Soccer Cleats 101 Soccer Cleats News and Reviews
Stylish and fashionable are a couple of words that are typically used to describe the culture of Italians. When watching Italian football the players always seem to be more conscious of their appearance than any other league, with the long flowing hair, head bands and super tight football stripes. Growing up I always loved watching the likes of Roberto Baggio, Maldini, Del Piero, Totti etc and became a massive fan of Serie A, there is definitely a sense of style attached to Italian football which makes it unique and special.
This also can be said about some of the Italian brands of football boots, the choice of Italian brands is extensive with a huge selection to choose from. As this Cleats and Culture series of articles is me trying to prove a theory that the country in which the boots originate match the culture of their respective countries, I will attempt to list some of the most stylish, best looking, classy boots available in Italy.
Pantofola d’oro Lazzarini
I will start with the Pantofola d’oro Lazzarini, is there any brand of football boots that has the same aura as the Pantofola? I don’t think there is! Handcrafted in Italy, using the finest kangaroo leather, the Lazzarini’s are one of the best looking boots around. I personally love these boots and think they ooze class and style, legends of the game such as Capello, Mancini, Van Basten, Cruyff and Di Canio have all sported the three stars.
Pantofola d’oro have a rich history dating way back to 1886 but didn’t start making football boots until the 1950’s. The Lazzarini is named after Emidio Lazzarini who took control of the company from his father in the 50’s.
Ryal 1946
Next up is the beautifully styled Ryal 1946, handcrafted using kangaroo leather these in my opinion are one of the most stylish boots on the market.
Giulio Moriani was a promising football player between 1930-1939 playing for Empoli FC before his career was ended by the war. In 1946 Giulio embarked on a new carrier as a cobbler and specialised in football boots. A big fan of Real Madrid and in particular Jose Hector Rial, in 1960 the company was rebranded as Ryal.
The Ryal 1946 perla is also available in a stunning Pearl/White colour for players who want something a little more modern looking. I would love to see more professionals wearing these stunning boots. Paolo Di Canio was known to wear Ryal’s on occasions. Panto’s and Ryals – the man clearly has style.
From the moment I came across these boots I could tell they were special. It is a pity they aren’t more available as they are handcrafted using premium kangaroo leather with stunning looks these would be a fantastic alternative to the likes of the Copa Mundial and the recently released Nike Premier.
Lotto Studio Potenza ii
Last to feature on the list is the Lotto Stadio Potenza ii 100 in “Tricolour”. I am not usually one for coloured boots, never mind a boot featuring three colours but these Potenza’s look amazing! If I were Italian I would definitely wear these boots with pride.
Lotto were founded in 1973 by the Caberlotto family and at first specialised in Tennis gear. The company expanded to many other sports including football and secured massive sponsorship deals with Ruud Gullit and Dino Zoff.
The Stadio Potenza ii is by far the most modern boot on the list but it still has a very unique style, these are also made from Kangaroo leather. I think Lotto have got the blend between heritage and modern perfect with this boot.
Don’t get me wrong, brands like Lotto and Diadora have released some hideous looking boots in the past. I am not saying every Italian brand is stylish, but brands like Ryal and Pantofola D’oro have that something special. No other brand around the world can produce boots with same amount of class and style. I challenge anyone to prove me wrong.
Look out for part 3 where I will be covering the innovative and technological Japanese.
Do you agree with my observation?
Can you find a more stylish boot than the ones I have listed?
