After recovering from an ankle injury that has seen him sit out most of the first half of the season, Alphonso Davies returned to training this week, and he did so in the next generation Nike Mercurial Vapor XIV prototype.
One of the most rapid players in the game, there can be few better players to give the new Mercurial a proper test run than Bayern Munich’s flying fullback, Alphonso Davies. The Canadian international was back in training this week with one eye no doubt on the clash with RB Leipzig this weekend, although that may come a little too soon. What is a surprise about his return though is that he took to the training field in the new prototype, as usually players that are returning from injury tend to err on the side of caution, sticking with what they know is comfortable.
The new Mercurial is expected in the new year, and it has been doing the rounds for a while now, with Jadon Sancho playing in the Superfly for England back in October. Later that month we also saw the Vapor on the feet of Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, and so this version will undoubtedly have been tweaked since then, as Nike look to iron out the creases ahead of its launch.
Despite being blacked out, as is the way with most prototypes, the look of the new Mercurial is undoubtedly in the mould of the Air Zoom Mercurial, unveiled way back in February. That boot is special as it is built around a full-length articulated Zoom Air bag that provides a unique underfoot sensation and enhanced energy return, and it is likely that this is being carried through. The upper of the new Mercurial is also very reminiscent of the Air Zoom Mercurial, which uses Flyprint, Nike’s first 3D-printed textile upper in performance footwear, which debuted on the Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elite Flyprint. All speculation at this stage, but we certainly expect some radical changes for the Vapor XIV and Superfly VIII.
Expect the new Mercurial Vapor and Superfly to drop early in the new year.
