Here Is The Full Football Boot History + Exceptional Career Of FC Barcelona's Paulinho
Jan 13, 2018, by Chris
It seems well possibly that FC Barcelona midfielder Paulinho is set to leave the Swoosh as he laced up in blackout unbranded Nike Mercurial Vapor 11 football boots in the last matches. While there is no info yet which brand the Brazilian will join, we take a look at the full boot history of a player whose career is anything but usual.
Paulinho began his playing career with Brazilian club Pão de Açúcar, joining the youth squad in 2004. However, after failing to break through into the first team, Paulinho joined Lithuanian side FC Vilnius in 2006. In the first years of his career, he played for several smaller clubs from Lithuania, Poland and Brazil before joining Corinthians in 2010. He always laced up in Nike Mercurial football boots in the first years as professional.
Playing for Corinthians, Paulinho quickly became one of the most promising players in Brazil's first division and made his Brazil debut in 2011 wearing Nike CTR boots instead of the Nike Mercurial he used as less-known player.
In 2013, Paulinho joined Tottenham, still wearing the Nike CTR soccer cleats. However, in 2014, Nike decided to discontinue the control CTR silo in favor for the Nike Magista. However, while one would assume that the Brazil midfielder would start wearing the Nike Magista, Paulinho made the switch to the Nike Tiempo for the 2014 World Cup.
Soon after the 2014 World Cup, however, Paulinho made the switch to the Nike Magista football boots which he should wear in the following years and during his whole time at Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande.
In Summer 2017, Paulinho totally surprisingly joined FC Barcelona for a sum of 40 million Euro. He laced up in Nike's high-cut Magista Obra cleat for the presentation, while he wore the low-cut Nike Magista Opus boot in his first Barcelona matches.
Some weeks after joining Barcelona, Paulinho switched to the Nike Mercurial football boot silo. For the second match in 2018, Paulinho blacked-out his boots, to show that his contract with Nike is up, to give Nike no free advertising and in order to gain a new boot contract.
Which brand do you think Paulinho will join? Do you think he will join any brand at all? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
OH Leuven 26-27 Away Kit Released
Belgian Pro League club Oud-Heverlee Leuven have officially unveiled their new 2026-27 away kit. Made by Jako, the new shirt introduces a bold dark look for the upcoming domestic campaign.
The Jako OH Leuven 2026-27 away shirt features a black base with deep green vertical stripes and vibrant orange pinstripes running down the body. Dark green detailing appears on the collar and sleeve cuffs, while the Jako logo and club crest are centrally positioned on the chest.
What do you think of the new OH Leuven 2026-27 away kit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
New Material for UEFA Champions League Patches?
Based on images from Manchester United's recent posts, it appears that the Starball and UEFA Foundation sleeve patches for the 26-27 UEFA Champions League might be moving away from the traditional velvet material. Instead, they seem to feature a noticeably thinner and flatter composition.
Without high-resolution close-ups, the exact material specifications cannot be fully confirmed just yet.
However, this potential shift remains unconfirmed, as other clubs have not displayed this change. Real Betis, for instance, still appeared with standard velvet-textured patches during their recent 26-27 Champions League portrait photoshoot sessions.
We will have to wait for official confirmation and close-up looks once the competition gets underway. Big thanks to @jerseystory_vn for the collage.
Almere City 26-27 Cup Kit Released
Dutch club Almere City have officially unveiled their new 2026-27 Cup kit. Made by Craft, the special “HANASAKA!” shirt celebrates the club’s connection with Japan through owner Yanmar and the Yanmar Hanasaka International Youth Cup, an U19 tournament organised by Almere City at the Yanmar Stadion.
The Craft Almere City 2026-27 Cup shirt features a black base with subtle tonal cherry blossom branch motifs across the front. Mint green and pastel pink details add contrast, with a mint crew-neck collar and sponsor branding joined by a pink monochrome club crest, Craft logo and sleeve trims.
What do you think of the new Almere City 2026-27 Cup kit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Sutton United 26-27 Third Kit Released
English club Sutton United and kit manufacturer VX3 have officially unveiled the club's new third kit for the 2026-27 campaign. Themed around the slogan "Where Passion Blooms," the release pays homage to the local area's historic lavender fields and was presented alongside players from the Sutton United Women's squad.
The VX3 Sutton United 26-27 third shirt is predominantly light lavender purple, paired with contrasting dark purple raglan sleeves and a matching polo collar. A monochrome purple club badge sits on the left chest, complemented by dark purple sponsor logos and an embroidered sprig of lavender on the upper back just below the neckline.
The new third kit completes Sutton United's kit set for the 2026-27 season alongside their previously released home and away strips.
Plymouth Argyle 26-27 Third Kit Released
Puma and Plymouth Argyle have officially launched the club's new third kit for the 26-27 season. Designed to make a bold visual impact on the pitch, the new strip brings back a vibrant tangerine look for the Pilgrims.
The Puma Plymouth Argyle 2026-27 third jersey combines a vivid orange base with contrasting black trim across the collar, shoulders, and cuffs. The front proudly features a monochrome black version of Argyle's iconic Mayflower crest, accompanied by black Puma cat branding and sponsor detailing from Lighthouse Charity.
The new third kit is available immediately via Argyle's official online store and in-person retail locations.
Catania FC 26-27 Away Kit Released
Italian club Catania FC and technical sponsor Erreà have officially launched their new away kit for the 2026-27 season. Arriving as part of the brand's "COLORI DEI TERRITORI" collection, the release completes the club's full wardrobe for the new campaign following the earlier debuts of their volcanic-themed third and traditional rossazzurri home strips.
The Erreà Catania 2026-27 away shirt is predominantly white, accented with dark grey detailing along the thick V-neck collar, sleeve cuffs, and shoulder trims. Across the front and sleeves, the jersey incorporates a subtle tonal graphic pattern inspired by local Catanese heritage and the city's iconic elephant symbol.
The new Catania FC 26-27 away uniform is completed with matching shorts and socks and is available now through the club's official retail channels.
FC Penafiel 26-27 Away Kit Released
Portuguese Liga Portugal 2 side FC Penafiel have officially launched their new away kit for the 2026-27 season. Produced by Nike, the secondary strip arrives two weeks after the release of the club's traditional red-and-black home jersey.
The Nike FC Penafiel 2026-27 away shirt is predominantly white, highlighted by a classic horizontal chest band in red that is bordered by thin black stripes. A black polo-style collar with a front insert adds a refined touch to the design. The Nike Swoosh and FC Penafiel crest are placed inside the red chest hoop, while the ABANCA sponsor logo appears in black across the midriff.
White shorts with black detailing and white socks round off the clean look of the new FC Penafiel 26-27 away uniform, which is already available to purchase through the club's official channels.
