Better late than never, Mizuno reveal their hand for the 2022 World Cup, dropping the ‘Azure Blue’ pack. It sees the all-new Alpha boot lining up alongside the Morelia Neo III β and Morelia II for the first time.

Back at the beginning of the month Mizuno lifted the veil on an all-new silo in their setup with the Alpha. Now, for the first time it lines up alongside the Morelia Neo III β and Morelia II in the ‘Azure Blue’ pack, Mizuno’s new on-pitch look for the 2022 World Cup, which sees the three boots presented in corresponding “Blue Curacao/Red Brown Satin” colourways. The idea behind the look is that it represents the sea meeting the sand, representing the topography of Qatar.

So starting with the new Alpha, and it’s presented in an official colourway of “Blue Curacao/Snow White/Red Brown Satin”, which sees the blue as the main base colour, as it is with all three boots, with the copper colouring playing out most notably across the chrome soleplate, and it also moves across on to the run bird logo on the side. 

The Alpha is a straight-up lightweight speed boot, weighing in at a mere 195g. But it’s not just the light weight of the boot that makes it fast. Mizuno Enerzy foam (no, it’s not a typo) has been included to provide enhanced cushioning and energy return, while the Engineered Fit woven construction offers a perfect fit. It’s a step away from the traditional leather that Mizuno are so synonymous with, being totally synthetic, but if you prefer a bit of leather then the options are there for you…

The Morelia Neo III β arrives in a very similar look to the Alpha, only it swaps out the “Snow White” for “Galaxy Silver”, which really plays out on the Runbird logo. Aside from aesthetics, the Morelia Neo III β is now the middle boot in the set, offering the best of both worlds, with an innovative and progressive design combined with a traditional K-leather vamp.

Finally, there’s the Morelia II, which is one of football's longest serving silos and for good reason: unrivalled comfort, leather touch and throwback aesthetics. It continues to exist as a rare beast these days though, handcrafted from premium K-leather with a traditional construction, presented here in a look that cuts down the use of the coppery hues of the “Red Brown Satin” for a look that’s dominated by the blue. 

All bases well and truly covered.

Shop the Mizuno Azure Blue pack at prodirectsoccer.com