March marks the home straight of the European season while welcoming in the beginning of a new MLS campaign. There's always a ball in play somewhere. Kicking off the week in the only way we know how, here's the pick of the boot spotting action from the past seven days. Go...
Carli Lloyd (USA) Nike Mercurial Superfly V
Carli Lloyd was in action at the SheBelieves Cup wearing the Nike Women's Radiation Flare Mercurial Superfly V. The USWNT number ten was amongst a number of players in the women's exclusive colourways as the host nation lost 1-0 to England in New Jersey on Saturday.
Alex Morgan (USA) Nike Hypervenom Phantom 3 DF
Star striker Alex Morgan joined her teammate Lloyd in the Radiation Flare collection by fronting the women's Nike Hypervenom Phantom 3 DF colourway. Morgan has been installed as the leading athlete to wear the "Wolf Grey/Hyper Orange" combination but she couldn't find her goalscoring touch as England's Ellen White produced the only goal of the game.
Orbelin Pineda (Guadalajara) adidas X 15+ SL
It's hard to believe that the adidas X 15+ SL isn't even one year old yet. The Superlight edition of the X 15.1 has since been almost forgotten about entirely due to an epic year of continuous adidas innovation, but it was a boot at the time that was popular with Karim Benzema who remained in the silo long after the introduction of the next and current generation boot. Guadalajara's Orbelin Pineda was still sporting a pair this week.
Marco Verratti (PSG) Nike Hypervenom Phantom 3 DF
Marco Verratti's PUMA days look to be very much behind him as the PSG midfielder continued to remain in a blacked out edition of the Nike Hypervenom 3 this week as PSG beat Nancy 1-0. Verratti had been selected by PUMA as a leading evoTOUCH player and while that has seemingly helped him fall for the hi-collared silhouette, it's the Swoosh that look set to snap up the Italian. Will he stay in the Hypervenom? We'd put money on Nike trying to lure him into the Magista, should they signed him.
Carole Costa (Portugal) adidas F50 adizero
Another player remaining in an older generation of adidas football boots this week was Portugal's Carole Costa. Lacing up in the second-generation F50 adizero that originally launched in May 2011, Costa found herself six years and six goals behind as the hosts were beaten 6-0 by Denmark in the Algarve.
Stefano Okaka (Watford) Nike Tiempo Legend 6
Stefano Okaka's strike wasn't enough to take any points at Vicarage Road on Saturday as Watford lost 4-3 at home to Southampton. The big Italian has been wearing blacked out Nike Tiempo Legend 6 boots since his contract with the Swoosh expired in December 2016. Into March and it seems as if Okaka has yet to agree a new deal with the brand and is reluctant to give them any free publicity. Colourways cost.
Alessandro Gazzi (Palermo) adidas World Cup
Generations clashed at Torino on Sunday as Alessandro Gazzi threw an old school spanner in the colourful works by lacing up in a pair of adidas World Cup boots. Arguably the most famous football boot of all time, the World Cup has been worn at the top level for decades and continues to mix it with the most modern of innovations. A rare but worthy spot. Long live the World Cup.
James McClean (West Brom) Nike Mercurial Superfly V
James McClean must have the most impressive collection of customised boots in professional football. The West Brom winger rarely misses a limited edition drop and when he's not wearing the latest colourway he's creating his own. His current NikeiD design comes in the form of an all black Mercurial Superfly V with classy gold Swooshes.
Yaki Yen (Changchun Yatai) Nike Tiempo Legend 6
Another player to put his own custom spin on his footwear this week was Yaki Yen. The Changchun Yatai man has matched his club's Chinese Super League kit with a personalised white and yellow design on the Nike Tiempo Legend 6 for a smart in-line feel. The squad number on the sole-plate a tidy touch.
Nicolas Martinez (Western Sydney) Nike Mercurial Vapor IX Galaxy
October 2013 saw the almighty Nike CR series take on a Mercurial 'Galaxy' design on the Vapor IX. The sixth boot of the CR7 series saw an El Clasico debut and an aesthetic that was 'out of this world' for a player at the very top of his game. Western Sydney Wanderers' Nicolas Martinez was at least sporting them on 'the other side of the world' this week.
Dylan Andrade (Honduras) Nike Mercurial Superfly V
The Nike Mercurial Superfly V Tech Craft was one of the most underrated boots of the past twelve months for us. A killer graphic and a design that featured a layer of leather on top of the Superfly's Flyknit body. The fact it wasn't supplied to leading Nike players only enhanced its understated style. Honduran U20 player Dylan Andrade laced up in pair to pull off a #dabvolley™ against the US this week.
