Finessed For Speed

From the plate to the laces, every detail of the new Mercurial was examined and refined in pursuit of speed. “Nike Football is relentless in perfecting perfection,” says Design Director Jeongwoo Lee. That meant making the cleat thinner and lighter, but it also meant turbo-charging the look of the cleat. “Looking faster gives athletes the mental edge over their opponents,” explains Lee.

Feeling fast starts from the bottom up. Graphics from Mercurial and Nike history wrap beneath the foot, taking full advantage of the unique split plate. “We layered them under the foot in a bold way that screams Mercurial,” says Lead Designer Jessica Tresser. “It creates a fast look that showcases the technology.”

The team searched for a statement Swoosh that would convey the pursuit of speed above all else. They found it in the Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elite, the shoe developed for marathoner Eliud Kipchoge’s world record attempt. The bold Swoosh from a barrier-breaking running shoe was the ideal inspiration for the new Mercurial, a cleat just as obsessed with finding speed in the details.

The final piece in the new look of speed was color. A bright blue highlighted with crisp white and an overall sheen glimmers in the light. “We were inspired by the images pilots see as their jets are soaring through the clouds and air,” says Color Designer David Gamboa. “When the athlete feels lighter and brighter, they want to play faster.”