The first Boot Spotting of the new year, and it’s pretty much all about new and upcoming releases, with brands gearing up for 2024. The majority of spots came from the one match (good old FA Cup), put there’s plenty to get stuck into.
Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid) Nike Air Zoom Mercurial Vapor XV Dream Speed 007
Vinicus Jr. played his part in Real Madrid's first game of 2024 – a hard-fought 1-0 win over Mallorca – and he did so in the Nike Air Zoom Mercurial Vapor XV DS007, the latest instalment in Nike's Dream Speed series.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) adidas Predator 30
Trent Alexander-Arnold played his usual impactful role in Liverpool's FA Cup third round win over Arsenal, pulling strings from his hybrid midfield role. And he did so in what is widely expected to be the launch colourway of the Predator 30 in what will be its first wider release. Expect this one imminently.
Luis Diaz (Liverpool) adidas X Crazyfast +
Likely arriving in support of the new Predator colourway, Liverpool's second goalscorer against Arsenal, Luis Diaz, also showed off a new colourway, this time for the X Crazyfast. It appeared with a white base, and bright yellow overlays.
Declan Rice (Arsenal) adidas COPA Pure
The COPA Pure looks like it's getting one of the most simplistic new colourways in the new pack, with a mainly white base with black accents.
Phil Foden (Manchester City) Nike Phantom GX II Thunder
Phil Foden certainly brought the 'Thunder' in more ways than one in Man City's FA Cup game against Huddersfield, wearing the Nike Phantom GX II 'Thunder' and bagging a brace, a feat that marks him out as the first player to score in the FA Cup proper in each of the last six seasons.
Harvey Elliott (Liverpool) New Balance Tekela v4
And the new boots kept coming in the Arsenal v Liverpool game, with New Balance also showing off a colourway for their line up. First up, Harvey Elliott showed off a new dark navy look for the Tekela v4.
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) New Balance Furon v7
Bukayo Saka laced up in the new colourway for the New Balance Furon v7, which was an inverted look of the Tekela, with a light blue base with darker navy accents. Didn't seem to suit Saka all that much, with the Arsenal man switching back to his signature 'Seven' edition part way through the match.
Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid) PUMA Future 7 FTR
New year, new colourways all round it seems, with PUMA also getting in on the act. For them, it's a first wider colourway of the Future 7 FTR, for which a teaser edition was released on Boxing Day. Dani Caravajal wearing it in a recent Real Madrid training session.
Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan) Nike Air Mercurial Tn Vapor XV
The Air Max Tn x Mercurial crossover, Nike's hype drop of the new year, has been doing the rounds ahead of its release next week, and following Mbappé wearing the Superfly edition last week, Inter's Marcus Thuram was spotted in the Vapor edition this week in his side's 2-1 win over Verona.
Tijjani Reijnders (AC Milan) Mizuno Morelia Neo IV Beta
Crossing to the red side of Milan, and Tijjani Reijnders was seen training in Mizuno's sleek 'Aurum Pack' colourway of the Morelia Neo IV β. It sees a black base combined with golden embellishments.
Jose Mourinho (AS Roma) adidas Predator 30
Finally for this week, the all-new adidas Predator 30 gets a ringing endorsement from none other than Jose Mourinho. Just had to be the fold-over tongue version, didn't it?
