With Christmas done and dusted and 2024 right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what has been a strong year for boot releases. So grab another mince pie and mulled wine as we round up our 20 best boots of 2023.
From signature editions to very limited premium drops, 2023 has been a banger for new boots, with adidas leading the way, in terms of quality output. It’s been a year punctuated by the 25th anniversary celebrations of online retailer, Pro:Direct Soccer, who’ve collaborated with the world’s leading sports brands to give us some very special edition releases, several of which have strolled on to our traditional round up of the 20 best boots of the year. Ready to see what’s made the list? Scroll on…
20. adidas Parley Pack X Speedportal
Doing its part in the battle against ocean plastic waste, adidas launched the adidas Football x Parley Boot Pack – the first ever to be made in part with Parley Ocean Plastic. It saw the Predator Accuracy, X Speedportal and COPA Pure all built from re-imagined plastic waste, and the sleek lines of the laceless X Speedportal+ stood out.
19. Skechers SKX 01
Possibly a controversial entrant on the list due mainly to the fact that Skechers are renowned for supplying your mum with her shoes, but you can't ignore Skechers as a rising force in the game, spearheaded by Harry Kane. And in fairness, the boots are actually pretty decent. Certainly doesn't seem to be stopping the England captain from hitting the back of the net in the Bundesliga.
18. PUMA King Top 75+25
The first entrant to arrive from Pro:Direct Soccer's repertoire of releases celebrating their 25th anniversary comes courtesy of PUMA, who dropped the timeless King Top in a silver colourway that also celebrated the brand's 75th anniversary, hence '75+25', and the limited edition nature of this boot (only 100 pairs available globally).
17. Nike Air Zoom Mercurial Vapor XV Dream Speed 007
2023 gave us two new entrants in Nike's Dream Speed series, and the seventh just edges the sixth for us for a position on this list. Available in both Vapor and Superfly models, the inspiration for the “Light Crimson/Pale Ivory/Bright Mandarin” colourway came from the boots Cristiano Ronaldo wore in his prime, such as the launch edition of the Mercurial Vapor IV (in which he scored his first Manchester United hat trick, at home to Newcastle).
16. adidas x Prada COPA Pure
Absolute opulence in boot form. Could've picked the Predator Accuracy or X Crazyfast, but we've opted for the COPA Pure simply because that extravagant lace cover and silver colourway typifies the collection, as does the hefty £500 price tag...
15. adidas X Crazylight
The precursor to the arrival of the new generation X Crazyfast, the X Crazylight was an exercise in paying homage to a defining technology from the past, whilst also nodding at what was to come in the future, all achieved through a throwback aesthetic and some tidy tech updates.
14. Nike Phantom Luna
A new entrant on Nike's roster, bringing the Swoosh back up to four silos, the Phantom Luna's key new tech was the Cyclone 360 soleplate, which features a circular stud pattern near the toes to allow for rotational traction on any surface, but also the ability to plant, pivot or push off in one motion. It’s been created with a female-first mindset, ‘led by her, designed for all’, and it has slotted in seamlessly alongside the Phantom GX, Mercurial and Tiempo.
13. New Balance Furon v7 'Bukayo Saka'
The first signature edition release on the list, and it goes to Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, courtesy of New Balance. The design was a tribute to the area Saka grew up in and how that helped shape the person he is today. Taking inspiration from the Ealing coat of arms, a decorative baroque oak leaf print was applied across the upper with the words ‘Progress’ and ‘Unity’ featured alongside in striking silver hue. A beautiful looking boot.
12. Nike Air Zoom Mercurial Superfly IX ‘Mbappe’
Inspired by his blistering speed and also his love of comic books, the Nike Air Zoom Mercurial Superfly IX ‘Mbappe’ edition is based around the Frenchman giving back the "pleasure in playing”, which was presented through some strong visual elements.
11. adidas AdiPure 11Pro 2
If there's one man that will have been ecstatic to see this release, it will have been Toni Kroos. The Real Madrid man hasn't budged from this silo for 10 years, despite adidas's efforts. And, contrary to popular belief, the brand apparently don't supply him with the boot year on year – it comes from his own personal collection, which he will now have replenished thanks to this rerelease.
10. adidas X Crazyfast 'Strung'
Arriving as a first in football, the special edition adidas X Crazyfast ‘Strung’ reimagined how a football boot is created with what could become game-changing upper technology. Taken from the running world, it sees fabric placed exactly where it needs to be, without using any excess material. The design process sees thousands of precision-engineered threads fused together to form a seamless lightweight upper. You saw it here first (in football, at least).
9. PUMA King Ultimate 'Rudagon'
2023 was a big year for the King, as it transitioned away from the traditional K-leather construction to K-Better, a revolutionary new upper material. There were several looks for the new King Ultimate, as it was dubbed, but the luxurious special edition 'Rudagon' release was the best of the bunch. For those curious about the name, it came from PUMA founder RUdolf DAssler and the Greek word for angle ‘gonia/gon’, together referring to the repeating pentagon symbol.
8. Nike Tiempo Legend X 'Golden Touch’
The new Tiempo Legend X is the first to feature Nike’s latest material innovation, FlyTouch Plus, a proprietary synthetic leather material in place of traditional K-leather. And what better way to showcase it than with a colour that nods to the history and heritage of the Tiempo line, highlighting the comfort and control of the boot.
7. adidas X Crazyfast Messi 'Las Estrellas’
Lionel Messi was blessed with several signature edition boots in 2023, with most coming after his move stateside with Inter Miami. But easily the best of them was the 'Las Estrellas', which featured a special design that celebrated his 2022 World Cup triumph with Argentina.
6. Lotto Zhero Gravity OG 50 Years Edition
Launched to mark the 50th anniversary of Lotto, this was a tribute to one of football's true innovators. Originally launched in 2006, the Lotto Zhero Gravity was the first proper laceless boot, arriving 10 years ahead of the adidas ACE 16+ Purecontrol. Here, it's presented in a shimmering iridescent coat to add to the premium feel.
5. adidas x Bugatti X Crazyfast
Few things say speed in the way that premium car manufacturer, Bugatti, do. So to see them combining with adidas on the brand's speed silo, the X Crazyfast, presented in the classy Bugatti blue... well, was always going to race into the top 5, wasn't it. Another proper premium drop for the Three Stripes.
4. Nike CTR360 Maestri III
Like everyone, we're suckers for nostalgia, so when Nike rereleased the CTR360 Maestri III, we were sold. Bringing back memories of prime Iniesta and Fabregas, this was an exact recreation of the OG, with all the tech under the hood that made it standout back in 2012, presented in that original “Sonic Yellow/White/Black” launch look.
3. adidas Predator Accelerator '25th Anniversary Edition'
A rereleased Predator Accelerator is always going to be a tap-in, and assured of a place on our top 20 yearly round up. But chuck in some silver chrome elements in place of white, and this was a limited edition thing of beauty. The absolute pinnacle of Pro:Direct's 25th anniversary releases, this obviously did not hang around long.
2. Nike Air Zoom Mercurial Vapor XV '25 Years of Mercurial'
Dropped to celebrate 25 years of the one of the most influential boots of all time, the Air Zoom Mercurial Vapor XV and Superfly IX got dressed up in stunning suits of silver. The design saw a special graphic of historical Mercurial logos in a homage to the different eras since 1998. There’s then a special “MXXV” logo on the medial side of the boot in blue, nodding to the OG Mercurial worn by R9 in '98.
1. adidas Predator 30
The adidas Predator originally dropped in 1994, and it revolutionised the game and boot design in general. 2024 will see the Predator line celebrating its 30th anniversary, and to kick off those celebrations, adidas dropped a special edition version of what is expected to be the next generation of the silo, complete with returning fold-over tongue and Accelerator-inspired Three Stripes. Called the Predator 30, it was released in a colourway inspired by the classic red, black and white of earlier iterations, but with a more lux burgundy. Only 1,994 pairs were released, referencing the year the first Predator boot was released. Needless to say, they didn't hang around...
Fancy a further trip down memory lane? Check out our top 20 list from last year.
Shop all football boots at prodirectsport.com/football
