It's set to be a big week in Swoosh central. As Nike count down to the launch of the next-generation Mercurial they've picked out an illustrated series of their most distinctive silhouettes from the iconic collection.

Nike will celebrate the 20th year of Mercurial on Feb 7 when the Mercurial Superfly VI and Mercurial Vapor XII launch respectively. But before that, Nike take us back to the start, back to 1996 when they partnered wth the Brazilian National Team.

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The Swoosh began a mission to create a boot worthy of their caliber of play. A young Ronaldo was chosen as the man to inspire the Mercurial legacy. Speed, power, lethal in front of goal – R9 and Nike created the world's most successful speed boot line.

Since Ronaldo scored the first Mercurial goal on June 16, 1998, the boot has developed immensely. Innovation and aesthetic styling has dramatically shifted, but speed has always been rooted deep into the DNA of the series. As we sit on the cusp of a 20th year Mercurial, Nike revisit some of the stand out Mercurial selections. For what it's worth, we're all over the Vapor II.

Stay tuned for a first look at the Nike Mercurial Superfly VI on Feb 7...