Boot Spotting: Ronaldo Wears Puma Trainers
- Ronaldo's Puma Trainers: Cristiano Ronaldo was spotted wearing Puma trainers in a social media post, despite his long-standing sponsorship with Nike.
- Team Obligations vs. Personal Choice: While Puma provides the Portuguese national team's attire, Ronaldo's proactive sharing of the image has raised questions.
- Rumors of Unhappiness with Nike: This incident, along with past sightings of Ronaldo wearing Asics and Feethit, has fueled speculation about his relationship with Nike.
Cristiano Ronaldo, one of Nike's most important and longest-serving athletes, has once again been spotted wearing footwear from a rival brand. This time, it's Puma trainers, seen in a picture the Portuguese star himself shared on his social media channels.
Ronaldo Wears Puma Trainers
The photo shows Ronaldo posing with his partner, Georgina Rodríguez, alongside the Nations League trophy. However, the most interesting detail for kit and boot enthusiasts is on his feet: a pair of white Puma trainers, not a pair from his lifetime sponsor, Nike.
At first glance, this might seem straightforward. The Portuguese national team's off-pitch and travel attire is supplied by Puma. This means all players, regardless of their personal boot sponsors, are required to wear team-issued Puma apparel and footwear during official duties. Other Nike athletes, like Bruno Fernandes and Nuno Mendes, have also been pictured in the same Puma trainers while travelling with the squad.
However, the situation with Ronaldo is different. While wearing the trainers as part of the team uniform is mandatory, for a star of his magnitude to proactively share a clear image of himself wearing a competitor's product on his own social media is highly unusual. This is typically avoided due to clashes with lucrative personal sponsorship deals. This act has fueled further speculation about his relationship with Nike.
This is not the first time Ronaldo has been seen publicly wearing brands other than Nike. A clear pattern has emerged over the past year:
- July 2024: He was also seen wearing Asics trainers while playing Padel.
- August 2024: Ronaldo was spotted in a training session with Georgina wearing shoes from a little-known brand called 'Feethit'.
These repeated instances only add fuel to the long-standing rumors that Cristiano Ronaldo and Nike may be in an "unhappy" relationship. It remains to be seen if this is simply a case of fulfilling contractual obligations with the national team, or another subtle message in his ongoing saga with the Swoosh.
What do you think of Ronaldo posting a picture of himself in Puma trainers? A simple team obligation or a deliberate message? Let us know in the comments below.
