Vinicius Jr Trains in Total White Boots - Wants to Terminate Nike Deal
- Contract Dispute: Vinicius Jr. is seeking to terminate his contract with Nike, which runs until 2028, due to dissatisfaction with their treatment of him, particularly regarding his exclusion from certain advertising campaigns.
- Customized Footwear: Vinicius Jr. has been wearing customized, unbranded Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 boots, both blacked-out and white versions, as a form of protest against Nike.
- Potential Brand Switch: Puma is reportedly interested in signing Vinicius Jr. and Adidas is also monitoring the situation, indicating a potential shift in his sportswear sponsorship.
Update: From blackout to whiteout. Vinicius Jr has today trained in total white Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 football boots customized by @swithadot. They come without visible Swooshs but with a small black VJR logo - His contract with Nike is not officially over, but as he is unhappy with how the brand treats him and wants to terminate the deal, so he wears "unbranded" shoes.
Vinicius Jr Trains in Whiteout Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 Soccer Cleats
Update: Vinícius Júnior may not be wearing Nike shoes for much longer. The Real Madrid star winger wore customly blacked-out Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 cleats for the first half of Thursday's match against Valencia FC, having relied on the old-gen Volt Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 boots since October last year.
Vinicius Jr Blackout Nike Mercurial Football Boots For Valencia La Liga Match
Vinicius Jr put his well-known old-gen "Volt" Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 soccer cleats back on for the second half after an average performance in the first.
The 22-year-old Brazilian still has a contract with Nike until 2028, but his lawyers are working to end the relationship as soon as possible, and the split may already be complete.
Puma Favorites to Sign Vinicius Jr?
This news has sparked interest from other sportswear companies, particularly Puma, who has reportedly shown interest in signing the striker. Real Madrid's partner, Adidas, is also said to be closely monitoring the situation.
December 2022: Vinicius Jr Takes Legal Action to Terminate Nike Deal - Unhappy With Nike's Treatment
Vinicius Junior wants to terminate his contract with Nike as he is unhappy with how the brand treat him.
Vinicius Jr to Terminate Nike Contract
Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr is under contract with Nike until 2028 but is reportedly trying to cancel the deal over what he sees as poor treatment by the American brand. He has been sponsored by Nike since he was 13 years old but has allegedly hired lawyers to help him get out of the deal.
Vinicius Jr has been wearing older models of the Mercurial line at the World Cup and also for Real Madrid in previous months, seemingly in protest of what he considers unfair treatment. AS report that Nike's decision not to include him in certain advertising campaigns - which featured his teammates Richarlison and Rodrygo - is the main motivating factor in his desire to leave Nike, rather than any financial undervaluation. Vinicius Jr would be the second high profile Brazilian departure from the Swoosh after Neymar's switch to Puma a couple of years ago.
Do you think he is right to feel underappreciated by Nike? Should Nike try to reconcile with the player and keep him under contract? Let us know in the comments.
Steven Bergwijn Shows Off Unreleased Nike Kobe Mercurial Boots
Al-Ittihad forward Steven Bergwijn has provided us with an in-hand image of his ike Kobe Mercurial football boots ahead of their official release. Reviving the celebrated Mambacurial look originally introduced on the 2013 Kobe 8, which itself drew inspiration from the Mercurial Vapor IX Fireberry, the special-edition boots feature a striking Hyper Pink, Electric Green, and Red Plum colorway. Scheduled to release as part of a crossover pack spanning both the Superfly 11 and Vapor 17 alongside the Kobe 8 Protro, the boots are slated to launch on September 19, 2026.
Exclusive: Special River Plate 125th Anniversary Pre-Match Shirt Leaked
We can leak a special Adidas pre-match top for Club Atlético River Plate has surfaced, revealing another piece created for the Argentine giant's 125th anniversary celebrations. The warm-up jersey forms part of Adidas' dedicated 26-27 commemorative range honoring the club's foundation in May 1901.
The shirt features a white torso covered in an all-over repeating vintage pattern made up from an old River crest, which reads "Club Atlético River Plate" in light grey. Vibrant red raglan sleeves provide a strong contrast, paired with a simple black round collar.
Blackout Brøndby IF 26-27 Pre-Match Shirt Released
Hummel and Danish Superliga side Brøndby IF have officially launched a sleek blackout pre-match shirt for the 26-27 season. Swapping out the club's traditional bright colors for an understated, stealthy look, the warm-up jersey is built around an all-black base detailed with a subtle tonal pattern throughout the fabric. Both the Brøndby IF crest and the Hummel chevrons blend tonally into the dark silhouette, while delicate yellow piping along the polo collar and sleeve cuffs provides the sole touch of contrast in reference to the club's iconic colors.
Katowice 26-27 Third Kit Released
Polish Ekstraklasa side GKS Katowice and Macron have officially unveiled their new 26-27 third kit, drawing deep inspiration from regional Silesian heritage. The shirt arrives in a rich burgundy base covered in an all-over embossed rose pattern, celebrating a traditional folk motif that symbolizes youth, beauty, love, and rebirth across local attire and architecture. Finished with vibrant yellow logos and accents alongside black and yellow sleeve cuffs and collar trim, the bespoke jersey is scheduled to make its on-pitch debut in Katowice's upcoming Ekstraklasa clash against Cracovia.