Diadora Maracana Indoor Review

The first Indoor Soccer Shoe review is going to be a shoe I have been wearing for the past two years – the Diadora Maracana in the Black/Black colorway. Prior to the last month, I haven’t really played much indoor, but when I have, the Maracana has been my indoor shoe of choice. Needless to say, they have been well worn in that time and as you can see from the pictures they have lived a good life – you could almost say they are the Hugh Hefners of my collection (old and worn but ready for action)!

The highlight of this shoe lies in their comfort, especially when you factor in their impressive level of durability. For this review, I wore a size 9US, the same as I would wear in soccer cleats.

Search for currently available Diadora Maracana shoes at soccer.com.

Breaking In/Comfort

Like most Diadora releases, the Maracana broke in with relative ease. I actually started out wearing these while playing squash, so my first experience with them was not soccer related. But they were very smooth to break in and the transition to soccer worked out really well. There is solid protection around the heal, with the boot featuring ergonomic support. And there is enough room around the toe region to ensure you should not suffer any discomfort/blisters. I never encountered any serious issues with the Maracana in terms of comfort and they are still a solid performer.

The one concern I had was with the tongue. It is not actually designed to with any feature to keep it down. I actually tied the laces over it to keep it in place. When it was loose. it tended to flop and left an undesirable feel after striking the ball (the tongue would shoot up towards my ankles.) Once it was tucked under the laces it worked out fine. Another option would be to actually cut it off just at the ankle line.

Traction

I found that the Maracana did offer a high level of grip in game, although there were some moments where I had my doubts. One of my concerns is how flat the overall feel of the sole is. There are many grooves, but overall there is no texture that would allow for optimal grip (as I have seen on other indoor shoes.) The outsole is made of gum rubber, ensuring it won’t mark indoor surfaces.

Performance

The Maracana includes Diadora’s revolutionary Axeler technology that is designed to facilitate the natural movement of the foot. Basically, a thread-like frame made of Tech Alloy (a specialized steel wire that is flexible) is inserted into the outsole, increasing forefoot flexibility whiles ensuring maximum stability along the sole and heel area. Running felt good and I never encountered any in game issues. They weigh in at 10.5oz, which I am currently finding out is a pretty decent weight for an indoor shoe! The suede toe cap is ideally positioned and really helps keep the shoe in shape – a feature I really like to see on indoor shoes.

Touch and Control

The Maracana upper features a soft K-Leather that is water resistant (something I hope you will not need while playing indoor!) and features an anti-stretch lining. You will also find a unique touch material on the upper, designed and strategically positioned to allow for optimum touch on the ball. I found the material to be useful as it does have a grippy feel and you can keep the ball close to your foot at all times. The one issue I encountered was that Diadora have stitched each of the touch panels into the upper, leaving the boot feeling thin around the strike zone. For me, this became an issue when striking the ball, and there were moments when I desired more protection.

Critics Notes

The design of the tongue turned out to be the only major negative of the shoe. It flops around and really adds no value to the boot, including the actual look of the boot. One other issue, unrelated to shoe performance, is the price. I do realize that Diadora have worked diligently to produce a high quality indoor shoe, but it just seems that an original list price of $93 is high when you factor in some of the top performing Adidas and Nike releases hit $60. Paying up will be worth it if the Maracana suits your playing style.

Summary

There is no doubting that the Diadora Maracana is the Rolls Royce of the indoor shoe world. You are not getting a boot from one of the major players in the market, but you are getting a highly developed shoe that delivers in every aspect. And in terms of looks, you are not getting a Ferrari or Porche – rather a simple design that screams out “wear ME if you want consistency!” Sometimes, that is exactly what you need while playing indoor, and since they have been my chosen shoe for the past two years, you know that Diadora are offering something that performs at a high level. Once you find out exactly what you want to do with the tongue, you will be in good shape with these!

Search for currently available Diadora Maracana shoes at soccer.com.