Nike's Best Players Debut Hypervenom II Boots with Old Upper
Mar 27, 2016, by Pat
Update 27/03/2016: Many players have been spotted wearing the Nike Hypervenom 2 with the iconic honeycomb-like upper of the first-gen boots in the international friendlies that took place in the past few days. The list includes almost all off Nike's best players who wear the agility boot (Harry Kane, Daniel Sturridge, Robert Lewandowski, Mario Mandzukic and Kevin Volland). However, there are many more players who received the heavily modified boots, while there are still also players who wear the retail edition of the agility cleats, including England's Jamie Vardy.
Mandzukic x Croatia 2016 Away Kit x Modified Nike Hypervenoms
Lewandowski x Poland 2016 Home Kit x Modified Nike Hypervenoms
Jamie Vardy x England 2016 Away Kit x Non-Modified Nike Hypervenoms
As we revealed last month, Nike will revert the Nike Hypervenom II football boots to the upper of the first generation from fall 2016. It seems the professionals won't have to wait this long, after Everton's Ross Barkley tweeted a picture of his new cleats that doesn't leave much doubt.
Ross Barkley earlier received Nike Mercurial / Hypervenom hybrid boots, similar to those Neymar has been wearing this the earlier stages of the season.
Ross Barkley's Custom Radiant Reveal Nike Hypervenom Phinish Boots
This picture shows Ross Barkley's heavily customized Nike Hypervenom Phinish.
Boasting the outstanding lateral gradient zig-zag of the Nike Hypervenom Phinish Radiant Reveal soccer boots, Ross Barkley's football cleats combine the iconic honeycomb-like upper of the original Hypervenoms with the Flywire strings known from the second generation on each side.
Read more about the differences between the first-gen and second-gen upper
Additionally, Barkley's new Nike Hypervenom Phinish cleats boast a sole plate that at first glance like the one used for the Nike Tiempo Legend VI. Upon closer inspection, it's in fact the sole plate that was used for discontinued Nike Total 90 Laser IV, a boot Barkley wore in 2012 before switching to the Nike CTR360, Tiempo and later the Magista. Last but not least, Nike added Barkley's name on the outside below the Swoosh.
With the reversion to the honeycomb upper all but confirmed, what are your thoughts on Nike's move? Let us know in the comments below.
Grimsby Town 26-27 Third Kit Released
Grimsby Town and technical partner Lotto have officially revealed the club's new 26-27 third kit. Following the previous releases of their home and away strips, the new design draws inspiration from the earliest days of the Mariners playing at Blundell Park, combining a rich brown base with light blue and white accents.
The Grimsby Town 26-27 third jersey is predominantly brown, featuring a broad white chest band bordered by a thin sky blue line. The kit showcases an all-over sublimated diamond pattern across the body, with matching white and sky blue trim along the collar and sleeve cuffs. A monochrome white club crest sits on the chest, while a fisherman illustration is printed on the upper back as a sign-off detail.
Matching brown shorts and socks complete the full uniform for the Mariners. The new Lotto Grimsby Town 26-27 third strip will be available to purchase in-store from Friday, August 7, with online sales opening on Monday, August 10.
US Thionville Lusitanos 26-27 Home & Away Kits Released
French club US Thionville Lusitanos has officially unveiled its new home and away kits for the 26-27 season, made in collaboration with Kappa. The new collection draws direct inspiration from the history, architecture, and soul of the city of Thionville. The reveal shoot took place at the historic Tour aux Puces, emphasizing the deep connection between the club and its local heritage.
The 26-27 home kit features a sky blue base with white trim along the collar and sleeve cuffs, complemented by custom graphic artwork along the lower hem depicting local landmarks and symbols. The away shirt shares the same design blueprint, opting for a clean light grey base paired with white accents and tonal architectural patterns near the bottom. Both shirts feature crewneck collars and host a range of local club sponsors.
The new Kappa US Thionville Lusitanos 26-27 home and away jerseys will be available to purchase starting August 14, 2026.
Oliver Baumann Slams FIFA Over World Cup Jersey Badge
Germany goalkeeper Oliver Baumann has publicly spoken out against FIFA's commercialization, pointing to a controversial practice involving temporary kit badges at the 2026 World Cup. In a recent interview with BILD, the goalkeeper criticized what German media have dubbed "Trikot Gate," shedding light on how players' match jerseys were handled for profit behind the scenes.
According to Baumann, FIFA applied special commemorative patches to player shirts before matches, labeling players with titles like "Legacy" or "Debutant." However, immediately after matches, staff entered the dressing room to peel those badges off the jerseys. Frustrated by the process, Baumann stated that players just wanted to keep their authentic kits intact rather than having them stripped.
Baumann did not play a match in the 2026 World Cup. Those badges are removed from the kits to be later part of trading cards, as part of a deal with Topps. However, it remains to be seen if badges of players who finally did not make a debut will be made into cards, or if it was just removed because of the streamlined process.
The goalkeeper appealed to governing bodies to prioritize the sport itself over endless commercial initiatives. Baumann warned that excessive commercialization, from stripped kit patches to unnecessary breaks, threatens to alienate fans and players who care about the tradition and passion of football.
Mohamed Salah Takes Number 10 Shirt at Trabzonspor
Mohamed Salah has officially completed his move to Turkish side Trabzonspor after leaving Liverpool. Following his arrival, the Egyptian superstar has been assigned the club's number 10 shirt for the 26-27 season. The Turkish club had initially prepared the number 11 jersey, the same squad number Salah wore during his iconic stint at Anfield, but the winger requested number 10 instead to match his shirt number with the Egypt national team.
To accommodate the request, Trabzonspor player Ernest Muçi, who previously held the number 10 jersey, agreed to give up the squad number out of respect for his new teammate. During his arrival flight to Turkey, Salah was seen wearing a presentation kit featuring number 61. The number 61 holds special cultural significance in Trabzon, representing the province's vehicle code and a tradition celebrated by supporters in the 61st minute of matches.
Salah has signed a two-year deal with Trabzonspor, and his official number 10 kit is now available as the club prepares for the upcoming season.