Boot Watch #004 | The Unique Boots Of Legends Such As Deco, Del Piero and Shevchenko
Dec 20, 2015, by Chris
The weekend is almost over, so it's time for our weekly Boot Watch. While last week's Boot Watch included a ton of unreleased blackout prototype boots, this week's edition puts the focus on the most unique boots worn in the 2015 FIFA Club World and the boots used by legends such as David Beckham, Deco, Alessandro Del Piero and Andriy Shevchenko in the Kuwait International All Stars match that took place two days ago.
Rubens Sambueza | Charly RS14 'Signature'
Club America midfielder Rubens Sambueza laced up in an one-of-a-kind version of Charly Football Football Boots in the Club World Cup this week. Boasting his initials RS 14, the yellow, red and black boots are exclusively made for the 31-year old Argentinian.
Zheng Zhi | Anta Lion
Let's continue with another boot spot of the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup. Guangzhou Evergrande's Zheng Zhi wore the first-ever football boot from the Chinese brand Anta, who entered the soccer market just seven months ago, in Summer 2015. Officially called Anta Lion, Zheng Zhi's boots are made for ultimate control, set to be officially launched in early 2016. We may take a closer look at the boots in the coming days if you are interested (if so, let us know in the comments below).
Andriy Shevchenko | Blackout Nike Tiempo Legend V Academy Pack
Former Milan legend Andriy Shevchenko laced up in the blackout Nike Tiempo Legend V Academy Pack Boots. Pure class, even though he merged from Dynamo Kyiv's academy more than 20 years ago.
Yoann Gourcuff | Adidas Copa Mundial
Yoann Gourcuff, who is not allowed to play official matches before 2016 as he joined French Ligue 1 club just some weeks ago, was spotted (thanks to @footpack) wearing the classic Adidas Copa Mundial.
Jonathan Kodjia | Nike Mercurial Superfly CR7 Savage Beauty
This is really nothing interested by now, but somehow nevertheless found its way in our Boot Watch this week. French-Ivorian footballer Jonathan Kodjia laced up in the latest signature boots of Cristiano Ronaldo this week.
Franck Signorino | Kipsta Agility
34-year old left back Franck Signorino was spotted wearing the navy and white Kipsta Agility 700 Soccer Boots in yesterday's Ligue 1 match against Bastia. Made for ultimate ball control, the Kipsta Agility Boots from French sporting goods retailer Decathlon feature a leather upper and retail at a price of just a bit more than 30 GBP.
Alessandro del Piero | Blackout Adidas Predator LZ
Alessandro del Piero, who already laced up in Adidas Boots in the 2006 World Cup, opted for the almost completely blackout Black and Solar Zest Adidas Predator LZ II Boot that was released in December 2013 as part of Adidas' end-of-the-year black pack. And yes, we still miss the Predator...
Roberto Carlos | Gold Mizuno Morelia
Roberto Carlos boot choice is in fact nothing really new as he already debuted the utterly classy golden pair of the Mizuno Morelia Boot in a legends match between Real Madrid and Liverpool on June 14, 2015.
Deco | Lower-Tier Nike Hypervenom 2014 World Cup Cup
Whereas Roberto Carlos opted for a pair of boots featuring a Kangaroo leather upper (definitely classy by the way), Portuguese legend Deco wore a lower-tier model of the Nike Hypervenom 2014 World Cup Boots featuring a quite cheap synthetic upper. It remains a secret why he doesn't wear the high-end Nike Hypervenom Phantom.
David Beckham | White / Silver Metallic Adidas Ace
Yet again a boot choice that was already featured on this website some weeks ago. Former England international David Beckham laced up in the white and silver metallic Adidas Ace 15.1 Boots that he already used in the UNICEF charity match for children in mid-November 2015 at Old Trafford.
Abdullah al-Braike | Asics Lethal Testimonial
Let's continue with a boot worn by the opponents of the World XI in the so-called Kuwait International All Stars match. Abdulla Al-Berik, a former member of the Qatar national football team who currently plays for Al-Sadd Sports Club, laced up in a of what looks like the Asics Lethal Testimonial. Designed with the soccer purist in mind, the Asics Lethal Testimonial Boots are Asics's modern heritage football boot combining a super soft Kangaroo leather upper with a classic fold-over tongue.
Charles Puyol | Nike Tiempo Legend IV
Former FC Barcelona legend Charles Puyol opted for the stunning white and red version of the Nike Tiempo Legend V Boots. Released in March 2014, the Total Crimson and White Nike Tiempo Legend 5 Boots were also the last-ever pair Puyol had worn before he ended his career in Summer 2014.
Bader Al-Mutawa | Nike Hypervenom I Reflective
Kuwaiti footballer Bader Al-Mutawa has caught our eyes as he wore the white, black and lime green Nike Hypervenom Phantom 1 Reflective Edition. The cleats, which were released almost exactly two years ago (Friday, December 13, 2013), boast a unique reflective snake graphic pattern on the upper to stand out from other releases.
Dwight Yorke | Adidas Messi 15.1
Former Tobagonian football player Dwight Yorke, who played amongst others for Manchester United, laced up in the signature boots that Lionel Messi debuted in the 2015 Champions League final. But what's even more interesting is that he wore the black and white Adidas Gloro Boots in the UNICEF Charity Match For Children just one month ago.
Abdulaziz Al-Mashaan | Blackout Nike Mercurial Vapor X
Let's conclude this week's edition of Boot Watch with the boots worn by the not-very-well-known Abdulaziz Al-Mashaan, who is better known as Aziz Mashaan (his name on the shirt, but he is still a 'stranger' for us). The 27-year old midfielder from Al Qadsia opted for a blackout version of the Nike Mercurial Vapor X Boots.
We hope you are happy with this week's Boot Watch. Have we missed any interesting boot spot or made any serious mistakes? If so, please let us know in the comments section below (And also check out the boots worn in the UNICEF Charity Match if you missed it one month ago [Part 1 and Part 2]).
Go Ahead Eagles 26-27 Third Kit Released
Dutch Eredivisie club Go Ahead Eagles and technical sponsor Stanno have officially unveiled their new third kit for the 2026-27 season. Named "Our Holy Waters," the design serves as a thematic companion to this season's "Our Holy Ground" home and away jerseys, shifting the focus to the club's deep connection with the IJssel river.
The Stanno Go Ahead Eagles 26-27 third shirt is built around an off-white base with fine vertical pinstripes running down the front. The centerpiece of the design is a detailed historic cog ship illustration across the torso, celebrating the Hanseatic maritime history of Deventer. Rich forest green decorates the folded collar and sleeve cuffs, complemented by gold trim and "GAE" lettering embroidered on the collar insert. Sponsor logos and branding appear in a metallic copper-bronze shade, alongside a recolored green and gold club crest.
Matching off-white shorts with green side piping and socks featuring the club's eagle crest complete the full kit. The Go Ahead Eagles 2026-27 third kit is available to purchase immediately through the club's official online store.
EFL Trophy Set to Become 'Jersey Mike's Trophy'
The EFL Trophy is set for another commercial rebrand, with American fast-food chain Jersey Mike's Subs closing in on a record-breaking title sponsorship agreement. The English Football League is finalizing a five-year contract worth approximately £5 million to officially rename the competition the Jersey Mike's Trophy.
The landmark partnership represents the most lucrative commercial deal in the history of the tournament. Participating clubs from League One and League Two, alongside invited Category One academy sides, will benefit from boosted prize money, starting with an initial pool of around £900,000 this season. The agreement directly supports Jersey Mike's major expansion into the UK and Ireland, where the US brand plans to roll out up to 400 store locations.
This move adds yet another chapter to the competition's long lineage of commercial title sponsors. Most recently titled the Vertu Motors Trophy, the tournament has previously operated under numerous memorable names, including the Papa Johns Trophy, Checkatrade Trophy, Johnstone's Paint Trophy, and the nostalgic LDV Vans Trophy.
No More Predator? Pedri Spotted in Next-Gen Adidas adiPURE Whiteout Prototype Boots
FC Barcelona and Spain midfield maestro Pedri has been spotted testing a whiteout prototype of the all-new Adidas adiPURE boots. Following Bayern Munich center-back Jonathan Tah, who stepped out in test pairs earlier this month, Pedri is now the most high-profile Adidas athlete seen taking the unreleased silhouette out onto the pitch.
The sighting comes as Adidas prepares to bring back the revered adiPURE silo for 2027, officially phasing out the Copa series to establish adiPURE as the brand's primary touch-and-leather boot alongside the Predator and F50. The next-generation adiPURE is engineered to combine classic heritage with modern speed, incorporating a plush Pureleather forefoot, a lightweight technical mesh quarter, a free-floating tongue, and a redesigned Adiframe soleplate.
While Pedri has been one of the central figures representing the Predator line, even rocking his personalized "Predri" signature branding, he has occasionally flirted with Copa models during training in previous seasons. Testing the whiteout prototype strongly indicates that Adidas might be positioning the Spanish technician as the premier ambassador to spearhead the revived adiPURE range ahead of its official debut in early 2027.
Steven Bergwijn Wears Unreleased Nike Kobe Mercurial Boots
The Nike Mercurial Mamba soccer cleats are set to be launched on Saturday, September 19, 2026.
Concept: What If World Cup Winners Wore Special Badges on Club Kits?
A creative concept visualized by Bleacher Report has sparked discussion among kit enthusiasts, posing an intriguing question: what if players who have won the FIFA World Cup were allowed to wear a special champion badge on their club kits? Under current FIFA equipment regulations, only reigning national team champions and Club World Cup winners are permitted to sport the official FIFA Champions Badge, but bringing an individual achievement patch to the club stage introduces a bold twist to modern shirt details.
The mockups feature World Cup winners wearing a sleek, gold trophy silhouette on their kit sleeves stamped with the year of their international triumph. The concept envisions players like Lionel Messi donning a 2022 patch on his Inter Miami shirt, Kylian Mbappé carrying a 2018 badge in Real Madrid white, and Rodri sporting a 2026 mark. It serves as an immediate visual marker of football's ultimate honor, staying with the player regardless of their club transfers.
In reality, domestic leagues and confederations enforce strict uniform guidelines that limit sleeve real estate almost entirely to league badges, sleeve sponsors, and charitable campaign logos. While regulatory hurdles make such a badge virtually impossible in professional football, the visualization offers a clean and compelling look at how personal legacy could be integrated into club kits.
