Soccer Cleats 101 Soccer Cleats News and Reviews
What happens to the loyal wearers of a boot when a brand discontinues the range? That was the case when Nike replaced T90 range with the Hypervenom, leaving their sponsored players with a few options on what boots to wear. Obviously Nike had some say in what the players switched to but I’m sure that the players ultimately had the decision.
The T90 and Hypervenom are two very different boots. One of the differences was the players the boot was marketed towards; with the Hypervenom being toward agile forwards and the T90 towards forwards looking for the perfect strike. We will take a look at some notable T90 wearers and what they switched into.
[Also: Death of the T90, Birth of the Hypervenom!]
Wayne Rooney – Nike Hypervenom Phantom
When the rumors started circulating about Nike replacing the T90 range, I remember the most talked about topic related to the boots was what Rooney would wear. There were lots of different ideas on what the Manchester United striker would wear, the majority believed he would either switch into the Tiempo or CTR360 ranges. I was one of many who just couldn’t see him in the new Hypervenom but it turns out he ended up in a pair. Perhaps he wanted to be a part of “the new breed of attack”. Rooney was definitely the most marketed and profiled player in the T90s. I thought they seemed to be a perfect fit for him and I will miss his “Perfect Strike” commercials with his British accent.
Wesley Sneijder – Nike Hypervenom Phantom
After his fallout with Inter Milan, Wesley Sneijder was definitely not in the form we are used to seeing him in. A much needed move to Galatasaray helped him find his old magic, and he is doing it in a new pair of boots. I think his pair of orange and black Hypervenoms is a perfect match with his Galatasaray away kit and even better with the Netherlands home kit. In fact they look so good together Nike should sell them together.
Robert Lewandowski – Nike Hypervenom Phantom
The Polish striker is going to try to replicate last season’s success in his new pair of Hypervenoms. Borussia Dortmund did lose a few key players but keeping Lewandowski is something they should be proud of. The only question is can he score as many goals in the Bundesliga (24) and the Champions League (10) as he did last season in the T90s.
Fernando Torres – Adidas Predator LZ
While other players choose to switch into another Nike boot, Fernando Torres decided that it was time for a change up and he along with teammate Juan Mata switched to the Adidas Predator LZ. Torres opted for the Hybrid control boot while the Hypervenom was just a rumor, maybe he didn’t want to wait for the range to be replaced?
Gonzalo Higuain – Nike Hypervenom Phantom
Gonzalo Higuain is no longer in Madrid in T90s, he will now be playing at Napoli in a different pair of boots- the Hypervenoms. I guess similar to Sneijder the only way to celebrate your transfer move is by doing so with a new pair of boots. Unfortunately his club and country blue and white kits don’t fit well with the launch colorway.
Also be sure to check out Robert’s “The Boot Report” as he briefly discussed some players who decided not to make the change from T90 to Hypervenom.
Robbie Keane – Nike CTR360 Maestri III
A player who waiting longer than most to switch from the T90 Laser IV was Robbie Keane. The LA Galaxy hitman wore the Mango/Crimson colorway well into the summer before making a switch to the Nike CTR360 Maestri. It is tough to know just why he decided to jump across the control boot, but they haven’t hampered his ability to score goals as he has banged in plenty over the past few weeks.
Find a full selection of Hypervenom Phantom colorways at soccer.com.
It is interesting to see that the top 3 wearers of the T90 series (Lewandowski, Sneijder, and Rooney) have ended up in a pair of Hypervenoms. Could Nike have played a part in those moves? It would make sense as the loyal T90 followers would do the same if they saw the pros do it.
Do you think Nike had a say in the player’s switch to the Hypervenom? Let us know in the comments below.
Torres switched to predators a while ago. Also, Keano switched to the maestri III as the IV isn't out yet.
Have you ignored, already mentioned it, or not noticed Evans and Ferdinand decided to stay in the t90’s?
You are right- there still are a number of wearers that are holding out on switching, another example would be Ryan Shawcross. We will keep an eye on those players that are still in T90s but for this article we focused on players that moved on.