Which boots will the world's greatest men's footballers be wearing this summer? We break it all down. ESPN
There's no greater opportunity for boot manufacturers to show off their wares than the major tournaments that dominate the summer. A year later than planned, the best of the Old World are gathering to contest Euro 2020 this summer, while the hottest talents of South America are competing for the Copa America.
- Euro 2020 on ESPN: Stream LIVE games and replays (U.S. only)
- European Soccer Pick 'Em: Compete to win $10,000
As such, the likes of Adidas, New Balance, Nike and Puma have fresh boots to grab your attention. So, with the help of our FC 100 annual list of football's best men's players, we detail what the game's greats will be wearing at the Euros and the Copa, and what makes them stand out.
- Euro 2020 bracket and fixture schedule
- Copa America bracket and fixture schedule
Adidas Almost a quarter of the world's top men's players in ESPN's FC 100 will be wearing Adidas boots this summer. Adidas
Twenty-three of this year's FC 100 will take part in the Euros or the Copa wearing Adidas, whose Showpiece pack will adorn the brand's X Ghosted and Predator Freak boots. Silver Metallic serves as the base colour -- just as it did for the Three Stripes' wares at Euro 2016 and the Copa America Centenario -- and is accented by Team Royal Blue and Scarlet, making for a sharp, classic-looking design. As for the Nemeziz and the Copa Sense, neither will get the Showpiece treatment, with both continuing with the colourways launched in the spring: the white, Core Black and Screaming Orange for the former and the white-with-pops-of-neon Inner Life pack for the latter.
X Ghosted Ballon d'Or contender N'Golo Kante will be one of 12 FC 100 players wearing X Ghosted at the Euros or the Copa this summer. Adidas
Who's wearing them: Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante, Angel Di Maria, Jordi Alba, Thomas Muller, Roberto Firmino, Timo Werner, Matthijs de Ligt, Benjamin Pavard.
What Adidas says: "X Ghosted is designed to be a lightweight speed boot that feels fast when placed on the foot thanks to insights from the running track, where marginal gains on the clock define the game."
How much do they cost? $275 laceless, $225 with laces
Predator Freak Paul Pogba will bring plenty of attention to the Predator Freak should France make a deep run at the Euros. Adidas
Who's wearing them: Paul Pogba, David Alaba, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Fabinho, Leon Goretzka, Aymeric Laporte.
What Adidas says: "Predator Freak [was] created to transform athletes' play and to enable improved control on the ball."
How much do they cost? $275 laceless, $250 with laces
Nemeziz The Screaming Orange of the Adidas Nemeziz will be hard to miss at this summer's tournaments. Adidas
Who's wearing them: Lionel Messi, Serge Gnabry, Bernardo Silva, Kieran Trippier, Ciro Immobile.
What Adidas says: "Nemeziz is built for the most agile and multidirectional players. Created specifically for those who play unpredictably and beat all opposition with spectacular flair, footwork and movement ..."
How much do they cost? $275 laceless, $225 with laces
Copa Sense Silky creator Thiago will wear the Adidas Copa Sense at the Euros this summer. Adidas
Who's wearing them: Manuel Neuer, Thiago Alcantara, David de Gea.
What Adidas says: "Designed from the inside out using anatomical insights on the human foot, Copa Sense features new Adidas design innovations ... to deliver an enhanced feel and optimum touch for the wearer."
How much do they cost? $275 laceless, $225 with laces
New Balance
There's only one FC 100 athlete at the Euros or Copa not wearing Adidas, Nike or Puma, and that's Raheem Sterling after New Balance announced in May that the England international had joined their ranks.
Furon V6+ After leaving Nike this spring, Raheem Sterling has become the face of New Balance's foray into football. New Balance
Who's wearing them: Raheem Sterling.
What New Balance says: "Our Furon V6+ Pro ... provides the simplified sensation skilled players are looking for. This minimalist cleat gives you the feeling of direct contact with the ground and ball for an unrivaled feel."
How much do they cost? $220
Nike Nike's Impulse pack will bring cool blue and yellow colourways to the hotly contested Euros and Copa America this summer. Nike
Every boot in Nike's Impulse pack features the uniquely fresh trio of Dynamic Turquoise, Lime Glow and Aquamarine, perfectly sliding along the colour spectrum between blue and yellow. Twenty-four of our FC 100 players performing at the Euros and Copa will rock water-inspired boots, giving fans plenty of opportunity to take in the depths of these colours.
Phantom GT The Phantom GT has been adopted by some of Nike's greatest creators and finishers alike. Nike
Who's wearing them: Kevin De Bruyne, Harry Kane, Joshua Kimmich, Marco Verratti, Casemiro, Romelu Lukaku, Andy Robertson, Kai Havertz, Marquinhos, Jack Grealish.
What Nike says: "The design of the Phantom GT used ... digital data sets to create a boot built to help perfect feel on the ball and unleash a player's creative skills."
How much do they cost? $275 with Dynamic Fit collar, $225 without
Mercurial The Mercurial isn't short of star power, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe wearing Nike's signature boot. Nike
Who's wearing them: Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, Luka Modric, Bruno Fernandes, Eden Hazard, Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Frenkie de Jong, Ben Chilwell, Vinicius Junior, Alex Sandro.
What Nike says: "The design of the new Mercurial draws on the natural geometry of a dragonfly's wing as a guide to driving maximum efficiency with minimal weight. This results in a lightweight, efficient boot stripped to seven key components, each made visible for an arresting aesthetic that relays the pure essentials of speed."
How much do they cost? $275
Tiempo Liverpool duo Jordan Henderson and Alisson will all be wearing Nike's Tiempo this summer. Nike
Who's wearing them: Thibaut Courtois, Jordan Henderson, Alisson.
What Nike says: "Premium leather has always been the signature feature of Nike's iconic Tiempo franchise. For the Tiempo Legend 8, the timeless leather exterior is combined with a highly modernised interior to deliver a technical beast of a boot."
How much do they cost? $230
Puma Puma's Spectra pack is a colourful yet simple concept that grows increasingly interesting the longer you look at it. Puma
Seven of our FC 100 will don Puma's Spectra pack boots at the European Championship and Copa America. Bands of refracted colour beam when set against the bright white of the Ultra and Future Z, setting up what promises to be mesmerising visuals when Neymar sets out on his summer of stepovers.
Ultra Sergio Aguero leads a blossoming stable of Pua athletes wearing the Ultra at the Euros and Copa. Puma
Who's wearing them: Sergio Aguero, Raphael Varane, Kyle Walker, Kingsley Coman.
What Puma says: "Following years of testing and player feedback from some of the world's best attacking players, including Antoine Griezmann, Sergio Aguero and Nikita Parris, the Puma Ultra is engineered to deliver the game's fastest football boot."
How much do they cost? $200
Future Z Neymar has become the face of Puma's Future Z silo. Puma
Who's wearing them: Neymar, Ederson, Jules Kounde.
What Puma says: "The Future Z has been engineered to enhance the playing style of the world's most exciting and entertaining players. Built around an adaptive ... compression band, the boot provides optimal lock-in and support for explosive movements."
How much do they cost? $200
Source: espn.co.uk