Nike will bring the famous design of the original 1998 Mercurial football boot next year. Set to be an exclusive signature edition for Brazilian superstar Neymar, the cleats will be launched in January, following up on this summer's initial Neymar Nike Mercurial signature boot.
Nike Mercurial Vapor XI Neymar Jr - Racer Blue / Black / Chrome / Volt
This image shows the original 1998 Nike Mercurial (via Unisport).
Nike launched the first Mercurial football boot in the buildup to the 1998 World Cup. It came in a silver-yellow-blue colorway that's now almost synonymous with the Mercurial and Ronaldo who wore it in France that summer.
In 2013, Nike released a 1998-inspired Mercurial Vapor IX, before last summer saw the launch of four different iD colorways based on those the 1998 boot was released in.
20 years on, Nike will bring back a Mercurial Superfly V and Vapor XI dedicated to the original and featuring a design and colorway that's more than just inspired by it.
Predominantly chrome, the 2018 Neymar boots come it with black brandings and 'Racer Blue' and 'Volt' details. Although based on the current Mercurial, the 2018 Nike Neymar boots will have a different upper structure that's closely inspired by the 'waves' found along the sides of the 1998 model.
The inside of the 2018 Nike Mercurial Superfly V and Vapor XI Neymar signature boots derives from the distinct print found on the Nike Mercurial Vapor VIII, a model worn by Neymar when he broke through at Santos in 2010.
Set to be launched in January 2018, the Nike Mercurial Superfly V and Vapor XI Neymar Jr 2018 signature boots will be one of the last releases before the next generation of Nike's speed boot will inevitably drop.
Is Neymar "Il Fenômeno's" rightful heir? Are you happy to see Nike return to its roots with this one? Drop us a line below, and see the Boot Calendar for all leaks and releases in the boot world.