Boot Deals: Inside Look At Footballers' Cleats Contracts - Money, Small Print & Sole Plates
Mar 3, 2020, by Chris
Whenever a player is wearing blackout boots in an official match, it is a clear sign that he has no valid boot contract. There are many secret things about players and their boot contracts.
Football Boot Deals - Most Important Points
It's Not Only A Nice Extra Income - Worth Of Football Boot Endorsement Deals
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have the biggest deals in the world of football. Cristiano Ronaldo's lifetime deal with Nike is reported to be worth over $1 billion, while Leo Messi earns around 12 million USD / year. Superstars like Pogba (3 million GBP / year) , Neymar (around 3 million Euro / year), Dybala and Lukaku get a relatively low seven-figure amount of money.
However, what is very important in those deals are the bonuses. In example, Nike has agreed a deal with Neymar that will see him earn 1 million USD for his first Ballon d'Or, and an additional 1 million USD on top of the 1 million USD for each time he wins it again, until the fourth occasion. Thereafter, he will be awarded $4m for each subsequent success.
"With boots your deal will include a retainer, a bonus for playing a certain number of Premier League games, another for goals scored, then Champions League games and goals," the former England striker wrote. "In 2007, the year Liverpool reached the Champions League final and I played pretty much every game for England, I doubled the value of my deal."
It's Not Only About Money - Boots Itself Are Very Important For Players
Unlike it is the case with other advertising deals of footballers like Messi's deal with Lays, the soccer cleats itself are important for the players performance. Therefore, players select their boots carefully and also received custom boots from their brands in order to have a good fitting cleat, which is the most important thing for most footballers.
Nike don't just give you their boots to wear. They'll make whatever modifications you want
"Nike are great," Liverpool midfielder James Milner wrote in his book, Ask a Footballer. "They don't just give you their boots to wear. They'll make whatever modifications you want. I've had a few foot injuries in the past, so they have produced a carbon plate for me to put in the bottom of the boot and make it more rigid. Any change you might want to make, no matter how small, they're willing to do it."
It's Not Only About The Boots Itself - Endorsement Deals Always Also Cover Clothing (And Often Also) Skincare, Electronic Goods, Headphones And Sunglasses
The endorsement deals of most footballers does not only cover the boots but quite logically also the sports clothing. It is also common for deals to include a range of products not related to football at all (at first glance), such as electronic goods, sunglasses and headphones.
"I've seen times when a player has signed a boot deal thinking it's just for wearing, say, Adidas clothes, for example, but it actually covers moisturisers, skincare, electronic goods, headphones and sunglasses. Another brand approaches the player and says, 'Do you want to model our new skincare range?' The player says, 'Yeah, that fits in with my idea of the type of stuff I want to be doing.' But they then look back at the boot deal and realise that that's within the remit of that boot deal. Or even worse, they go ahead and sign the deal, and realise they're possibly in breach of their boot deal, which creates significant problems."
It's Not Only About The Current Superstar - Brands Try To Sign Players As Young As Possible
Brands are trying to discover the next superstars and are therefore already singing deals with teenagers such as BVB's wonder kid Youssoufa Moukoko.
"Aided and abetted by parents who have an eye on getting their kids into football, these deals are getting [made when players are] younger and younger," sports marketing expert Tim Crow told Bleacher Report. "The trend is very much about signing up players long-term as young as possible."
Other important things about boot deals include that the different brands to not have talks with players who are engaged by a rival brand, that there are many more bonuses and details included in a deal and that there are many more obstacles for players, e.g. if they are sponsored by the rival brand of their kit supplier.
Share your thoughts in the comments below and check out the full story on Bleacher Report.
PSG 26-27 Third Kit Concept Based On Leaked Image
Based on the previous leaked pictures, our partner @whatthekit_x have provided a concept of how the PSG 26-27 third kit would look like on their stars Doué and Dembélé. The shorts and socks are expected to carry the same motif and colorway as of the shirt's, creating a uniform ovarall look for the European champions.
What do you think of the PSG's 26-27 third kit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Queen of the South 26-27 Third Kit Released - Designed by Local School Pupil
Scottish League One club Queen of the South has officially launched its new 26-27 third kit, manufactured by Macron. What makes the release particularly unique is that it was designed by Rex, a pupil from Dalbeattie Primary School, who won a club competition that saw an impressive 1,883 entries submitted from 27 local primary schools.
The Macron Queen of the South 2026-27 third jersey introduces an eye-catching look based on bold diagonal stripes alternating between pink, black, and purple. The sleeves are dominated by bright pink with black cuffs, matched by a clean black V-neck collar. White detailing finishes the shirt, including the Macron Hero emblem, local sponsor Gavin Edgar Joinery on the chest, and a recolored monochrome club crest.
Completing the Queen of the South 26-27 third strip are black shorts and socks. The full kit is available now through the club's official online store and physical club shop.
Kifisia FC 26-27 Home & Away Kits Released
Greek Super League club Kifisia FC and German kit maker Erima have officially revealed the team's new home and away kits for the 26-27 campaign. Both designs introduce the branding of new front-of-shirt sponsor Tutu Deals.
The Erima Kifisia 26-27 home jersey features a timeless navy blue base covered with subtle white vertical pinstripes extending across the front and sleeves. A sharp white V-neck collar matches the clean white Erima chest branding, while the club's signature plane tree leaf crest sits proudly on the left breast.
The 26-27 away kit opts for a clean white base adorned with an intricate, tonal root-inspired graphic pattern across the body. Navy and gold trim decorates both the polo collar and the sleeve cuffs, with elegant gold detailing applied to the club crest and manufacturer logo to round off the look.
AC Bellinzona 26-27 Home & Away Kits Released
Italian brand Acerbis and Swiss side AC Bellinzona have officially unveiled the club's new home and away kits for the 26-27 season. The Ticino outfit, competing in the Swiss Promotion League, receive a coordinated pair of shirts defined by a bold cross design across the front.
The AC Bellinzona 26-27 home shirt arrives in the club's signature deep granata, highlighted by a prominent white cross spanning across the entire front of the jersey. Reversing the colorway, the 26-27 away jersey uses a clean white base complemented by the same large cross graphic in dark red.
Both jerseys feature a symmetrical, centered layout. The Acerbis wordmark and Bellinzona's diamond-shaped badge sit vertically above each other on the upper chest, while the sponsor emblem is aligned right in the center of the cross.
Ederson Continues Cutting Sleeves at Fenerbahçe
Heading into his second season in the Süper Lig, the 33-year-old goalkeeper was once again spotted taking the pitch in a cut-sleeve jersey. Simply because Fenerbahçe does not offer a short-sleeve kit option from Adidas.
At his previous clubs like Rio Ave, Benfica, and Manchester City, Ederson always had short-sleeve versions to him. His time at Fenerbahçe marks one of the rare instances in his professional career where Ederson has worn long sleeves on the pitch.
Special thanks to What The Kit for the spot and the collage.
Bordeaux 26-27 Away Kit Released
Following the launch of their home strip, Girondins de Bordeaux and Hummel have officially unveiled the club's new away kit for the 26-27 season. Amidst severe off-pitch turmoil and administrative relegation to the amateur leagues, the French club has looked to the most celebrated period in its history for design inspiration, presenting a shirt that pays tribute to the famous 1986-87 double-winning side.
The Hummel Bordeaux 26-27 away jersey is predominantly white, framed by dark navy panels across the shoulders and sleeves that house the Danish brand's signature chevrons. A classic white polo collar features discreet red trim along the edges, which is echoed on the sleeve cuffs. Completing the retro aesthetic, the left chest bears the club's circular 1980s crest rather than the modern badge, delivering an unmistakable nod to the golden era.
Presented without a main shirt sponsor, the clean retro shirt maintains a bespoke feel despite the team competing outside the professional ranks in Régional 1. Hummel continues to stand by the club under its multi-year partnership, with the kit priced at €89.95.
