Black & Pink Nike Mercurial Vapor XI 2016-17 Boots Revealed
Nike has unveiled a black and pink Nike Mercurial Vapor XI as the first 2016-17 offering to follow on the super-bold Euro 2016 colorway. Officially labeled as 'Black & Pink Blast', the second Nike Mercurial Vapor 11 football boot colorway are available in-store from July 5, 2016.
Nike launched the current version of the Mercurial Vapor, the Nike Mercurial Vapor X, ahead of the 2014 World Cup. The new Nike Mercurial Vapor 11 soccer cleats stay true to their predecessor for the most part, while there's also a next-gen Nike Mercurial Vapor V, for those who prefer a heightened sockliner.
Nike Mercurial Vapor XI - Black / Pink Blast
This is the new black and pink next-gen Nike Mercurial Vapor 11 soccer boot.
Almost entirely black, the stunning second paint job for the new Nike Mercurial Vapor 11 comes with striking logos in pink. This includes the lateral Mercurial writing, the Swoosh and ACC logo on the integrated tongue and the large outline Swoosh on the side and front of the black and pink Nike Mercurial Vapor XI 2016-2017 cleats.
The sole plate of the 'Black / Pink Blast' Nike Mercurial Vapor 11 soccer boots is also completely black bar a pink Swoosh, while the lower part of the studs is semi-transparent. Another outline Swoosh is present on the inside of the new Nike Mercurial Vapor 11 boots. Unlike on the first colorway, the all-new 'speed rib' structure along the sides of the all-new Nike Mercurial Vapor 11 football boots is not highlighted visually.
Made for ultimate ball control at high speed and impeccable traction, the black and pink Nike Mercurial Vapor 11 2016-17 soccer cleats introduce the all-new, aforementioned 'speed rib' structure on the upper. Designed to be the new trademark element of the Nike Mercurial silo, the ribs are placed on the upper of the next-gen Nike Mercurial Vapor 11, as well as the new Nike Mercurial Superfly V cleats. They work towards improving lockdown and touch on the new 'Black and Pink Blast' Nike Mercurial Vapor XI 2016-2017 boots.
Other than that, the Nike Mercurial Vapor 11 Euro 2016 boots largely echo the look of their predecessors, including both the unique one-piece upper construction and a similar, ultra-thin Teijin microfiber upper. The upper of the next-gen Nike Mercurial Vapor football boots again features Nike's ACC (All Conditions Control) technology.
Anyway, the next-gen Nike Mercurial Vapor 2016-2017 boots also come with a totally new outsole, both in shape and stud configuration and alignment. All of the new studs used on the black Nike Mercurial Vapor 11 2016-17 cleats have the same shape, but are rotated in different directions to offer the improved traction on firm-ground surfaces.
In terms of on-pitch player support, some of Nike's most high-profile players are wearing the new Nike Mercurial Vapor 11 boots since June. The list includes the likes of Douglas Costa, Eden Hazard and Luka Modric. The black and pink Nike Mercurial Vapor 11 boots are not expected to receive on-pitch support, however.
Available from July 5, 2016, the black next-gen Nike Mercurial Vapor XI football boots retail at €220 ($230, £180).
Do you like the black and pink Nike Mercurial Vapor XI 2016-17 football boots from the Pitch Dark collection? Drop us a line below.
Vintage Football Shirts
from Cult Kits
2002/04 River Plate Home Shirt (M) Adidas
2003 Shonan Bellmare #2 Home Shirt (XS) Puma
2007/08 France Henry #12 Home Shirt (M) Adidas
1976/78 Hamburg L/S Away Shirt (L) Erima
2024 Mexico *BNWT* Away Shirt (Multiple Sizes) Adidas
2022/23 Newcastle United Bruno G. #39 Away Shirt (XL) Castore
1998/99 Atletico Madrid Away Socks (Multiple Sizes) Reebok
1992/94 Spain Home Shirt (L) Adidas
2015/16 Hamburg Training Jacket (M) Adidas
1992 Manchester United GK -93 Reusable Face Mask
Barcelona Releases Limited LaLiga Victory Box for 2025-26 Season
Barcelona has launched a limited edition LaLiga Victory Box to mark the club's 2025-26 title success. Priced at €499.99, the collection is sold exclusively through the official Barça store and is capped at 1,000 units total across available sizes.
Each box contains a player edition 2025-26 home jersey featuring a special commemorative LaLiga champions inscription, an official champions t-shirt, a numbered victory scarf, and a random limited Panini Instant card. The cards include rare parallels, with only 25 units across the run signed by players including Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Lewandowski, Pedri, and Gavi.
The release follows Barcelona's league triumph in the 2025-26 campaign. Orders are now open with shipping in approximately two weeks. Would you purchase one of these boxes? Let us know in the comments.
Colo-Colo 26-27 Retro Lifestyle Kit Leaked
Kit tracker Kamil Berberler has posted details of a Colo-Colo x adidas Originals Collection long sleeve jersey. The image has been recreated with the FIFA Kit Creator tool.
The Adidas Originals Colo-Colo 2026 jersey is based on the streamlined template, in a no-nonsense black and white colorway. It has a black base with contrasting white logos.
Coritiba 26-27 Away Kit Released
Coritiba has officially revealed its new away jersey for the 2026-27 season. Produced by Diadora, the shirt known as the Jogadeira draws inspiration from the nighttime landscape of Curitiba, reflecting urban lighting, traditional architecture, and the club's deep roots in the city through the 'Curitiba é Coritiba' campaign.
The design emphasizes a dark green base with thinner white vertical stripes for a more contemporary look. It features a white polo collar with matching accents on the shoulders, sleeves, and cuffs. The club crest is on the left chest and the Diadora logo appears in white on the right. A custom jacquard pattern references historic republican posts along Rua XV de Novembro, connected to the 'Pelo Mundo Vai Brilhar' theme.
White shorts and green socks round out the kit. It is now available at official Coxa Store locations and online.
What do you think of the new Coritiba away shirt? Let us know in the comments.
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 30th Anniversary 26-27 Home Kit Released
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo have announced their new home kit for the 2026-27 season made by Mizuno. The shirt celebrates the club's 30th anniversary and is set to be worn in all official matches throughout the campaign.
The design retains the team's traditional red and black vertical stripes but incorporates a starry sky pattern between them, drawing from the Hokkaido prefecture flag. It also features a special centered 30th anniversary badge marking the milestone.
The kit supports the club's push for promotion back to the J1 League.
What do you think of the new Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 2026-27 home kit? Let us know in the comments.
France 2026 World Cup Numbers Announced
France head coach Didier Deschamps has officially announced his 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. Following the announcement, the French Football Federation (FFF) has also revealed the official squad numbers that the Les Bleus will wear during the tournament.
The squad features a blend of experienced veterans and exciting young talent. As expected, superstar Kylian Mbappé will wear the iconic number 10 shirt, while Antoine Griezmann's former number 7 has been given to Ousmane Dembélé.
Here is the complete list of the France squad and their official numbers for the 2026 World Cup:
Goalkeepers
1 – Brice Samba (Rennes)
16 – Mike Maignan (AC Milan)
23 – Robin Risser (Lens)
Defenders
2 – Malo Gusto (Chelsea)
3 – Lucas Digne (Aston Villa)
4 – Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)
5 – Jules Koundé (Barcelona)
15 – Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool)
17 – William Saliba (Arsenal)
19 – Theo Hernandez (Al Hilal)
21 – Lucas Hernandez (PSG)
26 – Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace)
Midfielders
6 – Manu Koné (AS Roma)
8 – Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid)
13 – N'Golo Kanté (Fenerbahçe)
14 – Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan)
18 – Warren Zaïre-Emery (PSG)
Forwards
7 – Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)
9 – Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan)
10 – Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid)
11 – Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)
12 – Bradley Barcola (PSG)
20 – Désiré Doué (PSG)
22 – Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace)
24 – Rayan Cherki (Manchester City)
25 – Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco)
France, drawn into Group I, will face Iraq, Norway, and Senegal in the group stage as they aim for their third World Cup title.
Red Star Belgrade 2026-27 Home Kit Revealed
Red Star Belgrade have unveiled their new home kit for the 2026-27 season, produced by Macron. The shirt keeps the club's traditional red and white vertical stripes but in a narrower format.
The design includes a knitted polo collar with white detailing and gold accents inside the collar and on the hem. A tone-on-tone sublimated graphic inspired by the topographical map of Belgrade runs across the chest, sleeves and lower back.
The Red Star Belgrade crest sits on the left chest alongside the Macron logo. The kit is due to feature in the Serbian SuperLiga and was shown to fans at an event in the city on May 22.
What do you think of the new Red Star Belgrade 2026-27 home kit? Let us know in the comments.
