Soccer Cleats 101 Soccer Cleats News and Reviews
Without a doubt, one of the classiest looking boots on display this summer in Brazil belonged to Mizuno, in the form of their Dazzling Blue/Bolt version of the Morelia Neo. Front and center wearing them was Hulk, and although he didn’t light the fire many Brazilians expected, he did play a large role in their run to the semi-final. The boots were also on display as worn by several South Korean players like Lee Chung-Yong, Kim Young-gwon and Lee Keun-ho.
Earlier this year, we had the opportunity to test the Morelia Neo and the results were extremely impressive. Mizuno mesh together high quality materials with top class, super comfortable fit and somehow manage to pack it into a lightweight 6.3oz package. Compared to the market, it is one of the lightest speed boots out there, especially when you consider it features a K-leather upper!
Realistically, it is the simplicity of this release that makes it a true winner. Mizuno hasn’t cut corners in terms of quality but they have kept the boot to a minimum in terms of materials and technology. The entire body of the shoe is made of quality materials, pieced together with little fuss; the upper is a K-leather, very soft with some pleasant stitching; the tongue is a single piece of material that has no padding; the heel is lined with a light suede grip material; the soleplate flexes with ease and doesn’t feature any advanced spine of stud configuration. It all seems basic and mundane, but it comes together in the most elegant way, a mix of tradition styling with a modern fit and weight, to produce one of the best boots we currently have on the market. Many companies have tried similar designs and failed. Where Mizuno get it right is the details and how they craft a boot designed to suit the player and not their own piggy bank.
And the best part is that this colorway is now available to buy in the US. For those interested in snagging a pair, head over to mizunousa.com where they are currently listed for $225.
