Futuristic Nike Football Boot Concepts Revealed - Haaland, Vinicius Jr, Kerr & Mbappé
Apr 15, 2024, by Chris
- Nike A.I.R. Concepts: Nike revealed futuristic footwear concepts called A.I.R. (Athlete Imagined Revolution), created using generative AI and 3D rendering, tailored for elite athletes.
- Football Boot Prototypes: Among the 13 A.I.R. concepts, four football boot prototypes were showcased, including those designed for Mbappé, Haaland, Kerr, and Vinicius Jr., each with unique design elements.
- Innovation "Supercycle": This reveal marks the beginning of a Nike innovation "supercycle" focused on reimagining Air technology for enhanced performance and personal expression.
Nike last week did not only reveal its 2024 Olympics footwear collection (Blueprint Pack), but also a set for futuristic concept footwear.
Nike A.I.R. (Athlete Imagined Revolution) Footwear Concepts
The futuristic Nike footwear concepts are called A.I.R., which stands for Athlete Imagined Revolution. They are "tailor-made for elite athletes like Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Jr., and Victor Wembanyama" and were created using generative AI tools and advanced 3D rendering.
Nike did not only show off sketches of the concepts but also real-life 3D models of them. The 3D models have probably been made using 3D printing technology.
In total, Nike showcased 13 futuristic Air footwear concepts, including four football boots. While some look close to what could become an actual product, others certainly need a lot of tweaking to become a product that works in real life.
Nike A.I.R. Football Boots
Nike A.I.R. Kylian Mbappé Prototype
Inspired by Mbappé's ridiculous speed, the Nike Kylian Mbappé A.I.R. prototypes remind us of sprinting shoes rather than football boots. How should you play with these?
Nike A.I.R. Erling Haaland Prototype
Erling Haaland's A.I.R. prototype football boots have a similar lace cover as the Nike Phantom Vision. They already look like what could be an actual product.
Nike A.I.R. Sam Kerr Prototype
We have no idea why, but the Nike A.I.R. Sam Kerr soccer cleat is upside down. If it is because of the Australia upside-down meme, it's an idea of horror for us.
Apart from being upside-down, the Sam Kerr boots are similar to the Nike Phantom Vision cut and the Nike Magista upper-wise (see the dots in the front).
Nike A.I.R. Vinicius Jr Prototype
The Nike A.I.R. Vinicius Jr soccer shoes look like a futuristic version of the Mercurial boots.
According to Nike, the reveal marks the beginning of a "supercycle" of innovation around Air technology, aiming to reimagine the technology with more performance and personal expression.
What do you think of Nike's prototypes? Which do you think will be similar to an actual product? Let us know in the comments below.
Grimsby Town 26-27 Third Kit Released
Grimsby Town and technical partner Lotto have officially revealed the club's new 26-27 third kit. Following the previous releases of their home and away strips, the new design draws inspiration from the earliest days of the Mariners playing at Blundell Park, combining a rich brown base with light blue and white accents.
The Grimsby Town 26-27 third jersey is predominantly brown, featuring a broad white chest band bordered by a thin sky blue line. The kit showcases an all-over sublimated diamond pattern across the body, with matching white and sky blue trim along the collar and sleeve cuffs. A monochrome white club crest sits on the chest, while a fisherman illustration is printed on the upper back as a sign-off detail.
Matching brown shorts and socks complete the full uniform for the Mariners. The new Lotto Grimsby Town 26-27 third strip will be available to purchase in-store from Friday, August 7, with online sales opening on Monday, August 10.
US Thionville Lusitanos 26-27 Home & Away Kits Released
French club US Thionville Lusitanos has officially unveiled its new home and away kits for the 26-27 season, made in collaboration with Kappa. The new collection draws direct inspiration from the history, architecture, and soul of the city of Thionville. The reveal shoot took place at the historic Tour aux Puces, emphasizing the deep connection between the club and its local heritage.
The 26-27 home kit features a sky blue base with white trim along the collar and sleeve cuffs, complemented by custom graphic artwork along the lower hem depicting local landmarks and symbols. The away shirt shares the same design blueprint, opting for a clean light grey base paired with white accents and tonal architectural patterns near the bottom. Both shirts feature crewneck collars and host a range of local club sponsors.
The new Kappa US Thionville Lusitanos 26-27 home and away jerseys will be available to purchase starting August 14, 2026.
Oliver Baumann Slams FIFA Over World Cup Jersey Badge
Germany goalkeeper Oliver Baumann has publicly spoken out against FIFA's commercialization, pointing to a controversial practice involving temporary kit badges at the 2026 World Cup. In a recent interview with BILD, the goalkeeper criticized what German media have dubbed "Trikot Gate," shedding light on how players' match jerseys were handled for profit behind the scenes.
According to Baumann, FIFA applied special commemorative patches to player shirts before matches, labeling players with titles like "Legacy" or "Debutant." However, immediately after matches, staff entered the dressing room to peel those badges off the jerseys. Frustrated by the process, Baumann stated that players just wanted to keep their authentic kits intact rather than having them stripped.
Baumann did not play a match in the 2026 World Cup. Those badges are removed from the kits to be later part of trading cards, as part of a deal with Topps. However, it remains to be seen if badges of players who finally did not make a debut will be made into cards, or if it was just removed because of the streamlined process.
The goalkeeper appealed to governing bodies to prioritize the sport itself over endless commercial initiatives. Baumann warned that excessive commercialization, from stripped kit patches to unnecessary breaks, threatens to alienate fans and players who care about the tradition and passion of football.
Mohamed Salah Takes Number 10 Shirt at Trabzonspor
Mohamed Salah has officially completed his move to Turkish side Trabzonspor after leaving Liverpool. Following his arrival, the Egyptian superstar has been assigned the club's number 10 shirt for the 26-27 season. The Turkish club had initially prepared the number 11 jersey, the same squad number Salah wore during his iconic stint at Anfield, but the winger requested number 10 instead to match his shirt number with the Egypt national team.
To accommodate the request, Trabzonspor player Ernest Muçi, who previously held the number 10 jersey, agreed to give up the squad number out of respect for his new teammate. During his arrival flight to Turkey, Salah was seen wearing a presentation kit featuring number 61. The number 61 holds special cultural significance in Trabzon, representing the province's vehicle code and a tradition celebrated by supporters in the 61st minute of matches.
Salah has signed a two-year deal with Trabzonspor, and his official number 10 kit is now available as the club prepares for the upcoming season.
Lommel SK 26-27 Home Kit Released
Belgian Challenger Pro League club Lommel SK and Puma have officially revealed the team's new home kit for the 26-27 season. The jersey presents a rich green base adorned with thin white vertical pinstripes, complemented by a white polo collar and white sleeve cuffs. City Football Group partner Etihad Airways is featured prominently across the front in white, while the full kit is completed with white shorts and green socks.
Swansea City 26-27 Away Kit Released
Swansea City and Joma have officially unveiled the club's new away kit for the 26-27 Championship season. Paying tribute to the iconic red and blue shirt worn between 1996 and 1998, the new design brings a distinctive 1990s retro aesthetic into the modern era.
The Joma Swansea City 26-27 away jersey features bold red and blue vertical stripes trimmed with thin white pinstripe accents. A standout element is the retro-style crossover V-neck collar in red with blue and white detailing, complemented by matching sleeve cuffs. New front-of-shirt sponsor AG1 is printed in white across the chest, alongside the white Joma logo and Swansea swan crest.
Welsh identity features prominently throughout the jersey, with Abertawe printed on the upper back neck and a custom inner collar label featuring the Welsh flag alongside the club slogan Ein Hanes, Ein Dyfodol, Ein Ffordd. The new Swansea 26-27 away strip goes on sale August 7.
