Boot Watch #021 | Transfer Market & International Cup
Welcome back to our weekly boot watch! This week, the world of futbol remains in the off-season. However, with tournaments like the International cup we're able to get some quality spottings from players in between contracts or simply in new or unreleased colorways.
Nana Ichise | Unknown Adidas Model
I know cleats well, and this spotting has me stumped. At first i thought they were a pair of Old 11Pro's or a custom Gloro, but they seem to be neither. When it comes to the Asian market, boots are actually very different so i'm not ashamed to say i don't recognize these. If you know what they are, tell us in the comments! Also, a little nod goes to her teammate in the white Under Armor Clutchfit 3.0s, great boot!
Alireza Haghighi | Custom Nike Tiempo Legend VI
This is yet another hard spot, but with a closer look and different angle, the showing of a Tiempo Legend VI are evident. The sole was the main giveaway, but Mr Alireza did pretty well at hiding the identity of his boots.
Marcel Halstenburg | Nike Mercurial Superfly IV
Those are out dated buddy, they're still a great boot nonetheless but the colorway is definitely one we have not seen in some time. Bravo Marcel, stand out from the crowd and wear what you like!
Romelu Lukaku | Adidas X16 Leather
Now I'm getting fed up. Mr Lukaku, i beg you to choose one boot or even one brand at this point! It's weeks now I'm watching this man and every time I do, he's got a different pair of boots on his feet! How can a professional player be so indesicive about his most used piece of gear!
Marco Parolo | Nike Tiempo VII
This comes to me as a shock, and I'm disappointed to say it's nothing new. Parolo, who used to sport Mizuno Morelia boots is now under Nike wearing the new Legend VII. Thinking this is something recent, I've seen him wearing Legend Vi's in previous photos which means i simply missed out on this brand switch awhile ago.
Rade Dugalic | Mizuno Morelia Neo II
Speaking of the Morelia NEO, here is exactly the boot Parolo had been wearing for some time. Handmade in Japan with quality leather and a lightweight concept in mind, it is a sublime cleat to own.
Georgi Melkadze | Adidas Messi 16.1
When a boot is made and branded after a certain popular player, it's always nice to see other professionals lace up in those exact boots. The Messi silo only lasted 2 generations but was a pretty quality based idea, the 16.1 is the model spotted here in the bronze colorway.
Leon Britton | Adidas X 15.1
This boot will never disappear, whether it's the synthetic or the leather this exact model and colorway remains seen all over the place being worn by many professional players. I find them really good looking but they must perform just as well because this guy is now 2 generations behind and still rocking them.
Kasper Schmeichel | Custom New Balance Furon
Correct me if I'm wrong in the comments, but I'm taking a educated guess that these whiteout New Balance boots are a prototype of the recently released Furon Pro III. Schmeichel has been wearing Furons for some time and this being a whiteout means they're probably a prototype, but as a new model just released my best guess is that he was too comfy in them to swap into the launch color. Also they do go well with his white kit!
Paulo Dybala | Custom Puma One 17.1
Between Lukaku and Dybala, I'm beginning to get a headache. Lacing up in another pair of blackout boots, Dybala opted for the big cat and their new One 17.1 model. At least the Juventus forward is keeping it professional in blackouts and looking classy while he's at it.
Per Mertesacker | Adidas Ace 17.1 leather
I would be this player, the guy who knows the boots haven't been released yet but doesn't care and slips them on early anyways. Especially in this model, the underrated leather ace 17.1 which is no longer even offered to the public but only professionals!
Juan Cuadrado | Adidas X17.1 leather
I added this one more for the actual picture than the spotting. Juventus' Juan Cuadrado smiles for the camera with a mouth full of X17. From the pictures, it seems the front portion is a leather variation which would fit as Cuadrado has previously opted for leather variations from Adidas.
Hope you enjoyed the latest boot watch, please let us know if you have another spot or found error in our work.
South Korea Forced to Change Away Kit Font Color for 2026 World Cup
South Korea have been forced to change the nameset color on their 2026 away kit to comply with FIFA equipment regulations. The original light green names and numbers, which were worn during the team's pre-tournament friendlies, have been replaced with navy for the 2026 World Cup.
The change was made to increase the visibility of the names and numbers from a distance. The original light green color did not provide enough contrast against the light purple and white camouflage-style pattern of the Nike away shirt, violating FIFA's strict rules regarding the legibility of player identification.
The updated navy nameset was debuted in South Korea's second match of the tournament, providing a stark contrast to the shirt's base design and ensuring full compliance with FIFA's visibility standards.
CD Numancia 26-27 Home, Away & Third Kits Released
Spanish club CD Numancia and their long-time technical sponsor Erreà have officially unveiled the club's new kits for the 2026-27 season. The launch celebrates a historic milestone, marking 20 years of uninterrupted partnership between the team and the Italian sportswear brand. To honor this two-decade collaboration, the new designs reinterpret the essence of the original kits from the 2006-07 season, when Erreà first began outfitting the Soria-based side.
The CD Numancia 2026-2027 home kit returns to the club's traditional deep red base with blue details, directly inspired by the 2006-07 template. It features a classic central shield placement, reviving a vintage aesthetic that defined the early days of the partnership. The away kit reverses this color scheme, utilizing a crisp white base with red and blue accents. Rounding out the set, the third kit introduces a clean black design with red and white elements that firmly connect to Numancia's identity.
Nike x G-Dragon South Korea 2026 World Cup Collection Debuted
In the recent match between South Korea and Mexico, the South Korean players wore special anthem jackets and pre-match shirt from a lifestyle collection created in collaboration with global star G-Dragon.
Black/Green Nike Mercurial Superfly 11 Boots Spotted
In the opening match between Haiti and Scotland, left-back Martin Expérience was spotted wearing the Nike Mercurial Superfly 11 boots in a black/green colorway. It is expected to be released soon.
Livingston FC 26-27 Home Kit Released
Livingston FC have officially unveiled their new 2026027 home kit, made by Joma.
The new Joma Livingston FC 2026-27 home shirt features a dominant amber-yellow colorway and a large polo collar. The jersey also incorporates subtle embossed patterns that add a refined touch to the design.
Hibernian FC 26-27 Home Kit Released
Hibernian FC have officially unveiled their new 2026-27 home kit and simultaneously announced a partnership with Reebok, replacing Joma as the club’s kit supplier.
The new jersey features a dark green base, complemented by a polo collar and raglan sleeves with white accents. Both the collar and sleeve cuffs are white, finished with green trim.
World Cup 'Debut' Patch is Attached to the Boots
Midfielder Luis Romo (31) made a memorable impact in his FIFA World Cup debut, scoring the only goal in Mexico’s 1-0 victory over South Africa. The win also made Mexico the first team to secure a place in the knockout stage.
Making his first-ever World Cup appearance, Luis Romo naturally had the honor of wearing the World Cup “Debut” Patch. Interestingly, however, he chose to attach it to his Tiempo Maestro boots rather than wear it on his shirt sleeve like most other players.
