Nike Arsenal 125th Anniversary Away Kit

The Arsenal away shirt for the 2011-12 season, which is navy and turquoise blue in colour, features a bespoke crest that marks the club’s 125th anniversary year – and looks forward to the club’s next chapter as the most environmentally-friendly kit Nike has ever produced.

Founded in Woolwich in 1886 and called The Royal Arsenal, the celebratory crest design combines the graphic of 15 laurel leaves to represent each of founding fathers and 15 oak leaves to mark the location of its foundation in a bold white print and carries the anniversary dates of 1886 and 2011 on the heart of the shirt. Underneath the celebratory crest sits the word ‘FORWARD’ as a tribute to the club’s first motto.

The front of the new away shirt is divided into two halves, one in navy blue and one in turquoise blue, inspired by the away kits worn by Arsenal teams from the past. The diagonal line represents the gnomon, the pointer which casts the shadow on a sundial, inspired by the original Dial Square sundial on the site of the Arsenal munitions factory in Woolwich, where the Club was first conceived in 1886.

The back of the shirt is entirely navy blue, while one sleeve is navy blue and the other turquoise blue, with a stripe in three parts on each to once more represent the Dial Square sundial. On the back of the shirt below the neck reads ‘’Arsenal’, while inside the front, on the back of the crest, is a graphic that reads ‘Victoria Concordia Crescit’, (‘Victory Through Harmony’), Arsenal’s Latin motto, which was previously featured on earlier versions of their club crest between 1949 and 2002. The away shorts are navy blue whilst the away socks are also navy blue with the year of Arsenal’s foundation, 1886, printed in white on the back of each calf.

While the history and tradition of the club is present in the shirt design, the new away kit is made from Nike’s ground-breaking recycled polyester – which for the first time includes both the shirt and shorts. Each complete kit is made up of up to thirteen reclaimed plastic water bottles. This new manufacturing process reduces energy consumption by up to 30% compared to manufacturing traditional polyester and saves nearly 100 million plastic water bottles from being dumped at landfill sites. The light weight kits (13% lighter than previous versions) actively regulate the players’ body temperatures on the pitch to keep them dry and cool at all times through use of Nike Dri-FIT technology. This technology draws sweat away from the player’s body through the material where it can evaporate.

Temperature regulation is helped by ventilation zones, consisting of hundreds of tiny laser cut holes from the under arms to the waistband, allowing air to circulate to keep players dry, cool and comfortable. For the first time the club crest on the front of the shirt is heat transferred, making it even lighter and crucially allowing this area to now be ventilated as well. The shirt has a new aerodynamic fit this season, now slimmer and more athletic, providing 17% more stretch than the Arsenal shirt of two years ago. A bonded hem offers a streamlined look that reduces irritation caused by chafing.

To compliment the new match day kit Nike has launched a unique Arsenal line of training and lifestyle clothing for both players and fans to wear on and off the pitch.

The kit and extended line is available for pre-order from June 28 and will be available in stores from July 28.

Nike and Kaizer Chiefs Launch Home and Away 2011/2012 Kit

DRAMATIC NEW DESIGN HONOURS HISTORY AND CLUB VISION IN MOST LIGHTWEIGHT KIT EVER

At the launch of the new Club kit at Nike’s Football Training Centre in Soweto, Nike and Kaizer Chiefs unveiled its bold new home kit, inspired by the traditional black and gold Club colours, infused with its distinctive chief’s logo iconic in Club history.

The body of the jersey now features a modern aesthetic while remaining faithful to the Club’s most distinctive patterns and Club history as the black and gold diagonal stripes across the front of the jersey emulate the chief’s headgear.

The refined collar and sleeves in full black boasts a classic cut. On the back of the jersey below the neck reads ‘Kaizer Chiefs’, with the headgear icon imprinted on the inside back collar. The front of the jersey features the traditional Kaizer Chiefs logo and Nike swoosh in lightweight heat transfer materials, with the new Vodacom logo emblazoned below the chest.

The home shorts are classic black with a gold strip at the bottom back, and the gold socks carry a solid black line across the sock, with the Kaizer Chiefs and Nike logo at the back.

With the dramatic design encapsulating the rich history of the Club, the new kit also embodies revolutionary technological innovations such as laser cut ventilation zones that help with localized cooling. A full mesh microfibre back increases evaporative cooling in the highest sweat zone.

Kaizer Chiefs have long been a team at the forefront of South African football, and this new design coupled with the innovative technologies demonstrates Nike and Kaizer Chiefs’ vision to inspire their players to perform at their best.

While the history and the tradition of the Club is present in the jersey design, the new kits are made from Nike’s ground-breaking recycled polyester – which for the time includes both the shirt and shorts.

Each complete kit is made up of up to 13 reclaimed plastic water bottles. This new manufacturing process reduces energy consumption by up to 30% compared to manufacturing traditional polyester and saves nearly 100 million plastic water bottles from being dumped at landfill sites.

The new kit is made up of 100% polyester, and Nike’s famous Dri-FIT material, which is designed exclusively to improve the athlete’s performance by absorbing moisture away from the body. By taking sweat away from the skin, the players stay cooler and lighter, thereby allowing them to perform at optimum level.

The Kaizer Chiefs away kit, which now also features the bold diagonal stripes in gold across the sleeves on an all-white jersey, is paired with white shorts, and white socks with a gold trim, and the full away kits include the same lightweight technological innovations as the home kit.

To complement the new match day kits Nike has launched a unique Kaizer Chiefs line of lifestyle clothing for both players and fans to wear on and off pitch. Featuring the symbols and heritage that unite the Club and fans the new lifestyle wear includes polo shirts and N98 jackets emboldened with the Kaizer Chiefs badge.

The kit and extended line is available from leading retailers from 7 July.

Adidas Predator SL

A few months ago Adidas released the lightest ever Predator; the AdiPower. Now they return with an even lighter version the Adidas Predator SL.

There has been some confusion with the some sites calling them the Adidas Predator Kinetic SL. Our sources at Adidas have said that ‘Kinetic’ was a name that was going to be used but Adidas opted for AdiPower instead and these boots will be known purely as the Adidas Predator SL. In 2012 the release of the new AdiZero will see the Adizero Prime will fall away giving us a full SL range of F50 adizero SL, Predator SL and adipure SL.

The Predator SL arrives at an impressive 211g which is 24g lighter than the AdiPower and is built around the successful technologies of the F50 AdiZero range. Adidas’ SprintFrame and SprintSkin from the base of the light-weight revolution of the Predator but, despite the obvious F50 influence, there is still plenty of ‘Predator’ about the SL. The famous ‘Predator Zone’ still features but the AdiPower’s silicon rubber Predator Element has been replaced by a weight saving synthetic Element which Adidas claim offers similar performance attributes.
Adidas’ SprintFrame out-sole features PowerSpine technology which enables additional energy transfer. The Taurus leather of the adidas adiPower Predator has been replaced by the synthetic SprintSkin upper, which we were first introduced to with the AdiZero, drastically reduces weight

The Predator SL is the ultimate mix of power and speed and it is no wonder that the Predator SL have been one of the most anticipated releases of the year. The SL will receive no official on-field support but we are sure to see them on the field at some stage.

Nike Aston Villa Away Kit

Aston Villa had an up and down season last year. Now, armed with a new coach and new kit, the Villains will be looking to return to former glory. Nike has unveiled the new Aston Villa away kit which is available for pre-order.

The new shirt features a White/Grey checkered pattern that encompasses the whole shirt while Claret trims, such as the rounded neck, add to the jersey. Aston Villa also have a new sponsor in Genting, who replace FxPro on the front of the shirt.

Made from Nike Considered recycled material, both the shirt and shorts are produced using up to 13 discarded plastic water bottles, making it Nike’s greenest ever kit.

Adidas Women's Boot Colourways

At TRW we enjoy nothing more than to profile new boots and colourways – even when those new colourways are for ladies. Last year saw much hype and fan fare around the World Cup here in South Africa but now it is the ladies turn as they prepare to kick off the Fifa 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup next week. To celebrate we thought we would show you some of Adidas new women’s colourways for their boots.

We start with the recently released Adidas Predator AdiPower. These boots have only been around for a few weeks and they are already a huge hit with fans and players and we are convinced they will have the same success in the ladies arena – especially in this great looking White/Pink/Silver colourway:

The ladies AdiPower Predators feature all the same technology as the men’s version but are specifically designed for ladies’ naturally narrower foot. Along with the White/Pink/Silver colourway Adidas have also released this Black/Cyan/Silver colourway. There will undoubtedly be a few men who would happily wear the above colourway but we are sure these could comfortably fit into the men’s range.

We have seen a few ladies colourways for the AdiZero of the last year or so but this is the first we have seen of the new updated AdiZero. Arriving in an eye-catching Pink/Electricity/Black colourway, these will certainly grab your attention on the field!

Our final boot is a classy looking White/Silver/Cyan AdiPure IV colourway. There has been a lot of buzz on the internet the last few days about the new upcoming AdiPures but the current model still has plenty of life left in them and remain a leader in the heritage boot market be it as a ladies or a men’s colourway.

As with the Predators, the AdiZero and AdiPure IV are both tailored for a slimmer foot while keeping the same technology.

Sebastian Scheinsteiger Shows off new Adidas Boots

Bastian Schweinsteiger yesterday gave us an interesting glimpse at a new pair of Adidas boots. The Germany and Bayern Munich star posted a photo on his Facebook page of his new boots. This is not the first time ‘Basti’ has been spotted with a pair of unreleased Adidas boots. He set tongues wagging back in February at the launch of the new Bayern home kit when he was spotted in a pair of boots disguised as AdiPure IVs.

This time dressed up like a pair of AdiPure IV Sl boots, Sebastian has once again given us a glimpse of the upcoming AdiPures we expect to see launched around February next year. We were fortunate enough to visit Adidas HQ recently and having seen and felt these boots, we can tell you that these new AdiPures are light, soft and defiantly worth getting excited about. That is however all we can share for now…

New Tottenham Hotspur's Home,Away and Third Kits

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club and leading sports lifestyle brand PUMA today revealed the new home, away and third kits that will be worn for the 2011/2012 Barclays Premier League campaign.

The new PUMA Barclays Premier League home strip is a return to the classic lilywhite and blue and will first be worn at White Hart Lane against Everton on 13 August.

Roger Harrison, Marketing Director PUMA UK, commented: ‘We have enjoyed a very successful relationship with Tottenham Hotspur Football Club over the past six years and have continued to work closely with them to develop another strong range of kits. The new home jersey incorporates PUMA’s latest technological innovation and we are confident that everyone involved with the Club, players, coaches and fans, will be proud to put on the new kit.’

Tottenham Hotspur Puma Home jersey 2011/12

The new home kit references the Club’s long tradition with a sophisticated reinterpretation of a ‘classic’ Spurs uniform. The shirt design echoes PUMA’s Speed theme with the cut lines engineered to reflect dynamic movement and enhance player comfort and confidence, using modern moisture wicking fabrics and construction.

Tottenham Hotspur Puma Away jersey 2011/12

The new home strip will hit stores on Wednesday 14 September with the away strip available from Thursday 8 September.

The Limited Edition third strip will be worn for the first time away to Brighton & Hove Albion on 30 July and for the first time at home on 6 August in the pre season friendly against Athletic Club Bilbao. The third kit will be available in Club stores on 4 August.

Tottenham Hotspur Puma Third jersey 2011/12

The Club’s Investec sponsored cup competition kit will be worn during the Club’s tour of South Africa in July and will be available to pre-order from 11 July and in stores on 14 September.

Tottenham Hotspur Puma Home, Away and Third shorts 2011/12

Puma have also created three great looking jerseys for the keepers. The Home kit will be complimented by a bright Green keeper’s jersey. The away jersey for the keeper will feature the same design in Black while the third kit has a Orange keeper jersey.

Tottenham Hotspur Puma goal keeper Home, Away and third jerseys 2011/12

Will we be seeing all three of these three star players together in a Spurs jersey next season. Luka Modric has been heavily linked with Chelsea while Harry Redknap claims his sale may lead to others players such as Gareth Bale leaving White Heart Lane.

New Superfly III,T90 Laser III, and CTR360 Maestri II

Over the past little while we have seen a host of new boots released. Puma, Umbro and Adidas have all released new boots and colourways and now it is Nike’s turn to update their colourways. Nike recently launched the new Tiempo Legend IV boots and have followed that up with a new colourways across all their silos. We have been lucky enough to glimpse these new colourways during the European U21 Championships, Copa America and other international friendlies that have happened but now we get close up look as Nike official unveil new colourways for the Superfly II, T90 Laser III and CTR360 Maestri II football boots.

We start with the ‘old man’ in the Nike range, the T90 Laser III. Nike will replace the Laser III with the brand new Laser IV in October, so we expect this to be one of (if not) the last colourways for the Laser III. And what a great looking colourway it is! We first got a glimpse of this Blue Dusk/Volt/Black colourway on the feet of Chris Smallng while the Manchester United star was training with the England u21 side – and we liked them immediately.

Nike T90 Laser III – Blue Dusk/Volt/Black

The T90 Laser III Elite boots feature a large striking zone thanks to the off-center lacing. ShotShield technology enables more powerful shots and passes while raised TPU fins on the instep increase friction on the ball adding swerve control in crosses, shots and passes. The Elite’s Carbon Fiber chassis enables them to be lighter and stronger than the standard model and offers a higher energy return. Lightweight direct-injected TPU blades provide balance, traction, and instant acceleration in every direction.

Nike’s CTR360 Meastri boots were revolutionary when they arrived on the market and that momentum has been kept by the CTR360 Meastri II. This is the 5th colourway Nike have released for the Maestri II and think this could be their best yet. The new Black/White/Challenge Red colourway is a classy looking pair of boots and we expect these to be a major hit with boot fans around the world.

Nike CTR360 Maestri II – Black/White/Challenge Red

The CTR360 Maestri II boots are designed for the player looking to master control on the pitch. Control the tempo with accurate passing, dictating the pace and creating chances. The Kanga-Lite synthetic leather upper reduces the weight while still providing superb comfort and ball feel. Injected instep pad ensure a great first touch while grip-like traction allow precise ball control and leads to precise distribution and placement of passes. Damping pad zones on the lateral forefoot give great first touch ball control. Direct- inject, bladed TPU studs on the bottom of the boot provides excellent stability and superior traction in every move.

Nike’s Mercurial range have been at the forefront of speed boots for years and their current offering, the Mercurial Vapor Superfly III once again boast some amazing technology. After two eye-catching colourways (and Cristiano Ronaldo’s of course), Nike have released a slightly more understated colourway for the Superfly III. Introducing the Granite/Purple/White/Red colourway:

Nike Mercurial Vapor Superfly III – Granite/Purple/White/Red

The Superfly III are designed for speed. Flywire technology in the upper adds comfort by providing anatomical fit while enabling weight reduction. Nike’s innovative Adaptive Traction Technology and Pressure-activated traction system provide excellent stability and traction allow for superb acceleration. The glass-fiber composite soleplate adds strength and support.

Adidas Liverpool Third Kit

Liverpool Football Club and adidas today unveiled the new third kit for the 2011/12 football season.

Inspiration

The new Liverpool FC third kit takes its design inspiration from the classic tracksuit tops worn by the infamous LFC teams of the mid 1980’s, incorporating the diagonal stripe across the front of the shirt.

The Shirt & Design

Drawing from history and tradition, the new kit showcases a stylish modern twist. The inclusion of cyan blue in the shirt design dates back to Liverpool’s first home kit worn almost 120 years ago which incorporated alternate white and blue halves – it wasn’t until Bill Shankly became manager that  the home kit  became completely red, in 1964.

The cyan blue is used throughout the kit and incorporated into the design through the iconic adidas three stripes across the shoulders and the shirt sponsor. The shirts main design features diagonal stripes in black and cyan blue over the right shoulder and continuing around the trim of the sleeve to create a modern, stylish look whilst giving a nostalgic nod to the club’s illustrious past.

A closer look at the shirt reveals further subtle design features including a diagonal, tonal emboss running through the fabric.

Technology

adidas has again pushed the boundaries in the development of apparel technology giving Liverpool FC players an extra edge on the pitch.

TechFit™ – On the field, the players’ kits will incorporate adidas’ cutting edge TechFit™ technology, to help improve speed, increase endurance capabilities and enhance awareness. This works by stabilizing and focusing the muscles’ energy to generate explosive acceleration and deliver maximum power output.

Climacool™ -The shirts also feature adidas ClimaCool™ technology, a mixture of heat and moisture controlling materials, ventilation channels and 3D fabrics which improve air flow to the skin in the key heat zones.

New for the 2011/12 season the kit also includes a revolutionary sock design which features anatomically placed cushioning and Achilles protector.

The new third kit is available now online at: http://www.store.liverpoolfc.tv/

Chicharito: "The Dream"

Carlos Tevez, A Gifted Enigma: But Is It Time For Him To Leave City?

I remember when I was first getting into football back in the mid-2000s. I started watching Manchester United and didn’t know whether I would take to the sport. In the first years of following United, there were three players that made me instantly fall in love with the game: Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, and, of course, Carlos Tevez.
Tevez was one of the most exciting, enthralling athletes I had ever seen. As soon as the whistle blew, there would be Tevez running around like a heat-seeking missile to wherever the ball was. The tenacity and passion he showed every game made him instantly cherished by United fans who saw a humble figure who only cared about the team and winning. During crucial moments of matches, when United desperately needed a goal, there was Tevez to often score the clutch goal. His work rate and charisma made him one of my favorite players and someone who I credit for falling in love with the game (and United).
Then, a strange thing happened. Rumors of his unhappiness came out due to his lack of playing time in the starting eleven. Tevez was often in competition with Dimitar Berbatov in terms of playing time as they played very opposite styles of football. However, I didn’t even want to think about Carlos Tevez leaving as he seemed irreplaceable and a beloved figure. Money certainly wasn’t a problem as United offered the Argentinean a five year extension for around 25 million Euros, easily making him one of the highest paid players on the team. Yet, it wasn’t enough to please Tevez who reportedly felt inexplicably betrayed. Then, he did the unthinkable; he left for Manchester City.
In one summer, both Ronaldo and Tevez had left the club but in my mind, the departure of Tevez stung more. He had now gone across town to the Citizens, who had just started to flex their financial muscle. City tried to rub salt in United’s wounds by unveiling the infamous blue poster of an image of Tevez in front of the phrase “Welcome to Manchester”.
At City, Tevez picked up on his usual form now dazzling the other side of Manchester. His first year couldn’t have been more scripted as he kept up his great scoring. He even scored a brace against United, famously sparking Gary Neville to flip the bird at him. After the season, Roberto Mancini made him the club captain and things couldn’t have been better. His good form continued throughout the first half of this season and everything was just fine. (Wait, this sounds familiar.)
Then on December 20th, Tevez made a stunning move by putting in a transfer request. There was no way City officials would agree to this and threatened to fight him for compensation if he refused to play. Tevez then changed his mind and decided to stay making everything good as new. Yet, as the summer approached, transfer rumors surrounding Tevez started to rear its ugly head again and the 27 year old Argentine had done nothing to put the rumors down.
Recently, Tevez made a television appearance back in his home in Argentina. According to The Telegraph, he had some choice words about the city of Manchester. ”I don’t have any new friends.” “I am always with my family and lifelong friends. I don’t even leave my house. I’m the stay-at-home type.” When asked what was so wrong with Manchester, Tevez replied, “The weather, everything. It has nothing.” “There is nothing to do in Manchester.” To be frank, this doesn’t sound like the words of a committed player, let alone the captain.
City is now in a sticky situation with the striker in terms of his future. On one hand, Tevez is a world class striker, who shares the Premier League Golden Boot (ironically with Berbatov). At the prime age of 27, there is still so much in store. Tevez is also a peculiar figure as he continued to play hard and judging by his demeanor on the pitch, he looked pretty committed to the club. However, there is simply no one who can predict the erratic footballer at any given moment. One moment, he proclaims his ‘absolute commitment’ to City, and then in another, he’s talking about how much he hates Manchester. There’s simply no way of knowing of what he’s going to say next!
Therefore, Manchester City should make the sensible move of just cutting ties with him. Suppose he proclaims his love for City again and decides to stay. Manchester City would depend on him to be their primary goal-scorer as always and he probably wouldn’t disappoint at first. However, can City do well knowing that at any moment, their top goal-scorer is going to say he wants out again? They simply can’t have that distraction especially going into what is arguably one of the most important years in the history of the club after winning the FA Cup and qualifying for the Champions League. City have put in way too much money to have everything they’ve built in jeopardy due to their captain and leading goal-scorer being unsure about his future.
If Manchester City want to be a serious contender, the Carlos Tevez transfer saga has to come to a close once and for all. They’ve certainly spent enough to either have someone replace him or just go out and buy someone else. Tevez himself will easily cost £50 million or more to any team like Real Madrid due to his age and form. Everybody wins as City wouldn’t have to deal with Tevez’s antics anymore and the Argentine could finally go somewhere with nice weather.
When City first signed Tevez, their fans rejoiced and mocked United over being able to swipe one of their most prolific star players. However, they also picked up Tevez’s dark side as his lack of stability with staying on a team has made City fans start to share the same disappointment and disgust as the United faithful have for the Argentine play maker.

Umbro Geometra Pro

The launch of Nike’s CTR360 Maestri boots saw the birth of the ‘Control’ boot category. Since then it has expended rapidly with more and more companies launching boots with a focus on control. It is no surprise that Umbro, now owned by Nike, have released their own control boot; the Geometra Pro, specifically designed for the visionary in the team, the player who keeps calm on the field and always finds their pass.

The new Geometra Pro takes design and technology inspiration from their Nike cousin and feature similar features designed to provide the wearer optimum control and comfort. The success and popularity of the ‘control’ boot category is very evident and Umbro, with the advantage of having seen the CTR360 in action for awhile, have produced a real contender in the fight for top-dog status in the ‘control’ category.
The Geomatra combines the comfort and fit of Umbro’s English football tailoring heritage with the latest in football performance technology. As would be expected, the Geomatra feature a high grade kangaroo leather upper for a superb fit and feel for the ball. The soft leather upper is the same as leather used on the massively successful Speciali series.

One of the stand out features on the new Umbro Geometra football boots is the high-density foam ECZ – Energy Control Zone – on the instep, which is designed to absorb excess energy quicker for better ball control. Dampening pads are positioned towards the inside rear of the boot next to the ECZ. Theses ‘Tejian Medial Pads’ contain memory foam for enhanced ball control. The Geometra’s inside toe area on the vamp features  a the swerve coated ‘grip surface’ which improves ball feel in wet and dry conditions whilst offering better distribution abilities.

The Geometra’s sole-plate once again shows features inspiration from the CTR360 with a recognizable stud configuration designed to enhance ball trap control. This pivot zone pressure point takes inspiration from a squash shoe and allows players to turn away from trouble in even the smallest areas. The sharper heel studs combine to help lock down the planted foot while the other controls the ball without compromising traction, stability or durability.

The Umbro Geometra Pro boots have a streamlined, modern look and arrive in simple White/Red/Black colourway. The tidy colourway, k-leather upper and classic styling means that these boots remain true to their Umbro heritage. We do however expect a few brighter, eye-catching colourways to follow this classy launch colourway.

Liverpool’s new acquisition Jordan Henderson gave the boots their competitive debut last night when he turned out for England’s u21 team in the UEFA u21 European Championships. We also expect see Joe Hart,  Phil Jagielka and Jonas Gutierrez in the Geometra next season.

David Beckham Pepsi Viral.

Once again a viral video has spawned worldwide debate. This time it comes from Pepsi and features LA Galaxy star David Beckham:

While on the beach in California shooting a commercial for Diet Pepsi, David Beckham shows why he’s the world’s most famous soccer player. But is it a piece of camera trickery or is Becks really that good? What do you think?

EA Sports FIFA 12 Teaser....

RONALDO: THE LEGACY

Last night Brazilian legend Ronaldo played his final game of football. The World Cup winner was given one last opportunity to run out for the Brazilian national side when they played a friendly against Romania held in São Paulo. Know as Il Fenomeno (The Phenomenon), Ronaldo made 98 appearances from Brazil and scored 62 goals. Ronaldo could not sign off with a goal unfortunately as he made a 15 minute cameo appearance. The winning goal however feel to one of his successors, Fred.

In addition to being widely recognized as one of the world’s greatest players, Ronaldo’s impact as a Nike footballer sporting the original Mercurial boot is a key part of Nike football history. He wore a special limited edition silver Mercurial when he scored twice in the World Cup Final in 2002, and all of his record-breaking 15 World Cup goals were scored in Nike Mercurial boots. It was a little bit of a surprise then when the original Mercurial wearer turned out in a pair of the soon to be released Nike Tiempo Legend IV boots for his final game.

Nike has produced a video to celebrate the career and impact of the original Ronaldo, an icon of the game.

Ronaldo’s speed, skill and strength conquered the planet. Opponents feared him. Fans adore him. Records fell before him. His legacy inspires the next generation of Brazilian stars. His career was driven by a simple motivation: playing football. #foreverfenomeno

Nike Tiempo Legend IV Elite

Incorporating 17 years of relentless craftsmanship, the new Tiempo Legend IV has a timeless quality. The Tiempo stands for touch, heritage and craftsmanship and they are all here – enhanced for today’s elite player.

The Tiempo Legend IV Elite is part of Nike Football’s DNA and with that comes a responsibility to its tradition and heritage, but also a commitment to innovation. The Tiempo Legend IV Elite is the lightest Tiempo yet, coming in at 20g lighter than its predecessor.

The Tiempo Legend IV Elite is a boot that refuses to simply bask in its glorious past, instead it is primed for a glorious and exciting future. The vibrant orange pop from the tongue, heel graphic , stud tips and laces is a testament to the boot’s evolution, while maintaining the crafted nature of its lineage.

The Tiempo Legend IV Elite’s premium leather is strong and soft, giving the player extra comfort, touch and control. Combine the unmatched touch and feel of the boot with innovations such as a carbon fiber plate, Flywire upper and stud configuration and you have a legend reborn.

We were surprised to see Nike legend Ronaldo wear the new Tiempo Legend IV in his last ever match as the Brazilian was a Mercurial wearer throughout his career. We do however expect to see the likes of Gerard Pique, Javier Hernandez, Carlos Puyol, David Luiz and Andre Pirlo all wearing the new Tiempo Legend IV boots when they return fro pre-season training.

Enhanced vamp stitching is strategically placed in order to create lateral support and a natural touch while minimizing any overstretch. The new sockliner has been designed to cushion and retain shape while superior support in the arch and heel leads to a more responsive boot to meet demands of player movement.

The light carbon plate remains flat, enhancing rigidity while avoiding stiffness, and a combination of rounded studs and two central blades offer critical and improved traction where players need it most. Nike Flywire technology has been added and offers superior midfoot lockdown, giving tremendous support while aiding the boot’s comfort and maneuverability.

Nike have also released a book documenting the history of the Tiempo range. The informative book is available as a PDF download. Click here for more information: http://tiempo.nikemedia.com/