PSG in the 2018 Champions League Final with Neymar and Mbappe both debuting the next-generation Mercurial? That wouldn't be a bad way to launch for the Swoosh. Neymar has already got to grips with his 2018 World Cup footwear, and now he's been joined by his teammates Mbappe and Layvin Kurzawa.
The French duo slipped into blackout edition of the next Mercurial Vapor series as they trained ahead of their Champions League trip to Bayern Munich this week – not that the boots will feature this side of the New Year. Nike like to launch their summer showstopper around March/April, and with the Superfly V launching in March 2016 in New York, we're on course for a Spring 2018 release as we enter the climax of the European season before all attentions turn to Russia. Oh, what we saying about Kurzawa's new cut by the way? Nice isn't it...
The next-generation silhouette is still expected to be in the early phases of player testing with Cristiano Ronaldo, Leroy Sané and Neymar all giving an early run-out to the blackout design as Nike seek player feedback on a boot that the Swoosh will have been working on for at least two years already.
Whereas CR7 has trained in the hi-collared Superfly, the trio of PSG players have opted for the lo-cut Mercurial Vapor. Although the blackout design hides much of the new technologies, it's clear that the Vapor XII features some noticeable changes on the upper. A smoother material replaces the “Speed Rib” 3D texture of the Vapor XI, and Flyknit is introduced after the success of the Mercurial Vapor Flyknit Ultra.
Stay tuned for the latest on what's to come from the Nike Mercurial Superfly VI and Mercurial Vapor XII.
