The road to the Nike Mercurial Superfly V, it would seem, starts here. Cristiano Ronaldo has given us our first signs of Nike's 2016 Superfly plans, after the Real Madrid man slipped into a black-out edition in training this week.
The next-generation Nike Mercurial Superfly V isn't expected to hit the market until the close of the 2015/16 domestic season, ahead of next summer's European Championships in France. So, with Ronaldo taking time off from international duty this week, there's little doubt the Portugues captain has been using the time to test an early prototype of the boot.
Since the launch of the Superfly IV in 2014, Ronaldo has continued to wear a modified version of the boot with a lower-cut Dynamic Fit Collar, and he's repeated this trend in his latest footwear. Whether his influence has lead to Nike opting for a lower-cut design as standard remains to be seen. We'll have to wait to see other players in the boot before that becomes apparent.
Initial suggestions point towards a similar upper to the current Superfly IV however we can see some sort of ribbing on the Flyknit material which indicates that Nike have aimed to improve the touch and control. A new heel counter and sole-plate design are also present as well as a re-designed stud shape and alignment. The sole-plate in particular takes on a revamp as Nike presumably look to shave off precious grams by experimenting away from carbon-fiber.
It's safe to assume that the final design will be tweaked and tweaked again from the prototype Ronaldo is wearing today, but what we can expect to see from the final model is a number of key technology upgrades as Nike look to progress their most advanced speed boot ahead of another major international tournament.
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