Creative Soccer Culture

Euro 2012 Boot Spotting - Quarter Final Watch

Euro 2012 Boot Spotting - Quarter Final Watch

Just four teams remain in the 2012 European Championships. Portugal, Germany, Spain and Italy each survived an eventful quarter-final weekend. The race for top-scoring boot may seem like a one-boot race with the Vapor VIII leading the charge, but there are still other boots making headlines.

Andres Iniesta (Spain) Nike CTR360 Maestri II Elite

There's been a strong uptake from professionals wearing the CTR360 Maestri II with carbon fibre sole-plates at the European Championships. It's not just the carbon fibre plate that sets Iniesta's Nike boots apart from the rest. The Spanish midfielder has once again opted for a Tiempo Legend IV plate with rounded studs - a regular customised feature on the Barcelona mans CTR boots.       

 

Andrea Pirlo (Italy) Nike Tiempo Legend IV Elite

Pass-master Andrea Pirlo had some magic in his boots as he stole the show against England wearing his personalised Nike Tiempo Legend IV Elites. A sublime performance followed by a penalty to match helped Italy progress into the semi-finals of the tournament. Has there been a better individual display in the European Championships this year?

 

Thomas Muller (Germany) adidas Predator LZ

Germany look like the team to beat so far. After Thomas Muller helped construct a 4-2 victory over underdogs Greece, the Germans are just two matches away from ending a 16 year international trophy drought. Muller is one of adidas' lead faces of the Red/Black/White Predator LZ and took to the field wearing the boots in Gdansk, Poland.

 

Samir Nasri (France) adidas Predator LZ

After a recent one-game spell in the adidas f50 adizero miCoach, Samir Nasri came off the bench in France's semi-final defeat to Spain wearing his adidas Predator LZ football boots. Since the launch of the Predator LZ, adidas have used the Frenchman as one of their lead athletes for the range. We imagine adidas gave Nasri a friendly reminder about which boots he should be wearing!

 

Xabi Alonso (Spain) adidas Predator LZ

Alonso's adidas Predator boots haven't gone unnoticed up to this point. The Spaniards boots certainly look to be a darker tone of red when compared to other Red/Black/White LZ's. We still can't say for sure whether Xabi Alonso's Predator LZ's are a customised colourway. Either way, Alonso was Spain's key man in their quarter-final fixture with France, scoring with his head and from the penalty spot. 

 

Andy Carroll (England) Umbro Speciali R Premier

We imagine it's frustrating for Umbro that Andy Carroll remains reluctant to update his Speciali football boots. The England number nine is currently wearing the Speciali Premier - a boot that has since been superseded by two additional generations to the range; the Speciali R Pro, and Speciali III. Even Umbro's England-inspired Speciali's didn't impress the big fella enough to make the switch!

 

Antonio Cassano (Italy) Diadora

This year's European Championships may have been dominated by the Nike Clash range and adidas' Euro pack, but the lesser brands have still commanded the spotlight at times. AC Milan striker Antonio Cassano has been giving his Diadora football boots some global exposure in Poland   Ukraine. Cassano was spotted wearing his Diador Evoluzione K Pro football boots during Italy's semi-final match with England.

 

Nikos Liberopoulos (Greece) Pantofola d'Oro Lazzarini

Pantofola d'Oro were in quarter-final action thanks to Greek forward Nikos Liberopoulos. The Greek number nine was spotted wearing a pair of Lazzarini's as his side crashed out to the Germans. At 36 years old, veteran Liberopoulos is seeing out his playing days in the vintage-style Pantofola d'Oros. Good choice Nikos.

 

Marco Reus (Germany) Puma PowerCat 1.12

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Marco Reus helped Germany set a new world record of consecutive wins in competitive matches wearing his Puma PowerCat 1.12 football boots. The 23-year-old has found himself on the bench for much of Germany's games but could still play a part in his sides expected route to the final. The youngster is undoubtedly a good name for Puma to have on their books.

 

Federico Balzaretti (Italy) Lotto Potenza Italy

If there is one boot that stands out more than any of Nike's Clash collection, it's Lotto's Potenza Italy football boots! Federico Balzaretti has been wearing the Italian themed Lotto's since arriving at the European Championships, and helped ensure he'd get at least one more game in them following Italy's penalty shoot-out success over England.

 

Fabio Coentrao (Portugal) adidas f50 adizero miCoach

With an in-form Cristiano Ronaldo finding his feet just at the right time, Portugal could be the dark horses of the competition. Fabio Coentrao is another headline name in the Portugal line-up and helped his side break down the Czech Republic to book a semi-final date with Spain. The Real Madrid player was in action wearing adidas' European-styled adizero miCoach boots during Portugal's 1-0 quarter-final win.

 

Howard Webb (Referee) adidas adiPure 11Pro

Referees don't usually give too much attention to what football boots they wear. In fact, they're usually contracted to wear a specific brand depending on the tournament sponsors. Many of you have noticed this year's officials wearing a new adiPure 11Pro colourway. The whistle-blowers have been kitted out in a not-so-shabby pair of adiPure's that match their stylish adidas kit. Referees these days!

 

If there are any players   boots that you've spotted and think we should feature, mail us at: u2us@soccerbible.com putting 'Boot Spotting' in the subject field.

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