As Neymar enters his eighth year as a Nike athlete, Nike unveil the Brazilian's second exclusive design; the stand-out Hypervenom "Liquid Diamond".
He might be testing out the anticipated Nike Hypervenom II but for now, Neymar, who launched the original Hypervenom in Rio de Janiero in 2013 and followed it up with a gold edition at the 2014 World Cup, has been handed one final signature design.
Neymar's affinity for diamonds helped inspire Nike’s design team to create a unique colorway for their second player-exclusive football boot of 2015; the Nike Hypervenom Liquid Diamond. “We take inspiration from Neymar Jr.’s play and personality,” says Max Blau, VP Nike Football Footwear. “He attacks the defense with a style so fluid, it reminded us of water flowing between rocks. That’s when we started shifting our thoughts from incorporating a nod to diamonds, to creating a liquid diamond aesthetic for the entire upper.”
Neymar's close relationship with his sister, Rafaella, is symbolized by a diamond tattoo on each of their arms. Just above Neymar Jr.’s tattoo is the word ‘sorella’ (sister), while Rafaella has ‘fratello’ (brother) above hers. “The diamond tattoo I’ve got was done with my sister. We thought we’d get one done together because diamonds are rare and the feelings I have for my sister are rare, so we decided to pay homage to each other in that way,” said Neymar Jr. “A diamond is a gemstone that is simple but beautiful. It is also a rare jewel that stands out and that is what catches my attention and reminds me of my relationship with Rafa.
The Nike Hypervenom Liquid Diamond will be available for pre-sale via the Nike Football App Jan. 26 and from selected Nike stockists including Pro-Direct Soccer from Jan. 28.
