Debate: What will 2011 hold for the adizero and Superfly boots?

Debate: What will 2011 hold for the adizero and Superfly boots?

This year has been a hard fought battle between Nike and adidas in the football boots market. The two boots that have stolen the spotlight have been the Nike Superfly II boots and the adidas adizero boots. They've divided boot fans like never before and unsurprisingly been the runaway boots of 2010.

Now with the year coming to and end, we want to know what you would like to see from adidas and Nike in 2011. Both the adizero and the Superfly boot ranges will get a yearly update and we're likely to see the successor to the adizero and Superfly II soon into the new year.

No one would argue that 2010 was the year of the adizero. It was one of the most talked about releases of the year. They entered the boot market as the lightest adidas boot ever weighing at a mere 165g (5.8oz!) and were adidas' most revolutionary football boots to date. Before the adizero, it had been a while since adidas had genuinely competed in the speed boot market (in our eyes, not since the +F50) but with a plethora of tech and design craft, the adizero became a serious competitor for the Nike Mercurial range.



What contributed to the huge success of the adizero boots was the price. Unlike Nike, who continued to pursue with their top-tier high priced boots, adidas slipped in with a boot that was nearly half the price! Another factor that can't be ignored is that adidas offered a leather option of the adizero which proved to be great move! There is still a loud cry from Vapor and Superfly fans for Nike to produce a leather version much like the Euro 2008 editions and the ones occasionally worn by Andrei Arshavin. As of yet, we're yet to see one...





In 2011 adidas are faced with the challenge of releasing a new adizero that can match the success of the original. The forums have been alive with buzz and speculation about what adidas have lined up to succeed the adizero and some of you may have caught glimpses of proto-types circulating around the web! There are a handful of questions that boot fans await answers to. Will they be able to make the featherweight adizero even lighter?! Will the price remain the same? Will there be any new technology introduced? When the new adizero is released in early 2011, speculation will finally end and we will have what could potentially be the release of the new year already! From then on, it will be down to Nike to hit back with their new release to the Speed boot market...



With all the hype still surrounding the adizero, its easy to forget that Nike have had a great year when it comes to speed boots. They held one of the most spectacular launch events of the year for the Nike Superfly II football boots at London's famous Battersea Power Station where Cristiano Ronaldo was introduced to his new boots! With the success of the Superfly I, Nike came back with a boot that featured technology never before seen in soccer footwear.



They instantly became the most in-demand boot of the moment. The unique adaptive traction system designed for explosive acceleration was revolutionary but had boot fans speculating about it effectiveness. Since its launch, Nike have released a total of 5 new colourways for the Superfly II, one of which included the most controversial release of the year, the Ronaldo exclusive Superfly Safari boots.



When it comes to a potential Superfly III in 2011, nobody really knows what to expect. Nike being Nike will no doubt shock us all with something unexpected and daring. Every year they seem to better themselves and have left themselves with a lot to live up to! One thing is for sure, they won't want adidas and the adizero stealing the spotlight yet again!



So what are you expecting in 2011? What new releases would you like to see from Nike and adidas? 2010 has been a hugely exciting year for football boots and 2011 is shaping up to be just as good! Here at the SoccerBible, we're looking forward to showcasing all the latest releases with our SB fans and giving you all the exclusive images and information as soon as they become available.

So, as we get ready to enter the new year, do you think 2011 will be the year of the new adizero or the new Superfly??