Didier Drogba's Hand Made Nike Mercurial Vapor IX
Didier Drogba might be one of Nike's elder statesman, but that hasn't stopped him from landing a hand-made pair of Sunset Nike Mercurial V9 football boots. Carefully crafted at Nike's famous Montebelluna boot factory, these will be the very boots that the former Chelsea striker will wear throughout the AfCoN.
The home of Nike's best cobblers, Montebelluna is where Nike custom make their boots to fit some of the world's best players including Didier Drogba, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Wayne Rooney. The Italian facility specializes solely in the production of Nike's top-of-the-line, professional football boots.
Dozens of V9's will have passed through these doors, but it's Mercurial superstar Didier Drogba who's bucking the trend with his boots. For the roll-out of the two Vapor 9 launch colourways Nike have selected a crew of 'young masters' to wear the Sunset colourway. But Drogba will be the only player at the AfcoN to wear these boots.
The world's top speed players including Drogba have helped shape the Mercurial silo. For a striker, speed is essential. How fast you run, how fast you are with the ball, how quick you are making decisions - everything has to be quick, Drogba says. It all comes down to speed. I ve been wearing the Mercurial for years and you can see and feel the evolution.
Each Nike boot crafted at Montebelluna is put together by hand, and is heated and stretched around a last to ensure the perfect fit. The plates are then glued on and the whole boot is cleaned using special solvents. After being sent through a cooler belt at -15 degrees Celsius and undergoing one final check, they're ready to go.
Drogba will be Nike's only player to wear the Sunset Mercurial V9 at this years AfcoN as his Ivory Coast team look to avenge last year's penalty shoot-out final defeat.
