Regardless of whether you are a keen amateur or a top-class professional, choosing the right football boots can be extremely difficult.
Football boot technology has progressed massively in the past few decades, and barely a week goes by without an exciting new design being launched online.
With that in mind, we have saved you time and effort by producing this quickfire guide to choosing the best football boots.
How to Choose Your Football Boots
There are four key factors to consider when buying football boots. These are as follows:
Cost
As with any important purchase, work out how much you can afford to spend before choosing which football boots to buy.
It is possible to purchase cheap football boots that offer excellent value for money, so do not think you have to break the bank to find the perfect footwear.
Playing Surface
Football pitches vary greatly in quality, so it is imperative to make sure you purchase boots which are suitable for the surfaces you play on.
For example, if you spend much of the season playing on rain-soaked surfaces, it makes perfect sense to focus your search on soft-ground boots.
Comfort
Ill-fitting boots will hinder your performance, so spend time trying on a few different pairs to find footwear that provides high comfort levels.
The material also makes a difference, with modern synthetic and knitted uppers providing a viable alternative to traditional leather boots.
Position
The days of ‘one-size-fits-all’ in terms of boot design are long gone, with the top manufacturers making boots to suit different playing positions.
For example, if you are a fleet-footed winger, you would be well-advised to look for boots with an aerodynamic design.
How to Look After Your Football Boots
In an ideal world, a pair of football boots should last you for an entire season if you look after them properly.
When you have finished training or playing a game, remove as much grass and mud as possible before using a toothbrush to eliminate the rest.
Wipe the boots with a clean, damp cloth – add a small amount of detergent if the boots are synthetic. The laces can be hand washed in detergent if they are filthy.
Get rid of sweaty smells in the boots by sprinkling a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda inside before stuffing them with newspaper to help retain the shape.
Dry the boots naturally away from radiators and treat them with a leather restorer once dry if they are made from that material.
The Top 5 Football Boots
We’ve scoured the internet to identify five boots we believe stand head and shoulders above the best:
1. Nike Mercurial Vapor 15 Elite
2. Puma Future
3. Nike Phantom GX
4. Adidas Predator Accuracy
5. Nike Mercurial Superfly 9