Global Football Boots Spotting - 03/04/12

Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow) adidas Predator LZ

They're in line to rival the Vapor 8 as the biggest boot release of the year. The countdown is on to adidas' unveiling of their next generation Predator - a boot that is undergoing final player-testing across Europe. Russia often plays host to unreleased boots and one player who's been lucky to trial the newly named adidas Predator LZ is Dynamo Moscow's Igor Semshov. Thought the adiPower was a drastic change for the Predator? You haven't seen anything yet!

Antonio Valencia (Manchester United) Nike Tiempo Legend IV Elite

Manchester United have their sights locked on league title number 20. Antonio Valencia was instrumental in his sides 2-0 win away to Blackburn wearing his Nike Tiempo Legend IV Elite football boots. The Ecuadorian international was snapped up by Nike last year after a period of wearing blacked-out adizero boots. As with many Tiempo professionals, Valencia was sporting a pair of SG Elite edition boots.

James McClean (Sunderland) Nike Mercurial Vapor VIII

The Mercurial Vapor may have pay-back on its mind. When the adizero first arrived on the scene, adidas' lightest boot was guilty of stealing a number of Nike's Mercurial players! Now with a new look and design, Nike will want to try and recover as many players as possible! James McClean has become one of the first professionals to have his head turned by the Mango boots, ditching his adizero's in favour of Nike's new Mercurial.

Nico Klotz (Sandhausen) adidas 11Pro SL

You may not have heard of the team, or the player. But adidas' 11Pro SL is out there to be spotted...if you look hard enough! Spotted in the lower regions of German football - the 3rd Liga to be precise - Nico Klotz was spotted wearing the supercharged adiPure football boots during his sides blockbuster third division clash with Burghausen - the match finished 0-0.

Pablo Barrientos (Catania) Puma King SL

We all love a black-out and one boot that would certainly suit that style is the Puma King SL! Catania's Pablo Barrientos gave it his best effort at the weekend with his modified Puma boots. If he's not a fan of colour, we'd love to know his thoughts on the Catania home strip! Maybe Puma will add another boot to their black-out collection with an official King SL release in the near future.

Ladislas Douniama (Lorient) miadidas f50 adizero miCoach

The colours of a players national flag often act as the inspiration behind their custom football boot designs - some for better, some for worse! This looks to have been the case for Lorient striker Ladislas Douniama, who's unmissable miadidas adizero miCoach boots perfectly matched the colours of the Republic of Congo flag.  Not your cup of tea? Yeah, ours neither.

Billy Bodin (Crewe Alexandra) Nike Mercurial Vapor VII

Whereas almost all of Nike's high profile Mercurial players have been swiftly handed a pair of the latest Vapor VIII football boots, they're still finding their way down to the lower leagues of English football! Crew Alexandra's Billy Bodin was in action wearing his Nike Vapor 7 boots during his sides League Two clash with Northampton Town. After his recent switch to Crewe, the on-loan Swindon winger has fashioned his boots with red laces to match his new club colours!

Martin Hess (Sportfreunde Lotte) adidas f50 adizero

Black out boots always catch our eye as you can never be sure what players might be testing - especially when you're dealing in the lower leagues of European football! But for Martin Hess, the VfL Sportfreunde Lotte striker was in action wearing a pair of standard edition all-black adizero football boots from last year. Nothing to get overly excited about, but a good spot nonetheless!   

Thiago Alcantara (Barcelona) Nike T90 Laser IV

These have to be one of our favourite Nike releases in the past year! Barcelona midfieler Thiago Alcantara put in his second performance wearing the perfectly matched Soar/Black/Silver T90 Laser IV colourway as his side took on Athletic Bilbao. It's been a breakthrough season for the Spanish international who began the campaign wearing Nike's CTR360 Maestri II.

Abel Hernandez (Palermo) Nike Mercurial Vapor VIII

After starting the match wearing his FG Volt/Purple Nike Vapor 7 football boots, Palermo striker and Uruguayan international Abel Hernandez soon switched to his new SG Mango Mercurial Vapor 8 boots before netting his sides second goal against Bologna. We think we know which boots he'll be stepping out in this week!  

Yuki Nagasato (Japan) miadidas Predator adiPower

There was women's international football on show at the weekend, as Japan took on the USWNT. When you're dealing with any Japanese side, you're guaranteed some unique spots! Once again, we weren't left disappointed as Yuki Nagasato showed off her rather unique Predator creations! The strikers blue-on-blue Predator boots don't look too bad if you ask us!   

Alex Morgan (USWNT) Nike T90 Laser IV

Alex Morgan could wear plastic bags on her feet and still look good! The baby-faced striker helped her side share the points against Japan with a 73rd minute equaliser wearing the new Soar/Black/Silver  Nike T90 Laser IV football boots. It was Morgan's 12th international goal for the United States, as she continues to grow into one of Nike's most recognisable female athletes!