Manchester United defender Chris Smalling has been fully vegan since 2017. This means that he no longer eats red meat, chicken, fish or eggs. No Smalling explained that he admits he would even prefer not to use leather football boots or balls.
Manchester United's Chris Smalling Does Not Like Wearing K-Leather Nike Tiempo Boots
Chris Smalling told Men's Health according to The Mirror: “I have stopped buying leather. I still have to kick a leather ball but that is not my choice. One day there might be an alternative. Nike is working on a non-leather boot.”
However, these statements from the Man Utd defender are pretty strange, to say the least. First, Adidas', Nike's and most other Official Match Balls are not using leather materials since many years now. Second, there are many non-leather boots available from Nike. The Nike Tiempo Legend VII Smalling (made with kangaroo leather) is wearing is the only high-end leather boot silo from Nike.
In the same interview, Smalling said that the popularity of veganism was growing in Carrington, the training center of the Red Devils.
The next-generation Nike Tiempo Legend 8 soccer shoes will again feature a partly k-leather upper.
Next-Gen Nike Tiempo Legend 8 Leaked
Do you think that Chris Smalling should switch to synthetic boots? Let us know in the comments below.