Nike's Problem with the Second-Gen Nike Hypervenom
Oct 28, 2015, by Chris
Aubameyang, Jordan Ibe, Isco, Kovacic, Mandzukic and Neymar. The list of players switching from the Nike Hypervenom Phantom 2 Boots to the Nike Mercurial Boots has been getting longer and longer recently. And while there a still plenty high-profile players such as Lewandowski and Rooney wearing the second generation of the Nike Hypervenom, we take a detailed look at Nike's problem with the Nike Hypervenom Phantom II Cleats.
Launched in May 2015, the Nike Hypervenom Phantom II Football Boots introduced the Dynamic Fit collar to the Nike Hypervenom silo. Additionally, the upper design was changed radically for the second generation of the agility boot, whereas the sole plate of the boots remained almost the same (the outsole just uses a softer compound for additional comfort). And as Nike understands that there are players who prefer a low-cut boot design, the US-giant also released a traditional low-cut version without the collar, the all-new Nike Hypervenom Phinish.
Various Nike Hypervenom Players Switch to Nike Mercurial Boots
Kovacic was the first high-profile player to switch from the Nike Hypervenom to the Nike Mercurial.
It was Real Madrid midfielder Kovacic who became the first player player to switch from the Nike Hypervenom Phantom 2 Boots to the Nike Mercurial Vapor 10 Cleats in late August 2015. And while he previously also cut off the Dynamic Fit collar of his Nike Hypervenom Boots, it was no big deal for Nike as various players without superstar status including his teammate Modric are wearing wrong boots for their positions. However, the problem with players switching from the Hypervenom to the Mercurial should become a serious problem for Nike very soon.
In September 2015, FC Barcelona superstar Neymar surprisingly switched to the Squadron Blue Nike Mercurial Vapor 10 Boots in FC Barcelona's training session, while he debuted a pink version of the cleats five days later. As Neymar is the cover star of the entire Nike Hypervenom silo, it was clear that something had to happen.
On October 8, Neymar laced up in a camouflaged version of the Nike Hypervenom Phinish Boots. Featuring the exactly same upper construction as the Nike Mercurial Vapor, Neymar debuted his completely modified boots on October 17. And as the boots look almost identical to the Nike Hypervenom Phinish (at least for the average viewers), Nike successfully solved the problem with Neymar for the time being (even though Neymar's Boots lack the iconic sock-like collar).
But then events came thick and fast. One week ago, Real Madrid midfielder Isco and Mario Mandzukic became the next players to switch from the Nike Hypervenom Boots to the Nike Mercurial Vapor 10 Boots, while they were joined by two further players who made the same move in the past week (Aubameyang and Ibe). What could be the reasons for so many players switching from the Hypervenom to the Mercurial?
Possible Reasons for Players to 'Say Goodbye' to the Nike Hypervenom
Nike Hypervenom Phantom I vs Nike Hypervenom II.
Compared to the first generation of the Nike Hypervenom Phantom Boots, the second generation of the agility silo is anything but similar. While the Nike Hypervenom Phantom I featured a Honeycomb upper structure, the second-gen Nike Hypervenom Phantom Cleats comes with an all-new upper design with Flywire strings and a remarkable stitching pattern in the forefoot area for a soft touch.
Most remarkably, Nike also introduced the Dynamic Fit collar for the next-gen Nike Hypervenom Boots. But as the brand also offers a low-cut version, that can't be the only reason for players ditching the Nike Hypervenom II. So what's the most likely reason for players making the switch?
As the outsole of both generations is almost identical, it must be the all-new upper design that stop players from wearing the boots. What's certain is that the golf-ball like upper structure was extremely popular amongst both professionals and amateur players, and many amateurs have said that they prefer the upper of the first generation over the radically changed upper design of the Nike Hypervenom 2 Boots. However, it's naturally not possible to say what are the exact reasons for a professional player to switch between boots as such things are almost never made public.
What Can Nike Do Prevent Players to Switch From the Nike Hypervenom?
Close-up pictures of Neymar's Camouflaged Nike Hypervenom Boot.
For Nike, the only real chance to prevent players from switching between silos is to create camouflaged versions of the respective boots. And as Nike has already managed to create a Nike Mercurial boot that looks virtually identical to the Nike Hypervenom, the US-brand could do the same for all other players who switched to the Nike Mercurial recently and would have eliminated any doubts about the future of the Nike Hypervenom.
The next weeks will show what Nike will do in order to bring players back to the Nike Hypervenom. So watch out for Aubameyang's, Ibe's, Isco's, Kovacic's and Mandzukic's Boots in the next matches.
Venezia and Rapid Wien Release Special Collaborative Kit
Venezia FC and SK Rapid have unveiled two special limited-edition jerseys to celebrate the 26th anniversary of the historic friendship between their supporters and clubs. The twinning, which officially traces back to January 15, 2000, was commemorated on the pitch during an international friendly at the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo, with both sides wearing the bespoke designs.
The collaboration includes two distinct shirts designed in close cooperation with the fan groups. The black Unione jersey features an all-over diamond jacquard pattern, complemented by Venezia's orange and green checkerboard on the right shoulder and Rapid's green and white stripes on the left. The white Unione shirt presents a split look blending green and orange accents with line illustrations of iconic architectural landmarks from both Venice and Vienna, including the Doge's Palace and St. Stephen's Cathedral. Both designs place the lion of Saint Mark and the Austrian eagle crests side by side above the date 15.01.2000.
During the friendly match on the Venetian lagoon, the hosts wore the black kit while Rapid took to the pitch in the white version, with Venezia edging a 1-0 victory. The limited-edition jerseys have been made available to supporters through Venezia's official online store and physical club shops.
Unique Jordan PSG 26-27 Third Goalkeeper Kit Leaked - Inspired by Bernard Lama
The striking new goalkeeper jersey from the upcoming Paris Saint-Germain x Jordan third collection has leaked courtesy of PSG insider @lasource75006. Scheduled to drop in the coming weeks alongside the club's 26-27 third player kit, the long-sleeve piece pays direct homage to iconic former Paris Saint-Germain shot-stopper Bernard Lama.
The Jordan PSG 26-27 third goalkeeper shirt draws inspiration from the distinctive Nike template worn by Lama during the 1997-98 season. It features a vibrant red base with sharp black vertical stripes tapering upward from the lower hem. The long sleeves are adorned with dynamic graphic streaks in shades of purple, blue, and black, perfectly channeling the flamboyant goalkeeper aesthetics of the late 1990s.
Gold detailing rounds off the design, highlighted by a centrally aligned Jordan Jumpman sitting above a monochrome Paris Saint-Germain crest and the Qatar Airways chest sponsor.
Neuchâtel Xamax 26-27 Fête des Vendanges Special Kit Released
Swiss Challenge League side Neuchâtel Xamax and technical partner Capelli Sport have officially released a special-edition kit for the 2026 Fête des Vendanges, Neuchâtel's iconic annual wine harvest festival. The bespoke design pays tribute to a historic local milestone, commemorating the 750th anniversary of the consecration of the Collegiate Church of Neuchâtel (Collégiale de Neuchâtel), which took place in 1276.
The Capelli Neuchâtel Xamax 26-27 Fête des Vendanges shirt arrives in a sharp black and silver colorway, covered in intricate architectural illustrations of the famous landmark. The front of the jersey features repeating linework depicting the church's Gothic arches, towers, and rose windows, flowing into detailed clock faces and decorative borders around the lower hem. Finished with matching ornate patterns along the collar and cuffs, all sponsor and club logos are rendered in monochrome silver
Montenegro 2026 Home & Away Kits Released
Italian sportswear brand Legea has rolled out the new home and away kits for the Montenegro national football team. The long-standing partnership between Legea and the Football Association of Montenegro continues with a fresh set of bespoke designs showcased on display mannequins.
The new Montenegro 2026 home kit is predominantly red, accented with two prominent yellow vertical stripes running down the front of the jersey. In line with the central design focus, the white Legea wordmark and the national federation crest sit centrally on the chest above yellow squad numbering. The strip is rounded off with red shorts featuring yellow detailing and matching red socks.
The 2026 away kit adopts an inverted approach on a clean white base. It features a bold central vertical band in red, neatly outlined by thin yellow borders that run from the collar down to the hem. The Legea logo, national team crest, and front numbers are all aligned inside the central red stripe, completed by white shorts and white socks with subtle red and yellow trims.
All-New Adidas Crazylight Pro Concept Boots Revealed
Adidas has offered an intriguing look at the future of speed footwear at its Home of Innovation showcase held at the brand's headquarters in Herzogenaurach. Among several radical prototypes displayed across various sports categories, the standout for football was the striking Adidas Crazylight Pro concept, inspected during the event by Real Madrid forward Rodrygo. Big thanks to sr4u_josh.
The Crazylight moniker has long represented the pinnacle of lightweight engineering for Adidas, tracing back to the featherweight 99g and 135g F50 Adizero models of the mid-2010s through to modern experimental speed releases. This new Crazylight Pro concept pushes that design ethos even further, featuring an ultra-thin, semi-translucent upper finished in a crisp white, solar red, and black palette. Dynamic, curving support lines run along the forefoot and midfoot, creating an external skeleton designed to hold the foot securely without adding unnecessary bulk.
The most futuristic element sits on the underside, where Adidas revealed a chrome outsole constructed around an intricate skeletal frame. Spreading outward from the center in an organic, web-like pattern, the metallic structure anchors the studs while carved-out sections expose a translucent red base plate to shave off every possible gram. While Adidas has not announced a retail release for this exact model, concepts from the Crazylight Pro could provide an early preview of technology destined for upcoming generations of the F50 speed line in future seasons.
AS Nancy-Lorraine 26-27 Third & Fourth Kits Released
French club AS Nancy-Lorraine and Decathlon have officially launched the club's new third and fourth shirts for the 26-27 season. Following the release of their classic red-and-white home shirt and geometric away strip earlier this summer, the new drop delivers two distinctive looks deeply tied to regional history and meaningful causes.
The AS Nancy 26-27 third kit is predominantly dark navy with elegant soft pink accents, finished with a classic polo collar for a vintage-chic aesthetic. Across the front, an intricate tonal graphic takes inspiration from the Gothic vaults of Nancy's famous Palais Ducal, layered over the club's historical vertical stripes. In place of the standard modern crest, Decathlon has applied an oversized 1970s thistle emblem on the chest, while a centenary tribute to the Stade Marcel Picot sits on the back of the neck.
Alongside the navy shirt, the club also presented the AS Nancy 26-27 fourth kit. Dedicated to the upcoming Octobre Rose campaign in support of breast cancer awareness, it reverses the color palette with an all-pink look complemented by navy details and the retro thistle badge. While the third kit is already available for purchase, the fourth kit will be released as a strictly limited edition.
Next-Gen Adidas Predator 2027 Second Main Boots Leaked - 7 New Images
Footy Headlines can now leak 7 new pictures of the next-gen Adidas Predator 2027 'second main' boots. Although it is a fake, the design is identical to the real one.
The new Adidas Predator 27 'Second Main Pack' boots feature a light blue base with white details, including a subtle speckled texture, white Three Stripes, matching blue laces, and a translucent icy blue soleplate with white elements.
Adidas F50 Hyperfast '2027 First Main Pack' Boots Leaked - 6 New Images
Footy Headlines can now leak 6 new pictures of the new Adidas F50 Hyperfast 2027 'first main' boots. Although it is a fake, the design is identical to the real one.
The '2027 First Main Pack' boots boast a spectacular, warm-toned color gradient inspired by a summer evening sky, transitioning from solar yellow to vivid orange, magenta pink, and deep purple, contrasted by solid black Adidas three stripes.