Nike Have Changed Their Football (Boot) Strategy
Oct 26, 2021, by Chris
If you have followed the season and have had an eye on the player's boots, you surely have noticed that most Nike players have been wearing the same boot since the start of the campaign. This is no accident but planned by Nike as part of their new strategy in soccer.
Nike Have Reduced Numbers of Football Boot Colorways & Releases
Just 10 years ago, in the 2011-12, Cristiano Ronaldo and many other players did wear around eight different boots during a season. For CR7, seven of his boots were regular releases, while one was a signature edition.
Nike did release new colorways every month some years ago
In fact, the maximum of football boots was released around 2016. In the second half of 2016, Nike did release nine colorways for the "Hypervenom 2.5" alone - a new paint job every three weeks.
In the 2021-22 season so far, Nike have only released one main boot collection - the Motivation Pack. It has been worn by Nike players since the start of the season.
Haaland and many other Nike players have been wearing the same boots in every match of the 21-22 season so far
For Nike, this means they do not have to send new boots to their players every month. For players, it means that they do not have to break into new shoes every 6 weeks.
Nike are still releasing some special releases but not far as many as in the mid-2010s. The Swoosh also completely ditched the Women's boot colorways that came out up to four times a year.
We expect Nike's second "main pack" to be the "Recharge Collection" that will be released in November 2021. In total, Nike will bring out three or four main collections in the 2021-22 season.
Adidas' strategy is to release around 4 main packs per season as well as special packs that are worn by select star players. Puma's strategy is similar as Adidas'.
We see more kit releases than in the past
Meanwhile, all brands are releasing more football kits and other football gear related items than before. PSG is getting four kits every year (and many other Nike teams 4th kits), Adidas are releasing special-edition kits for all the big teams (Humanrace, Teamgeist) and Puma are doing so as well (BALR, Street Soccer, King).
Nike have "lost" many famous footballers
Nike have also not extended the contacts with many (expensive) players, rounding off their new strategy in football. The latest one seems to be Jorginho.
Good or bad? What do you think of players wearing the same colorway for more than one or two month again? Do you think the trend toward more and more football kits will stop? Comment below, check out more boot stats on Football Boots DB and boot leaks and releases in the Boot Calendar.
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Puma and English League Two side Port Vale have officially launched their new away kit for the 26-27 season.
The shirt features an eye-catching geometric pattern in vibrant shades of purple and cyan, paired with clean white accents along the collar, side panels, and sleeve cuffs. Pop star and lifelong supporter Robbie Williams sponsors the jersey, featuring his 'RW' logo prominently on the chest in solid white to complete a standout look for the club on the road.
Santa Clara 26-27 Away Kit Leaked
The new CD Santa Clara 26-27 away kit produced by Puma has been officially released, showcasing a unique look inspired by the club's Azorean roots.
Built on a white base, the jersey features striking blue wavy graphic patterns across the front to represent the ocean surrounding the archipelago, complemented by dark navy logos, the regional Azores flag, and sponsor branding from Lebull.
Darlington FC 26-27 Home & Away Kits Released
English National League North side Darlington FC and Macron have officially unveiled the club's new home and away kits for the 26-27 season. The home jersey features Darlington's classic black and white hooped design complemented by yellow accents, including a yellow collar trim, Macron hero logos, and a monochromatic yellow club crest. The away kit introduces a bold red shirt highlighted by a black geometric chevron pattern fading into the lower body alongside black collar and sleeve trim.
Oldham Athletic 26-27 Away Kit Released
Oldham Athletic and Puma have officially unveiled the club's new away kit for the 26-27 season. Inspired by the nickname Ice Station Zebra, which references the freezing cold conditions often felt at Boundary Park, the new strip brings an icy visual theme to the pitch.
The Puma Oldham Athletic 26-27 away shirt is predominantly white with an eye-catching blue cracked-ice graphic pattern running down the center of the front. Royal blue accents trim the collar and sleeve cuffs, while the Puma cat logos, chest sponsor, and monochrome owl crest are applied in matching blue.
The new Oldham Athletic 26-27 away kit will be available to purchase online and in physical club stores starting August 1, 2026.
Žilina 26-27 Away Kit Released
Slovak club MŠK Žilina and Nike have officially unveiled the team's new away kit for the 26-27 season. Reversing the primary colors of their home uniform, the new shirt features a dark green base decorated with thin yellow vertical pinstripes. A solid yellow crew collar and yellow Nike Swoosh complete the design, while the club's detailed crest is positioned on the left chest alongside the unfitting red Radoma sponsor logo across the front.
AS Nancy-Lorraine 26-27 Away Kit Released
French club AS Nancy-Lorraine has officially unveiled its new 26-27 away kit, manufactured by Decathlon.
The new uniform features a modern design with fine geometric lines and an abstract pattern incorporating the club's iconic thistle emblem from the crest. Accentuated with subtle red detailing on the collar and sleeve cuffs, the jersey also includes a special tribute on the nape of the neck paying homage to the 100th anniversary of the Stade Marcel Picot.
Nijmegen 26-27 Away Kit Released
Dutch Eredivisie club NEC Nijmegen and kit supplier Robey have officially unveiled the new 26-27 away kit.
Predominantly black, the jersey features subtle red and green trims on the crew collar and sleeve cuffs in honor of the club's traditional identity. The front showcases intricate tonal graphics embossed with historical crest elements and a Roman helmet motif, while the upper back displays two crossed swords alongside the slogan "Vechten voor N.E.C." White sponsor logos on the chest and gold gothic typography for the player names and numbers complete the design, which is paired with matching black shorts and socks.
Chaves 26-27 Home, Away & Third Kits Released
GD Chaves and Hummel have officially unveiled the club's new kit collection for the 26-27 season, presenting a complete lineup of home, away, and third shirts.
The GD Chaves 26-27 home kit stays true to tradition, featuring classic red and navy blue vertical stripes across the front and back. It comes with a white polo collar finished with red and navy trim, navy sleeves, and white Hummel chevrons on the shoulders. A subtle graphic pattern is woven into the fabric to add texture to the traditional look.
For the alternative options, the 26-27 away kit features a distinct light pink base with a tonal geometric graphic throughout, completed by vibrant magenta logos and a matching monochromatic club crest. The third kit adopts a dark charcoal and black palette with an intricate tonal pattern, complemented by sleek silver accents for the Hummel logo, shoulder chevrons, and club badge.
