Football boot

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3D animation of a football boot Joma soccer boot.gif
3D animation of a football boot

Football boots, called cleats or soccer shoes in North American English, [1] are a type of shoe worn when playing association football (soccer). Those designed for grass pitches have studs on the outsole to aid grip. From simple and humble beginnings football boots have come a long way and today find themselves subject to much research, development, sponsorship and marketing at the heart of a multi-national global industry. Modern "boots" are no longer truly boots in that they do not cover the ankle - like most other types of athletic footwear, their basic design and appearance has converged with that of sneakers since the 1960s.

Contents

A variation of the boots are worn for rugby football featuring several key design differences specific to that sport and are therefore known as rugby boots in that context; although boots designed for soccer are often used by rugby players in certain positions.

Although most associated with football and rugby, the shoe is used in other sports that are played on grass surfaces, such as touch, lacrosse, hurling, shinty, quadball and even tug of war.

History

Gath & Chaves advertisement promoting "foot-ball" products, including boots by British manufacturer Mc Gregor at m$n10, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1910 Gath chaves aviso futbol 1910.jpg
Gath & Chaves advertisement promoting "foot-ball" products, including boots by British manufacturer Mc Gregor at m$n10, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1910

1800s: During the 19th century various forms of football became increasingly popular in Great Britain. Participants would wear their heavy and hard work-boots to play. These were the first ever football boots with the steel toe-cap at the front, with long laces and high-topped. These boots also sometimes had metal studs or tacks put on the bottom so the players would have more grip and stability. [2]

In the later part of the 19th century the first ever football-specific boot was designed, made of thick and heavy leather which ran right to the ankle for increased protection; the first boot weighed 500 grams (18 oz) and would double in weight when it was wet. [3] [ failed verification ]

1900–1940: During this period the style of football boots stayed very basic. They remained so during the inter-war years, despite many famous football-boot producers, such as Gola, Hummel and Valsport becoming ever more popular.

1940–1960: After the Second World War, the designs of the football boot changed dramatically. The South Americans[ specify ] first wore lighter and more flexible boots, which later came to the attention of the world. This design focused on increasing good control and better kicking-power rather than a more protective boot. In 1954 Adi Dassler introduced screw-in studs. which gave the German team a tangible advantage during a rain-lashed World Cup final that year. (Adi Dassler's older brother Rudolf Dassler - founder of Puma - disputes the claim that Adi Dassler originated screw-in studs.)

1960s: In the 1960s many football boots featured a lower cut and were designed to be lighter and more flexible. [4] These enabled the best players in Europe and South America to move faster and to change direction more quickly. Mitre, Joma and Asics joined the fray. Adidas became the top manufacturer during this decade, with 75% of players at the 1966 FIFA World Cup wearing Adidas. [5]

1970s: The 1970s saw many major advances and changes in the design of football boots. These included lighter boots and a variety of colours. Boot sponsorship also became more widespread. Adidas was the market leader in this period, releasing new technologies such as padding to provide heel protection. [4] At the end of the decade, in 1979, it cemented its status by releasing what has gone on to become the best-selling boot of all time, the Copa Mundial. During this time period, some of the most common types of natural leather came into use: kangaroo leather, calfskin and full-grain/cow leather. [6] Diadora entered the market in this decade.

1980s: The 1980s saw further development of the technological advances of the football boot in the 1970s. Umbro, Lotto and Kelme joined the market in this decade.

1990s: New types of sole were introduced to improve the balance of the player. The Adidas Predator, designed by Australian Craig Johnston in the late 1980s, was released in 1994 and enjoyed instant success. Mizuno, Reebok, Uhlsport, and Nike began making football boots in this decade. Nike's first boot, the Nike Mercurial Vapor, immediately made an impact on its release in 1998 and after Ronaldo wore a pair at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

2000s: In the first decade of the 21st century laser technology was introduced to produce the first fully customised football boot in 2006. [7] The first laceless boot, the Lotto Zhero Gravity, was also released in 2006. [8] Laceless boots later became very popular in the late 2010s.

2010s: In the era of the modern game that sees the tempo of matches becoming faster and players more technically inclined, manufacturers introduced new technology, including lighter footwear made from alternative materials. [9] Boot customization also became more prominent with the rise of the internet. Laceless boots became very popular after Adidas released the Ace PureControl in 2016. [10] [11] Even though Adidas increased the popularity of laceless boots, first laceless boots were released by Italian bootmaker company Lotto in 2006. Despite not being able to make a significant change in the world of laceless shoes, Lotto Zero Gravity were worn by such famous players as Cafu, Andriy Shevchenko and Luca Toni. [12] After Adidas stared the trend in 2016 other companies like Umbro, New Balance and Nike have also released their versions on laceless shoes. Laceless boots demonstrate a better lock down and lateral stability. A knitted upper, allows players to have a better ball control due to larger surface area. [13]

Material for football boots

Football boots are an essential part of a player's equipment. They are designed to provide traction on the field and grip the ground in order to avoid slipping and sliding. Football boots can be made from many different materials such as rubber, synthetic such as nylon and polyurethane, or leather. The most popular material for football boots is kangaroo leather. Kangaroo leather is a type of leather that is made from the skin of a kangaroo. [14] It has a unique texture and it's very durable. It's also breathable and lightweight, which makes it perfect for soccer players who need to be agile on the field. Some players prefer leather while others like synthetic or plastic material because they are more durable and cheaper. [15]

Different styles for different surfaces

A pair of Adidas Etrusco boots, with metal studs AdidasEtruscoBoot.jpg
A pair of Adidas Etrusco boots, with metal studs

Depending on the type of surface, kind of sport and even the wearer's position or role in the game, different styles of boot and particularly stud configurations are available. [16]

For hard pitches, amateur participants may wear a turf football boot (TF) or a plastic-stud boot (known as a "moulded sole"). For indoor football, companies developed indoor court (IC) boots . These come with rubber soles, meant to maximize grip on the floor and are specifically designed for the indoor game. For football on turf or artificial grass, some players wear regular firm ground (FG) football boots. But wearing regular football boots on turf greatly reduces the life of the boot, so companies such as Nike have developed football boots for artificial grass (AG), which have smaller circular studs. The other type of football boot is SG (soft ground). It is recommended to use while playing on well-grassed or sodden field. [17] When playing on this kind of pitch, some players favor using a boot with screw-in studs in their non-dominant (supporting) foot to provide grip, and a boot with short rubber or plastic studs in the dominant (kicking/passing) foot to provide accuracy. However, most players opt for a consistent configuration on both boots.

More recently, moulded soles with specially designed boots known as blades have moulded soles facing in multiple directions, theoretically to maximise grip and minimise ankle injury. Recently, however, "bladed" football boots have faced criticism from some UK sporting bodies for causing potentially serious injuries to players. English football club Manchester United have even banned their players from wearing boots with bladed studs after players like Wayne Rooney and David Beckham suffered repeated metatarsal injuries. [18]

In recent years, questions have been raised about the safety of female footballers wearing men's football boots, mainly due to foot shape and weight distribution differences between women's and men's feet. [19] Despite football boots being unisex, studies have shown that women tend to get injured more often while playing in football boots. [20]

Football markets and brands

A pair of Nike Zoom Air football boots, for use on artificial grass or sand. Nike Zoom Air Football Boots.jpg
A pair of Nike Zoom Air football boots, for use on artificial grass or sand.

Originally, football boots were available only in black, but recently, they have become available in various colours such as blue, green, red, white, yellow, silver, gold and even pink. Big name companies such as Nike, Adidas, Puma and the like have made an impact on the market with record sales. Nike's flagship shoes are the Phantom VNM, Phantom VSN, Tiempos and The Nike Mercurial Vapor worn by Cristiano Ronaldo and others. German company Adidas are responsible for the Predator range worn by David Beckham, Gary Neville, and Steven Gerrard, as well as the long-surviving Copa Mundial. The entire Germany national side wore Adidas boots during the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Another German firm Puma flagship shoes are the Puma King Platinum, Puma Future and Puma One worn by Sergio Agüero, Marco Reus, Cesc Fàbregas and Antoine Griezmann.

Footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic wearing Adidas red boots Zlatan Ibrahimovic 2017-03-09.jpg
Footballer Zlatan Ibrahimović wearing Adidas red boots

The Puma King boots have been worn by legendary players such as Pelé, Eusébio, Johan Cruyff and Diego Maradona. [21]

In recent times, the most successful companies are Nike and Adidas, [16] and their products enjoy great popularity among professional footballers; among Nike's endorsers are two-time FIFA World Player of the Year Ronaldinho, aforementioned duo Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, Brazilian striker Ronaldo, Wesley Sneijder, Zlatan Ibrahimović, and other popular players. Adidas, which has been providing football boots with screw-in studs to the Germany national football team since the 1954 FIFA World Cup, have made their impact on the modern market by signing big name players as endorsers: players such as David Beckham, former France captain Zinedine Zidane, Frank Lampard, six-time world player of the year Lionel Messi, David Villa, and Steven Gerrard. Puma has also made a significant impact in the industry by signing big names such as World Cup winners Antoine Griezmann, Marco Reus, and Gianluigi Buffon, David Silva, Cesc Fàbregas, Romelu Lukaku, Mario Balotelli, and Champions League winners Neymar [22] and Luis Suárez. [23]

Customization

Many players use personalisation around the world to improve the look of their boots and to make them easily identifiable in the club dressing room. It is now very common to have football boots fully personalised with either a name, initials, number or club logo. Professional players such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar have all personalised their boots in some way, either by including their number, the names of their children, or just a flag. [24] [25] Many retailers offer various options and colours to personalise football boots by using the embroidery machinery, such as Nike, Adidas, and Puma. Customization process takes place not only to highlight player's number or initials, but also to make boots more comfortable. Shortening a tongue, trimming hill, rearranging studs or even using a particular leather has become a common way to increase a comfort level of football boots. One of many examples is English player Declan Rice, who has more than 25 modifications to his AdiPure 11 Pro boots. [26]

See also

Bibliography

McArthur, Ian; Kemp, Dave (1995). Elegance Borne of Brutality: An eclectic history of the football boot. London: Two Heads Publishing. ISBN   1-897850-76-X.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shoe</span> Footwear

A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. Though the human foot can adapt to varied terrains and climate conditions, it is vulnerable, and shoes provide protection. Form was originally tied to function, but over time, shoes also became fashion items. Some shoes are worn as safety equipment, such as steel-toe boots, which are required footwear at industrial worksites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adidas</span> German multinational clothing and apparel corporation

Adidas AG is a German athletic apparel and footwear corporation headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. It is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and the second largest in the world, after Nike. It is the holding company for the Adidas Group, which also owns an 8.33% stake of the football club Bayern München, and Runtastic, an Austrian fitness technology company. Adidas's revenue for 2018 was listed at €21.915 billion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sneakers</span> Sport and casual shoes

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horst Dassler</span> German businessman (1936–1987)

Horst Dassler was a German businessman. The son of Adolf "Adi" Dassler, founder of Adidas. Horst Dassler founded Arena, a swimwear company, and became chairman of Adidas, and at the time of his death it was the world's largest sporting goods manufacturer with affiliates in 40 nations. Horst himself was known as the father of sports sponsorship as a result of his separate business of managing rights for the world governing bodies of football and the Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puma (brand)</span> German clothing and consumer goods manufacturer

Puma SE is a German multinational corporation that designs and manufactures athletic and casual footwear, apparel, and accessories, headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. Puma is the third largest sportswear manufacturer in the world. The company was founded in 1948 by Rudolf Dassler (1898–1974). In 1924, Rudolf and his brother Adolf "Adi" Dassler had jointly formed the company Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik. The relationship between the two brothers deteriorated until they agreed to split in 1948, forming two separate entities, Adidas and Puma. Following the split, Rudolf originally registered the newly established company as Ruda, but later changed the name to Puma. Puma's earliest logo consisted of a square and beast jumping through a D, which was registered, along with the company's name, in 1948. Puma's shoe and clothing designs feature the Puma logo and the distinctive "Formstrip" which was introduced in 1958.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Combat boot</span> Type of boots designed to be worn by soldiers

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Track spikes</span> Shoes with protruding spikes on the soles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adolf Dassler</span> German cobbler, inventor, and entrepreneur (1900–1978)

Adolf "Adi" Dassler was a German cobbler, inventor, member of the Nazi party, and businessman who founded the German sportswear company Adidas. He was also the younger brother of Rudolf Dassler, founder of Puma. Dassler was an innovator in athletic shoe design and one of the early promoters who obtained endorsements from athletes to drive sales of his products. As a result of his concepts, Adi Dassler built the largest manufacturer of sportswear and equipment. At the time of his death, Adidas had 17 factories and annual sales of one billion marks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Engineer boot</span> Leather work-boots

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kit (association football)</span> Equipment and attire worn by players

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adidas Predator</span> Range of football boots

Adidas Predator are a range of football boots developed by German sportswear manufacturers Adidas, introduced in 1994. Predator are based on a prototype concept from the Australian former footballer Craig Johnston. A characteristic feature of the Predator range is the presence of rubber patches or strips on the top of the shoe, designed to increase friction between the boot and the ball. In late 2010, Adidas designed the new "Power-spine" technology, which they claim improves shot power by reducing the amount the foot bends back as it kicks the ball.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adidas Samba</span> Athletic shoe by Adidas

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hobnail</span> Short nail with a thick head

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleat (shoe)</span> Projection on sole of shoe

Cleats or studs are protrusions on the sole of a shoe or on an external attachment to a shoe that provide additional traction on a soft or slippery surface. They can be conical or blade-like in shape and can be made of plastic, rubber or metal. The type worn depends on the environment of play: grass, ice, artificial turf, or other grounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adidas Copa Mundial</span>

The Adidas Copa Mundial is a football boot manufactured by multinational corporation Adidas and released in 1979. They were designed for the 1982 FIFA World Cup held in Spain. Going through very slight changes since then, the Copa is made in Scheinfeld, near Frankfurt in Germany. It has a kangaroo leather upper. Additional leather supports are provided from the heel, which are intended to improve durability and stability.

AdiPure was a range of football boots developed by the German sportswear manufacturer Adidas and introduced at the end of 2007. The company based the design of AdiPure on its own boots from the 1978 World Cup. In order to remain practical for the modern game, the boot's construction included updated materials and improved manufacturing techniques, to create a product significantly lighter than its 1978 counterpart.

The Dassler brothers feud was a conflict between two brothers and their respective shoe manufacturers, Adolf ("Adi") and Rudolf ("Rudi") Dassler, in the latter half of the 20th century. Their feud led to the creation of Adidas and Puma, two of the biggest shoe manufacturing companies, and started a long-lasting rivalry between the two companies, reflected in rivalries between football clubs and a culture of animosity between Puma and Adidas employees that divided their home town. The most notable event that fuelled the rivalry was the "Pelé Pact", where both agreed not to sign a deal with Pelé for the 1970 World Cup, feeling that a bidding war for the most famous athlete in the world would become too expensive, only for Puma to break the pact and sign him.

References

  1. ↑ "soccer player". Visual Dictionary Online. Merriam-Webster . Retrieved 28 April 2009.
  2. ↑ "Football Boots History". Footy-Boots.com. 9 May 2007. Retrieved 8 June 2023. [By] the mid-nineteenth century [...] workers were playing football in their hard, leather work boots with steel capped toes, sometimes with leather or tacks hammered into the soles as makeshift studs.
  3. ↑ "Football Boots - The 1800s". Footy-Boots.com. 9 May 2007. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Adidas Boots 1960-71". Beyond The Last Man. 3 September 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  5. ↑ "Football Boots - The 1960s". Footy Boots. 9 May 2007. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  6. ↑ "Leather vs. Leather?". soccer.com. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  7. ↑ "Launched: First Bespoke football boot". Footy-Boots.com. 11 April 2006. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  8. ↑ "LOTTO ZHERO GRAVITY". Footy Boots. 7 June 2006. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  9. ↑ "The Lightest Football Boots You Can Buy in 2020". FOOTY.COM. 27 January 2020.
  10. ↑ "Lotto Zhero Gravity compared to the adidas Ace16+ PureControl". Unisport. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  11. ↑ Pellatt, Corey (18 January 2016). "adidas Just Revealed the World's First Laceless Football Boot". Complex. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  12. ↑ "The evolution of laceless soccer cleats: design, market leaders and more | Goal.com US". www.goal.com. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  13. ↑ Pellatt, Corey. "adidas Just Revealed the World's First Laceless Football Boot". Complex. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  14. ↑ "Soccer Cleats: Best Soccer Shoes For 2022". 20 April 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  15. ↑ "What Materials are Used in Football (Soccer) Boots?". AZoM.com. 21 November 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  16. 1 2 "Soccer Shoe Guide". Soccer.com. 29 July 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  17. ↑ "Types of Football Boots Soleplates". top4football.com. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  18. ↑ "Ferguson wants bladed boots ban". BBC News. 24 September 2005. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  19. ↑ Okholm Kryger, Katrine; Thomson, Athol; Tang, Alicia; Brown, Nicola; Bruinvels, Georgie; Rosenbloom, Craig; Carmody, Sean; Williamson, Leah; Datson, Naomi; Jobson, Elena; Mehta, Ritan (16 November 2022). "Ten questions in sports engineering: technology in elite women's football". Sports Engineering. 25 (1): 25. doi:10.1007/s12283-022-00384-3. ISSN   1460-2687. PMC   9667860 .
  20. ↑ "Nike and Adidas urged by MPs to promote female football boots". 7 August 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  21. ↑ "Puma Launch their Newest Silo – the Puma EvoPower – In2sports". Archived from the original on 26 April 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  22. ↑ "PSG star Neymar joins Puma after leaving Nike". ESPN.com. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  23. ↑ "Luis Suarez Officially Signs for Puma". SoccerBible. 16 August 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  24. ↑ "Cristiano Ronaldo Debuts Mercurial Superfly CR7 'Quinto Triunfo'". SoccerBible. 14 December 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  25. ↑ "Closer Look | Messi Receives Modified Adidas Nemeziz 2018-19 Boots". Footy Headlines. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  26. ↑ James, Stuart. "The secret world of football boots". The Athletic. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
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