Neymar and Hypervenom – Nike Pick Perfect Timing!

Could there have been more perfect timing for the release of the Nike Hypervenom?

Whoever made the decision to unleash it just before the Confederations Cup and put Neymar front and center as the lead advertising figure is about to get a pay rise. He or she will go to work at Nike tomorrow with a huge smile and a sense of tremendous accomplishment for a job that snapped into place like a laser crafted jigsaw puzzle.

There is so much that could have went wrong with the release, and we actually did see Neymar get outshone by Wayne Rooney in Brazil’s recent international friendly with England. But, his announcement to sign with Barcelona coupled with a tremendous Confederations Cup display really put the boots front and center in the spotlight. Not only did he win player of the tournament, but he also grabbed 4 goals and 2 assists in 5 games.

His goal in the final really demonstrated the potential Neymar has and displays the recent improvements in his overall game. He checked his run back, stayed onside, picked up the ball and drilled it home top corner from 10 yards out. The power and precision in the shot was absolutely vicious and I for one was left watering at the mouth watching the replay. His ability to score, dribble, take players on and shine in the spotlight is pretty obvious, and he certainly makes the boots look like absolute game changers.

What about the Nike Hypervenom release slogan “A New Breed of Attack” – it merges perfectly with the boots position as an attacking force, built for players who like to score goals.  And since Neymar is still a work in progress, set to be one of the world’s greats, it seems to sum up his current position in the game.

With his impending move to Barcelona, there is not a hotter endorser on the market right now. The guy is going to be front and center of everything this summer, something Nike could only have wished for a few weeks back. Since the Confederations Cup was taking place in Brazil, there was always potential for Neymar to shine. The only problem over the past few months has been Brazil’s inconsistencies and there was a lot of pressure put on Neymar’s shoulders. A lot of money was spent by Nike on advertising, you simply have to look at the graphics used in the promotional videos to see that. Neymar stood up, put in some awesome displays and he definitely answered his critics. The prospect of him playing in the same team as Messi is just downright frightening right now.

[Also See: Nike Hypervenom Released – A New Breed of Player]

[Also See: Nike Hypervenom Tech Sheet] 

What makes his move even more intriguing is the fact we are going to have a battle of Nike vs Adidas in the same team. Even though both players will be playing for the same club, with the same end goal in mind, both Neymar and Messi will be duking it out to impress for their respective brands and improve their personal value.  We have never really seen this type of dilemma with two huge superstars who are lead players for a brand playing at one club – trust me when I say things are going to be pretty entertaining to watch!

Congrats Brazil on winning the Confederations Cup, congrats Neymar for proving you are a world superstar ready for the next level, congrats Barcelona on bagging a real winner and finally, congrats Nike on choosing perfect timing for the release of the Hypervenom! 

Pick up the Nike Hypervenom Phantom at soccer.com for $224.99.