A look into Neymar’s boot bag over the course of his career.
Given the multiple headlines he has made over the years, Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior has undoubtedly one of the most illustrious football careers to date. A child footballing prodigy in Brazil, Neymar was quickly dubbed as the next successor to Pele, Ronaldo, and Ronaldinho.
Having already scored 71 international goals to date, Neymar appears to be on track to claim the throne as the leading goal scorer for the Seleção going into the 2022 World Cup, dethroning Pele who currently holds that title with 77.
With a storied career so far, he stands out for having one the most interesting boot histories among the top pros today , having worn multiple boot brands with exclusive colourway designs for him.
Let’s take a look at some boot highlights from Neymar’s career.
What Football Boots Neymar Wears Today – Puma Future Z 1.3
After calling an early end to his deal with Nike in 2020, Neymar finds himself as the face of one of the best comfort boots in our opinion, the Puma Future Z line.
Its latest edition, the Puma Future Z 1.3, features a compression upper that stretches fully across the midfoot section, delivering the required support and lockdown needed to match the Brazilian showman’s agile style of play.
Extensive comfort and lockdown
Puma Future Z 1.3
Multiple stores
Neymar’s First Boot Contract – Nike Mercurial Vapor IV SL
As a young prodigy at Santos, known for his exceptional agility and trickery on the field, Neymar went through a series of boot changes before landing a big contract with Nike as the next big Brazilian talent. He wore the Mizuno Wave, the adidas F50 Spider, and the Nike T90 Laser, before finally settling on the Mercurial Vapor by Nike in 2005 as he landed his first sponsorship with the company at the age of 13.
Featuring a sleek and powerful design, the glass fibre infused Vapor IV SL was deemed the pinnacle of boot design. Despite being a complete overhaul of its previous models, the Vapor IV SL still had a pretty uncomfortable fit out of the box and the clunky lace cover got in the way of many when tightening up the laces.
Even so, the Mercurial already had a reputation for being THE speed boot for talented players, so it was no surprise to see Neymar in a pair of Vapor IV SL in the Citron colorway that matched his status.
Neymar’s First International Hat-trick – Nike Green Speed
As one of the biggest names at the London 2012 Olympics, Neymar dominated the games wearing the Nike Green Speed, turning the field into his playground. The boot was constructed of renewable and recycled materials and was the lightest and fastest football boot ever made back then, weighing only 160g (US 9).
Applauded for its innovative concept, the Mercurial-inspired silhouette was infamous for having a slim and tight fit, making it uncomfortable to most except those blessed with “Mercurial feet”.
Despite the fit, Neymar scored his first international hat-trick while playing against Egypt, single-handedly winning the match by a final score of 3-2. A perfect display of his sheer talent.
Neymar’s First World Cup – Nike Hypervenom Phantom “Gold” Edition
Designed to accompany Neymar’s quest to win 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Nike was inspired to create a signature boot for the tournament’s poster boy, the Nike Hypervenom Phantom in a gold colourway.
Upon release, the OG Hypervenom Phantom quickly became a fan favourite and was seen as a game-changer for the Swoosh. Its thin “NikeSkin” upper provided a barefoot-like sensation while the unique honeycomb pattern added a decent amount of traction on the ball.
Unfortunately, Neymar only got to wear his gold Hypervenom Phantom once as his 2014 World Cup run was cut short by a back injury sustained during Brazil’s match against Colombia.
Neymar at Copa del Rey Quarterfinals – Nike Hypervenom Phantom “Liquid Diamond” Edition
With Neymar being front and center of all things Hypervenom, Nike soon followed up with another dedicated colourway for the Brazilian star. The Hypervenom Phantom “Liquid Diamond” edition came in a sparkling chrome colourway, featuring designs that pay tribute to Neymar’s playing style and a matching diamond tattoo that he shares with his sister.
In the 2015 Copa del Rey quarterfinals against Atlético de Madrid, Neymar debuted the signature football boots scoring two goals that was befitting the beautiful boots he wore.
Neymar’s First Treble – Nike Hypervenom Phantom II “Ousadia Alegria”
2015 was his breakthrough season with F.C. Barcelona. Neymar won the treble with his team and scored 43 goals in 50 official appearances.
In collaboration with Brazilian artist Bruno Big, Neymar’s Hypervenom Phantom II “Ousadia Algeria” was designed to reflect his life motto. The design reflected two symbols of Big’s expression of the Portuguese phrase with “Ousadia” representing the courage and “Algeria” representing the joy of the Brazilian footballer.
Marking the launch of “Ousadia Alergia” was Big Bruno replicating the design onto a giant canvas made out of 1,000 shoe boxes. Each design was unique which made owning a pair of these boots even more exclusive.
Neymar First Signature Mercurial – Mercurial Vapor XI “Written in the Stars”
Eagle-eyed boot nerds had begun to notice the biggest ambassador of the Hypervenom Phantom silo wearing Mercurial Vapors masked as a Hypervenom Phantom II. Despite the fanatical following that the Hypervenom Phantom I enjoyed, the second generation was not well received, even by Neymar himself.
Due to the lack of love for the boot, the Brazilian superstar found his way back on the Mercurials.
Following the switch, Neymar soon received his first signature Mercurial from the Swoosh. Named “Written in the Stars”, the cool design featured a vibrant blue and volt colorway that drew its inspiration from the Brazilian flag and showcased different highlights of Neymar’s career which decorated the upper.
Neymar at 2018 World Cup – Mercurial Vapor 360 “Meu Jogo”
As captain of the Brazilian team, World Cup 2018 was huge for Neymar. Inspired by Neymar’s journey as a footballer, Nike created a truly Brazilian colourway of the Mercurial Vapor 360. The Meu Jogo’s yellow base commemorates his rise to becoming a national hero of Brazil, while the white and black stripes pay tribute to his days at Santos FC where he began his journey.
While the previous model (Mercurial Vapor XI) holds to the traditional synthetic material of the Mercurial Silo, the Vapor 360 was built with a one-piece construction made from Flyknit. The enhanced construction provided better lockdown during more aggressive movements, and any touch on the ball still offered a barefoot sensation, pleasing many football fans who prefer the traditional “speed boot” feel.
Neymar the Parisian star – Mercurial Vapor XIII NJR “SPEED FREAK”
Following Neymar’s move from Barcelona to PSG in the 2019/2020 season, Nike delivered a fresh style for the new PSG forward.
Taking cues from Neymar’s speedy playstyle, Nike turned to Formula One racing for inspiration. Design elements of the “Speed Freak” edition presented a strong link to the world of motorsport as the boot incorporates a chequered flag print together with various icons scattered around. Just as you would find on the layouts of race suits worn by F1 drivers.
With a metallic silver upper with essence of red and black, matching to those colours found on Neymar’s new PSG kit, it was what the new Parisian star needed to complete his new look.
Neymar as Puma’s Main Man – Puma Future Z 1.1 “Creativity Pack”
Having represented Nike for his entire career thus far, Neymar called an end to his 15-year relationship with the Swoosh in the summer of 2020 as he switched to Puma – becoming the biggest profile player in the Puma stable.
Following this done deal was the delivery of Neymar’s first signature design as Puma made him the face of the Puma Future Z silo.
With a flamboyant colourway to go along with the Brazilian’s showboating playstyle, this Neymar exclusive design features a splash of blue, pink, and black waves decorating the upper, giving it an unparalleled pop of colour on the field.
Neymar Going Into 2022 – Puma Future Z 1.3
For Neymar, 2022 is shaping up to be a big year with him eyeing up the Ligue 1 title with PSG and national glory at the World Cup.
Though the recent release of the Puma Future Z 1.3 hasn’t seen a signature design made for Neymar, we can expect something interesting to come about anytime soon, especially with the World Cup at the end of the year.
The Puma Future Z 1.3 is one of the most comfortable boots around thanks to the compression element that stretches across the lace and midfoot. It also includes the Z Soleplate, which allows a natural flex around the forefoot for quick changes of direction when dribbling.
