Nike football boots dominate the World Cup with 49 per cent of players wearing them, but what’s the most popular?
IT’S not just the countries that are battling for World Cup supremacy, the boot manufacturers are at it too!
Nike and Adidas have long led the way when it comes to being worn by the world’s leading stars.
Nike are the most represented sports brand for boots at the World Cup
Cristiano Ronaldo is the poster boy for Nike, while Lionel Messi is sponsored handsomely by Adidas.
But which brand is winning the battle on the pitch by being the most popular among the players?
Let SunSport reveal all, as well as the boot that’s scored the most goals.
It’s not even close
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With a whopping 49.4 per cent Nike is the clear leader.
441 stars are wearing the American sports manufacturer’s boots in Qatar.
Adidas comes in with 311 footballers in their footwear – 34.8 per cent of the athletes on show this year are wearing their cleats.
Puma, who count France hero Olivier Giroud as one of their ambassadors, follow Adidas with 12.1 per cent.
A whopping 49.4 per cent of players at the World Cup are wearing Nike boots
Mizuno have 15 players wearing their boots, that’s 1.7 per cent of players.
Surprisingly, New Balance have just 10 stars, which includes Bukayo Saka at 1.1 per cent, according to the pie chart.
Under Armour and Mexican company Pirma share two each – that’s 0.2 per cent.
Models
The clear leader in boot model is Nike’s infamous Mercurial range.
253 footballers are wearing those, like Kylian Mbappe and Marcus Rashford.
The Adidas X range feature on 164 players, while Nike Phantom boots are worn by 118.
Iconic Adidas Predators now count for just 82 players, and the equally historic Tiempos have 68.
But, more is most definitely less in this case.
Mercurial boots from Nike are the most popular model – worn by 253 players
Most lethal boots
Which boot is the highest scorer so far, you ask?
Well, this is where Adidas get the chance to turn the tables on Nike.
Adidas X Speedportal+ boots are officially the most lethal – with five goals scored by players that wear them.
Ferran Torres (2), Alvaro Morata (1), Michy Batshuayi (1), and Saleh Al-Shehri (1) wear those.
That’s followed by Adidas X Speedportal.1 with four goals – with scorers Mehdi Taremi (2), Dani Olmo (1), and Takuma Asano (1) adorned in those on pitch.
Tied with those with four goals are Nike Phantom GT2’s, which Gavi (1), Jack Grealish (1), Adrien Rabiot (1) , Davy Klaassen (1).
Also with four goals are Nike Zoom Mercurial Superfly 9’s, scored with by Enner Valencia (2), Marcus Rashford (1) and Kylian Mbappe (1).
Three Lions stars Saka and Raheem Sterling swear by New Balance Furon V7’s, and they bring the total of goals scored with that boot up to three.
Saka, who has two goals already in this World Cup, shows off his New Balance boots
Puma Ultra Ultimates account for three goals too, including a brace from Giroud against Australia and Ritsu Doan’s strike that helped down Germany for Japan.
Adidas Predator Edge.1 Low have two goalscorers – Jude Bellingham and Marcus Asensio.
Of course, these can all change as the competition goes on.
