Boot Watch #014 | Elkeson, Henderson, Messi, Rashford
Feb 28, 2016, by Pat
Welcome to the 14th episode of Boot Watch, our weekly update on the most important boot spots. Ranging from the Champions League to the Australian A-League and even U-16 football, Boot Watch has them all.
Lionel Messi - Adidas Messi 15.1
This week saw the debut of the latest colorway of Lionel Messi's very own football boot silo, a rather flashy effort in "Semi Solar Slime". On a side note, wouldn't it have been cool had he worn the stunning Ballon d'Or boots for a longer time?
Jordan Henderson - Nike Hypervenom Phinish
Magista-regular Jordan Henderson surprised spectators in training this week, lacing up in Nike Hypervenom Phinish cleats instead of his usual pair of Opuses. In today's Capital One Cup final against Manchester City, the Liverpool captain confirmed his choice. Henderson's new Hypervenom boots appear to be non-modified.
Marcus Rashford - Nike Mercurial Vapor X
Manchester United's up-an-coming forward made headlines this week, not only by scoring four goals in his first two games for the club, but also with his rather unique boot choice. Closely following United's "black boot rule", Rashford gave his Bright Mango Nike Mercurial Vapor X a black coating, creating an unusual piece of footwear.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - Nike Mercurial Superfly IV
Having switched back and forth between the Nike Hypervenom Phantom II and the Mercurial Superfly, Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was back in the latter once again this week, against Porto and Hoffenheim.
Joaozinho - Puma v1.06
FC Krasnodar's Joaozinho was another player with a unique choice of boots this week as he wore a pair of the re-issued Puma v1.06 boots - or are they from 2006?
Elkeson - Nike Mercurial Vapor X
Possibly on the look for an improved or new contract, Shanghai SIPG's Elkeson decided to paint over the brandings of his Squadron Blue Nike Mercurial Vapor X cleats.
Anders Waagan - Nike Magista Obra + Nike Hypervenom Phantom II
Who doesn't love an odd boot combo? Norway U-16's Anders Waagan was at it this week, combining black Nike Magista Obras and bronze Nike Hypervenom Phantom IIs to form an unusual, but surprisingly well-fitting pair of cleats.
Ali Abbas - Nike Hypervenom Phinish Ousadia Alegria
Be it to express his admiration for Neymar or just to wear a good-looking pair of soccer cleats, Sydney FC's Ali Abbas laced up in Neymar's latest signature release, Ousadia Alegria, in the Hypervenom Phinish variant this week.
Brandon O'Neill - Adidas 11pro
Sydney FC's Brandon O'Neill, who was already featured in this series last month, once again got the boot world talking with a unique pair of Adidas 11pro football boots. This time, it was a women's-exclusive colorway launched in late 2014.
Sido Jombati - Nike Match Mercurial
Already featured on this site earlier this week was Wycombe Wanderers' Sido Jombati, who laced up in an extremely rare pair of football boots - 16-year-old Nike Match Mercurials, to be exact.
We hope you enjoyed this week's spots and, as always, please make sure to let us know if you find any errors or even suggest own spots we might have missed.
FC Barcelona 27-28 Home Kit Leaked - 2 Real Images
Footy Headlines can leak two real images of the new Barcelona 27-28 home kit. However, these still appear to be products created based on a previous concept. They have an accuracy of about 80% and will differ slightly from the final version.
Deportivo Cali 1965 First Title Commemorative Kits Released
Colombian club Deportivo Cali and their technical sponsor Hillside have launched a special-edition capsule celebrating the club's historic first league championship won in 1965. The release consists of two retro-inspired jerseys — one in green and another in white — that pay tribute to the monumental title won over six decades ago.
Both shirts embrace a classic mid-60s aesthetic, anchored by an open polo-style collar. The green shirt features a contrasting white collar and cuffs, complemented by a tonal sublimated pattern of stripes, pennants, and historic club insignia across the fabric. In turn, the white version offers a clean, elegant look highlighted by rich emerald green trim. On the collar ribbing, knit detailing spells out "19 CAMPEÓN 65" in tribute to the landmark campaign.
Each jersey is adorned with a vintage Deportivo Cali crest topped by a single embroidered golden star representing that maiden triumph. Additional commemorative touches include a retro script Hillside graphic at the lower back and a stitched authentic crest patch near the hem displaying "Cali - Un Amor para toda la Vida 1912". The limited-edition pieces are delivered in custom collector's packaging alongside a certificate of authenticity.
