2024 has been another standout year in the world of football boots; a year of bold innovations and iconic returns, where performance meets style in ways we’ve never seen before. Here we round up the best of the best.
From limited-edition releases to high-tech innovations, the boots hitting the pitch this year have been more than just footwear – they’ve been a statement. Whether it's the return of iconic models or the introduction of cutting-edge designs, the football boot game in 2024 has had something for everyone. Classics have been reimagined, and new releases have pushed the boundaries of what’s possible on the pitch. So, from Mbappé’s latest signature Air Zoom Mercurial Superfly X to Beckham’s personal take on the Predator, we’ve rounded up the Top 20 football boots of 2024.
20. Nike x Kylian Mbappe Air Zoom Mercurial Superfly X
Following his arrival in La Liga, Kylian Mbappe didn't take long to find the back of the net, and he did so in a new signature pair of Air Zoom Mercurial Superfly X. Design-wise, the boots feature a “Light Laser Orange/Armory Navy” colourway, along with a disruptive digital print that's applied around the Air logo and on the heel to create a pulsing digital mirage.
19. adidas COPA Luxe Control
A new era of COPA began in earnest with the reveal of the COPA Luxe Control earlier this month. Presented in a fittingly luxurious “Ftwr White/Matte Gold/Core Black” colourway, the boot elevates the balance of luxury, comfort, and performance that's synonymous with the franchise.
18. PUMA King Ultimate LE
This year, the King had a facelift, with PUMA revealing the slightly tweaked King Ultimate ‘Launch Edition’, which saw some minor upgrades from its predecessor, presented in a sleek “Puma Black/Rosso Corsa” colourway.
17. adidas 'Trifuno Dorado' F50
Messi had a couple of signature editions this year, and the ‘Triunfo Dorado’ F50 was comfortably the best of them. Presented in a “Gold Met/Ftwr White/Core Black” colourway – a look that nods to Messi’s historic recent achievements on the international stage with Argentina – they are the only F50 available to the public to feature tech specifications unique to the man himself.
16. Nike Air Zoom Mercurial Dream Speed 009
The Mercurial Dream Speed series wrapped up this year, and it signed off on a high, with the 009 edition. It drew on the series' original namesake, along with the 004 and 005 iterations, to celebrate legacy, speed and self-belief. It manifested itself in a “Barely Green/Metallic Gold Coin” colourway that was a story in itself.
15. Diadora Match Winner OG 94
Once again tapping into their rich history and heritage in the game, back in July Diadora unveiled the Match Winner Made In Italy OG x 94 – a luxury take on the original boot worn by Roberto Baggio at the 1994 World Cup.
14. PUMA Future 8 LE
Teasing a new generation, PUMA lifted the veil on the FUTURE 8 in December with the ‘launch edition’, which showed off the new technology contained within the fresh “Puma White/Puma Black/Lime Squeeze/Green Glare” colourway. An exciting start for the next gen of this silo.
13. Mizuno Alpha 'Prism Gold'
Mizuno started the year with a touch of the regal, giving the Alpha a luxurious “White/GE Gold/Black” paint job for what was the ‘Prism Gold’. It combined a white base with beautiful golden graphics.
12. New Balance 'Irmão' Tekela Pro V4+
A nod to both his hometown and the values that drive him, Endrick’s second signature edition Tekela from New Balance celebrates the cultural heartbeat of Goiás with striking design details and a meaningful backstory. The name ‘Irmão,’ meaning ‘brother’ in Portuguese, holds deep significance, as it’s used in the official anthem of Valparaíso De Goiás, Endrick’s home city.
11. adidas Predator '94
What more do we need to say here really? In the Predator's 30th year, adidas bring back the original, recreating the upper and plonking it on top of the current Predator soleplate. Sure it's packed with nostalgia, but beyond that it's certainly not the best Predator ever, is it?
10. adidas Predator Belligold
Should this be higher? Probably. But then again we'd happily chuck pretty much all of the 17 fold-over tongue Predator colourways on this list. In the interests of fainess though we're trying to be a bit objective. Jude Bellingham's first ever signature boot seeing a sleek black base joined by gold accents. Points lost for a bit of a crappy name.
9. adidas F50 'Fast Reborn'
Following on from the return of the Predator from retirement, adidas decided to bring back the F50 franchise, with it taking the place of its spiritual successor (usurper?) the X. Basically is an X just renamed, but then X was basically F50. Swings and roundabouts, innit. Good to see this back in the zeitgeist and especially on the feet of one Lionel Messi. Just feels right, doesn't it?
8. PUMA Ultra 5 Carbon LE
Unleashing a new generation of speed, PUMA unveiled the Ultra 5 Carbon back in May, which was built with a springy carbon-fibre soleplate – the same material used on Mercedes F1 cars. It’s the toughest, lightest, most aerodynamic material available, and here it made its triumphant return to football, having been seen previously on boots in the past, before the pursuit was abandoned due to the sheer cost of the material.
7. Nike Air Mercurial TN
Bringing together two of their standout product lines, Nike kicked off 2024 in supreme style with the Air Mercurial Tn collection. It saw the Air Zoom Mercurial Superfly IX and the Air Max Plus OG lining up alongside one another in uniform “Volt Purple/Total Orange” colourways that acknowledge the heritage of the sneaker.
6. adidas Predator Mania MIG "Black/White/Red"
The third release of the Predator Mania 'Made in Germany' series following the ‘Japan Blue’ and ‘Pearl’ editions saw it released in the unmistakable black, white and red colourway that has come to define the Predator franchise over the last 30 years. The 'Made in Germany' line was part of adidas' celebrations of 75 years of German craftmanship, with the boots being exclusively made in the brand’s’ legendary Scheinfeld factory in Bavaria. Only thing holding this back from a higher rank is the way the Three Stripe branding doesn't wrap right under foot, due to the modern, one-piece soleplate. Pernickety, we know.
5. Nike Tiempo Legend X 'Pearl'
In April, Nike kicked off the 30th anniversary celebrations of their longest-lasting silo, the Tiempo, with the drop of the Tiempo Legend X ‘Emerald’, and they followed it up with the 'Pearl' edition. The official colourway on display here was “Sail/Dark Atomic Teal”, and it saw the pearl white dominate the upper, broken up only by an iridescent Swoosh execution that shimmered under the lights in similar fashion to seeing a pearl underwater. Where the ‘Emerald’ edition saw the teal on top, the ‘Pearl’ version moves it to the underside, with a premium gradient effect playing out across the soleplate.
4. Nike Air Zoom Mercurial Cosmic Speed
2024 saw the end of the Dream Speed series, but with every end comes a new beginning, and in this case was the Cosmic Speed series. It kicked off with the insanely unique iridescent gold and black presentation for the Vapor XVI and Superfly X. The official colourway of “Gold/Black” isn’t even scratching the surface of what’s going on here. The aesthetics are a rich tapestry of design influence from the Mercurial’s past. Black and gold is one thing, but these boots look like they shine with almost every colour going, from the chromed out soleplate right across that unique upper. It’s achieved through a process called PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition), a vacuum style method of applying thin metal colourways to fabric, and man is it effective.
3. adidas Y-3 Predator
We've already said it in relation to Bellingham's signature edition version, but man, is the Predator 24 a good looking boot. And there's an argument that it never looked better than on teh stripped back Y-3 execution. Arriving as part of the adidas Y-3 Real Madrid drop, the Predator 24 was offered up as a canvas for what was the first dedicated performance piece from the collaboration. The “Core Black/White” look, for which the base is a pure white and the tongue is black, strikes that perfect balance between fashion and performance. This boot looks almost too good to wear.
2. Nike Mercurial Vapor 1 RGN
While other brands are quick to raid their archives for inspiration, bringing back classic designs from their past for a bit of sure fire success, Nike have always seemed less inclined to do so. So when they do, we all take note. And when that rerelease happens to be the Mercurial Vapor 1? Well, just take our money.
1. adidas x David Beckham Originals Predator 24
It always takes a special boot to nab the number one spot, especially in a year when Nike decide to rerelease the Mercurial Vapor 1. And the Predator 24 has been a special boot throughout the last 12 months, but its run was capped off with arguably the pièce de résistance, when the Three Stripes brought in one of the godfathers of the franchise in David Beckham to oversee a design. And what did Becks do? He only went and put the Trefoil on the Predator for the first time ever. Hell of a way to cap off the 30th anniversary year of the Predator.
How do you think this list stands up to last year's Top 20?
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