Feb
9
2008

Nike’s Mercurial Vapor IV - Who Is The Fastest?

Written by Eddie Griffin

Nike - Mercurial Vapor IV

Nike’s Mercurial Vapor IV shoes are supposed to be one of the lightest pairs of football boots ever made - but do they really help players run faster?

Last month, Cristiano Ronaldo recorded his first Premier League hat-trick against Newcastle, scoring all three goals in the span of 40 minutes in Manchester United’s six-goal second half.

Nearly three weeks later, he scored two goals in four minutes against Portsmouth, the second coming on a free kick that Sir Alex Ferguson said was the best free kick he’d ever seen in the Premier League.

Not that he needed anything to make him even better, but it may well be the shoes.

The boots in question are Nike’s new Mercurial Vapors IV, one of the lightest pairs of boots they’ve ever made. By now, you’ve probably seen highlights of his barrage of goals over the last month many times, and you may have also seen the footage of him in the shoes racing a Bugatti Veyron, one of the fastest cars in the world.

And two days before Ronaldo’s hat trick against Newcastle - which came the first time he wore the shoes in a match (guess he needed a half to get used to them), two of the fastest players in the Premier League, and two of England’s brightest talents, tested out the shoes in a test of speed and skill, as Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon and Aston Villa attacker Gabriel Agbonlahor faced off on a 45-meter track to see who was fastest to the ball and with the ball.

The full videos won’t be available to the masses until Monday 11th Feb, but lucky SL readers get to see the raw footage a little early.

I won’t play spoiler and say who wins - you can see for yourself - but it’s worth saying that the two would have been even faster had the conditions been more favorable.

To check out the site, which will include full videos and details on getting in on the action yourself in the Mercurial Speed Test, and to check out the video of Ronaldo racing the Bugatti, click here. And, to see the raw footage of the two young stars in action, without further ado, here it is. Enjoy!



Aaron Lennon - raw footage from xenon on Vimeo.



Gabby Agbonlahor - raw footage from xenon on Vimeo.

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Discussion - 14 Responses

  1. Yea these boots are incredible.Its like youre barefoot.

  2. 09/02/2008 Andrei Meza

    i prefer predator they ere heavier but safiest once i had the nike mercury and also the puma boots that are very lght any touch of another boot hurts alot i prefer addidas.

    The addidas has something in the scales of the predator that helps to give a better shot thats why yu can see the incredible goals of players like Frank Lampard and Stevie G

  3. 11/02/2008 Hugo Steckelmacher

    When I was 10 I had the first pair of Mercurials, the Ronaldo (fat) 9 ones, and they were heavenly, I wanted to enlarge them continually so that I’d never grow out of them… so hard to let them go!

  4. 20/02/2008 scara ngobese

    these boots a fantatic for african flair and very light

  5. Wow. I guess i would buy one of these pairs of this could really make a person good in kicking.. lolz

  6. 25/03/2008 KyleAusGooner

    Pffft… I hate them - Look at them… Fucking orange and all plasticy looking, even the black/blues ones look shite.

    Adidas Copa Mundial’s or even the new AdiPURE boots are defintly THE best boot to wear…

  7. 15/04/2008 UTD_CHAMPS

    KyleAusGooner-unlucky, we beat you in the prem (with Ronaldo wearing the Red/Gold ones). these boots are the best boots out (except for the old Lasers). AdiPURE boots are terrible. “i know we’ll make a pair of boots that we wont change at all. Ever.”
    great strategy Adidas.
    Nike rule OK!

  8. 10/05/2008 Trevor

    i bought these boots a couple days ago,hvnt really tried it on the field,but im using it to play rugby,do you guys think its appropriate? and my feet is size 8 but i bought 9.5,would it affect my performance?

  9. 02/09/2008 AJ ALFARO

    THESE SHOES ARE THE BEST……..I GOTTA GET ME THE RED ONES!!!
    LS….

  10. 25/09/2008 Edwinas

    The best boots from nike. It so lightfuly.. I can run more faster than with adidas f50… Thanks for Nike!:D

  11. Yeah.i was just thinking of buying addidas till i see what nike mercurial can do.i though of buying it this week.hopes the quality matches with what you guys says

  12. i’ve heard there’s a pink version coming out soon!

  13. wtf wants a pink pair?

  14. 09/05/2009 carlos reddish

    I am an evertonian but I hate to say this….ronaldo has to be the best player in the world….I am getting a pair of vapours and really can’t wait :-D

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