of the brand’s football journey, from the all-black leather boots introduced in the early 70s – the first of any shoe to feature the famous swoosh – to the present day, through four key product lines that encapsulate Nike’s design ethos: Tiempo, Mercurial, Total 90, and Phantom. Along the way, readers will discover stories behind the boots worn by football’s greatest names, including Brazilian striker Ronaldo, Portuguese phenom Cristiano Ronaldo, US Women’s National Team star Megan Rapinoe, and emerging French icon Kylian Mbappé, among others.

Lavishly illustrated with 500 images, Nike Football Boots showcases boot close-ups, on-feet shots, concepts, posters and advertising, film screenshots, material swatches, sketches, prototypes and ephemera from the Department of Nike Archives (DNA). A 12-page glossy insert displays every model of boot highlighted in the DNA, from 1971 to today.