Exclusive: Nike to Re-Release Iconic Ronaldo "R9" 2006 World Cup Mercurial Vapor 3 Boots

Get ready for a huge blast of nostalgia. Nike is set to re-release one of the most iconic football boots of all time: the Nike Mercurial Vapor 3 in the legendary Yellow/Black/Green colorway.

Nike Mercurial Vapor 3 "R9" 2006 World Cup Remake Boots

Check out the original of the Nike Mercurial Vapor 3 2006 shoes.

The Nike Mercurial Vapor 3 "R9" 2025-2006 World Cup remake football boots will be a "remaster," combining the classic upper with a modern soleplate. The upper is expected to be a faithful 1-to-1 recreation of the 2006 original, featuring its signature design and materials.

However, the soleplate will be swapped for the lightweight, high-performance plate of the current Nike Mercurial Vapor 16.

This sole-swap approach is the same one Nike used for its other recent successful remakes, like the Mercurial Vapor 1 editions, blending the beloved aesthetic of the past with the performance standards of today's game.

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The original boot was famously worn by Ronaldo Nazário (R9) at the 2006 World Cup in Germany and is expected to be re-released in mid-November 2025.

The original boot was a sensation, creating an iconic "tone-sur-tone" look by perfectly matching the yellow and green of the Brazil national team kit. It became instantly synonymous with the legendary Brazilian striker.

Nike once released the Mercurial 360 “Heritage” boots, inspired by the original Vapor 3 R9 World Cup 2006 boots, in 2018.

The Nike Mercurial Vapor 3 "R9" remake is expected to be a limited-edition release, dropping in mid-November 2025.

Is this the best Mercurial boot of all time? Are you excited for this re-release? Let us know in the comments below.