Happy Birthday | Not Always Mercurials - Here Is Eden Hazard's Full Boot History
Jan 7, 2018, by Chris
Eden Hazard, Belgium international and Chelsea striker, celebrates his 27th birthday yesterday. The Belgian striker is Nike's face of the Ultra Flyknit soccer boot and is set to be one of the main players of the next-gen Nike Mercurial. However, Hazard has not always laced up in Nike speed boots.
First Years as Professional - Nike Tiempo and Mercurial
Eden Hazard joined Chelsea in 2012 from Lille, five years after his first senior match.
Hazard, a product of Lille's and Tubize's youth system, made his senior debut in 2007 at the age of 16. And while he wore Nike's Mercurial soccer boots in his first senior match, he also laced up in the Nike Tiempo Legend soccer boots between 2007 and 2012 very often, interestingly.
Eden Hazard Joins Chelsea - Says Goodbye to Nike's Most Classic Pro Player Boot and Receives First Signature Boots
When Hazard joined Chelsea, he quickly became one of the Premier League's biggest stars. He therefore was one of the players to headline the Nike Green Speed ACC II football boots in 2012. He also never again laced up in Nike Tiempo boots since he joined the Blues, and never used Nike's high-cut Mercurial Superfly boots.
In May 2015, Eden Hazard received a unique signature boot from Nike honoring Eden Hazard's great season which saw him win the Premier League with Chelsea and the PFA Player of the Year award individually.
In September 2017, the Belgian superstar became the main face of a whole boot silo for the first time when Nike launched the all-new Nike Ultra Flyknit soccer cleats.
The Nike Ultra Flyknit is not a regular boot silo but a cleat to show off what's the future of the Nike Mercurial, so Eden Hazard will very say goodbye to the cleat in late February 2018 with the launch of the all-new next-gen Nike Mercurial Vapor 12.
Did you know that Eden Hazard very often laced up in Nike Tiempo boots before he joined Chelsea? Let us know in the comments below.
Adidas Germany 2026 Farewell Kit Debuted on Pitch
Germany officially debuted their special edition Adidas farewell kit during their UEFA Nations League clash against the Netherlands. The release marks the final chapter of a legendary 72-year partnership between the German Football Association (DFB) and the Three Stripes, which began in 1954 and will officially come to an end on December 31, 2026, ahead of Nike taking over as technical supplier from 2027.
The tribute shirt features an elegant, predominantly black base decorated with vertical gold diamond pinstripes running down the front. Adidas has opted for the heritage Trefoil logo on the right chest alongside the classic DFB crest used between 1978 and 1996, both rendered in white. A retro-inspired crossover V-neck collar is trimmed in white and gold, mirrored on the sleeve cuffs, while a commemorative "1954" jock tag sits on the bottom hem to honor the historic year the partnership began.
Completed with black shorts and black socks featuring gold detailing, the on-pitch ensemble arrived just days after its official unveiling. Following its high-profile match debut, the Germany 2026 farewell jersey is scheduled to go on general sale via official Adidas channels starting September 26, 2026.
Nike Phantom 6 Haaland Chapter 5 Boots Revealed - Reactive Nike Hydra Upper
Through its partner stores, Nike has officially revealed Erling Haaland's fifth signature edition, the Nike Phantom 6 Haaland Chapter 5 from his Force of Nature collection. Finished in a Baltic Blue colorway with cloud-inspired graphics across the rear, the low-cut boot introduces Nike's Hydra treatment, which uses reactive white ink that vanishes when wet to uncover additional details of the graphic beneath. Engineered for lethal finishing in the 26-27 season, the boot combines a Gripknit upper with a Cyclone 360 soleplate and is scheduled to launch on October 1, 2026. Huge thanks to Pro Direct and Unisportsore for images and the video.
Fortuna Sittard 26-27 Cup Kit Released - Sponsorless 1957 Tribute
Dutch Eredivisie side Fortuna Sittard and technical supplier Robey have officially revealed a special cup kit for the 26-27 campaign. Created in collaboration with design agency 51North, this release marks the very first dedicated cup kit in the club's history. It serves as a direct tribute to predecessor club Fortuna '54, who won the 1957 KNVB Beker with a memorable Bram Appel hat-trick against Feyenoord.
The Robey Fortuna Sittard 26-27 cup shirt faithfully revives the historic look with a white base highlighted by broad horizontal red and blue stripes across the chest, completing the Dutch tricolor. In true vintage fashion, the jersey comes with long sleeves as standard and features a retro polo collar. Club sponsors voluntarily stepped aside to allow a completely clean, sponsorless front, while the Robey branding and club badge are subtly embroidered in tonal white to maintain the authentic aesthetic.
Additional bespoke details round off the historic tribute. A heritage Fortuna '54 tag sits near the bottom hem, and an embroidered depiction of the KNVB Cup sits neatly below the back collar, added with official federation approval. The shirt is worn with matching white shorts and socks, completing a timeless look for Fortuna's cup run.
FIFA ASEAN Cup Features Same Left-Sleeve Kit Badge as in 2026 FIFA World Cup Final
The opening match between Laos and Brunei provided a full reveal of the sleeve patch pairing for the inaugural FIFA-organized Southeast Asian tournament.
Moving away from the previously expected navy blue, the official tournament patches feature a clean white base. Most notably, the "Football Unites the World" sleeve patch on the left arm is the exact same design that made a single, exclusive appearance at the recent World Cup Final between Spain and Argentina.
Big thanks to @What The Kit for spotting and making the collage.
