Here Is Why Zlatan Ibrahimovic is Wearing Old Nike Mercurial Boots
Apr 8, 2018, by Chris
Zlatan Ibrahimovic made the headlines scoring an incredible goal in his MLS debut. However, the Swedish superstar was not wearing brand-new boots but the last-gen Nike Mercurial Vapor 11 football boots. Let's find out why he is wearing those instead of the new Nike Mercurial Vapor 12 and what's his contract situation with Nike.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Wears Old Nike Mercurial Vapor 11 Boots Because He Just Likes Them
First let us start with a bit of Zlatan's boot history. Ibrahimovic had been an official Nike athlete from the Euro 2004 until late 2014 when he started to wear blackout Adidas boots. However, he never moved officially to Adidas but regularly switched between different blackout boots from both Adidas and Nike.
In June 2016, Ibrahimovic launched his own sportswear brand, called AZ: Sportswear. In the months after the launch of his own sportswear brand, he started to lace both in branded in Adidas and Nike soccer cleats, while he switched to Nike Mercurial Vapor boots on April 4 2017. Since then, Ibrahimovic has been lacing up in the Nike Mercurial Vapor 11 boots.
Ibrahimovic now wears Nike because he likes them
When Nike launched the all-new Nike Mercurial Vapor 360 Flyknit boot this year, Ibrahimovic did not switch to the new boots and also was not part of any marketing campaign, a clear indicator that he is not an official ambassador / Nike athlete. This only seems logical as his own sportswear brand directly competes with Nike on many sportswear products.
Intriguing sports biz tidbit: Recently learned Zlatan doesn't have a shoe deal right now but wears Nike because he likes it. Introduced his own clothing line last year. https://t.co/L6Tj3CTe8N
— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) March 30, 2018
This was also confirmed by Sports Illustrated writer Grant Wahl, who has learned that Ibrahimovic does not have a shoe right deal and that the reason for Zlatan for wearing the Nike Mercurial Vapor XI is very simple - He now wears Nike because he likes it.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Contract Situation - Summary
- Until Euro 2004: No Personal 'Big' Boot Contract - Wears Puma for Puma-sponsored Malmö and Adidas for Adidas-sponsored Ajax
- Euro 2004 - Fall 2014: Official Nike Mercurial Athlete
- Fall 2014 - October 2016: No Boot Deal - Laces up in Adidas Adizero & Nike Mercurial
- June 2016: Launches Own Sportswear Brand - A-Z Sportswear
- October 2016 - April 2017: Adidas Boot-Only Deal But No Official Ambassador? - Laces Up in Latest Adidas X
- April 2017 - Today: No Official Brand Ambassador - Laces up in Nike Mercurial Vapor XI Boots
What do you think Zlatan Ibrahimovic's current contract situation looks like? Do you think he will ever sign a boot deal again? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Eintracht Frankfurt Frauen 26-27 European Kit Released
Eintracht Frankfurt Frauen and Adidas have officially unveiled an exclusive new "Europatrikot" for the 26-27 season. Designed specifically for the team's campaign in the UEFA Women’s Europa Cup, the kit symbolizes the international journeys and unity of the Adlerträgerinnen.
The Adidas Eintracht Frankfurt Frauen 26-27 European jersey is based on a black canvas covered with an intricate, dynamic gray path pattern running across the torso and lower back. A clean white Adidas logo and the Indeed sponsor contrast against the dark background, while subtle gray three stripes run along the shoulders. Above the club crest sit two golden stars celebrating their league championship history, joined by Generali on the sleeve and LOTTO Hessen on the back.
Matching black shorts and socks complete the uniform. The Eintracht Frankfurt Frauen 26-27 European kit is available now through the club's official webshop and selected retail outlets for €100.
Nike Mercurial 26-27 'United' Pack 4 Boots Leaked - 3 New Pictures
rfboots has leaked new images of the new Nike Mercurial Superfly 11 boots, part of the United 004 collection, which will be released soon.
The boots feature a fresh light blue primary color with vibrant orange details, including a silver Swoosh with orange outlining and an orange Nike United logo on the heel.
Bristol Rovers 26-27 Third Kit Released
Bristol Rovers have officially unveiled their new 26-27 third kit, produced by Puma. The tertiary strip was already given an on-pitch debut by the squad during their recent League Two away match against Gillingham.
The Puma Bristol Rovers 26-27 third shirt introduces a stylish look with a black base and soft pink accents. A subtle tonal line pattern covers the front and back of the torso, complemented by contrasting pink inserts along the shoulders, side panels, and collar. The monochrome club crest, Puma cat branding, and front-of-shirt sponsor Pukka are all finished in the same matching pink shade.
Black shorts and black socks with pink detailing complete the new Puma Bristol Rovers 26-27 third uniform. Season ticket holders will have early access to purchase the strip at an exclusive club shop event on September 24, followed by a general in-store release on September 25 and online sales starting September 28.
Colombia's DIMAYOR Mandates Standard Helvetica Font for All Teams From 2027
Colombian football governing body DIMAYOR is set to introduce sweeping kit branding regulations starting with the 2027 Liga BetPlay season. An official circular distributed to professional clubs outlines strict new rules for shirt names, numbering, and sleeve badges. Most notably, the league will mandate Helvetica as the sole official typeface for player names and squad numbers across all participating teams, stripping clubs and kit manufacturers of the ability to use custom fonts. Big thanks to @cdfactoryco.
Beyond standardizing the typography, the regulations strictly govern visibility and colors. All names and numbers must appear either in solid black on light-colored kits or solid white on dark-colored kits, with no additional accent colors or outlines permitted. For shirts featuring stripes or graphic patterns, clubs must integrate a blank, single-tone rectangle measuring exactly 34 cm by 26 cm on the back to host the number. Player names must be positioned directly above the number with a font height between 5 cm and 7 cm, while DIMAYOR and competition sleeve badges will have designated dimensions and mandatory placement below club sponsor patches.
DIMAYOR is also putting an end to unconventional squad numbers. Players will only be allowed to wear consecutive integers from 1 up to the total number of registered squad members, outlawing high numbers such as 77, 88, or 99. The drastic move has sparked backlash among Colombian football fans and kit designers, who have criticized the choice of a standard office typeface and the loss of distinctive club identity on the pitch.
Zinedine Zidane Wears Limited-Edition Adidas "Zidane x Adidas" 30-Year Anniversary Boots in France Training
France head coach Zinedine Zidane was spotted lacing up his limited-edition Adidas Predator 26 'ZZ30' 30-Year Anniversary boots during Les Bleus' training session at Clairefontaine. Leading the squad onto the pitch ahead of their upcoming fixtures, the French maestro gave his latest signature boots an on-pitch debut in classic Zizou fashion.
Officially launched in September 2026, the boots mark three decades since Zidane first joined forces with Adidas ahead of Euro 1996. The boot features a clean Cloud White base highlighted by metallic gold detailing, accompanied by French Tricolore accents on the heel. Personal touches celebrating his iconic career are visible throughout the design, including 'ZZ30' branding, references to cities that shaped his journey, and a graphic paying tribute to his famous 2002 Champions League final volley.
Bespoke details include a classic folded tongue with the number '30', the stylized nickname 'ZI30U' on the soleplate and insole, and a graphic depiction of Zidane's legendary 2002 Champions League final volley on the heel counter.