Best football boots 2023

Looking for the best football boots in 2023? Look no further: we've reviewed the latest releases from Nike, Adidas, Puma, New Balance, Umbro and more.

With so many football boots on the market right now, it's important to know what you're looking for. Boots are now tailor-made for specific roles on the field – whether you're looking for boots for strikers or boots for defenders – but also for specific players, with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and even Harvey Elliott with trademark boots of their own. 

Whether you'd like something comfy for your weekly five-a-side or you take football boots a little more seriously and need a pair of the greatest football boots of all time, we've got your back… well your feet, of course.

Best football boots, 2023

Nike

The latest in the peerless Nike Mercurial range, the Air Zoom Superfly IX, dropped in July 2022 and was given its first run out at the Women's Euros. They're worn this season by some of the biggest stars in the men and women's game, and were seen extensively throughout Qatar 22.

Aside from looking gorgeous, the Air Zoom Superfly IX are among the lightest boots on the market and offer unbeatable traction – making them ideal for speedy attacking players. The almost sticky skin on the upper is designed to assist with your touch, passing and shooting, while also offering decent protection. 

They feature a three-quarter-length articulated "Zoom Air bag", along with a newly designed Vaporposite+ upper, which features a "Speed Cage" design. Basically, they're tighter, sleeker and more durable than ever before. 

The Nike Mercurial Vapor boots are steeped in footballing folklore. This is the brand that Ronaldo draped around his neck after losing the France '98 final; the boots that Thierry Henry burned the Highbury grass with in his early noughties pomp.

The sockless design is what separates the Vapor from the Superfly – and the original remains one of the most iconic yet technologically evolved football boots on the market. These ones are just as bold and brilliant as the old ones though, with the feel and comfort levels – dare we say it – better than the classics. If only R9 had worn these…

In one TV commercial (opens in new tab) for the Nike Phantom, the greats of the game build up these boots to be mysterious and lethal in equal part. Rino Gattuso trashes his office in rage and confusion while his former comrade Andrea Pirlo conjures an inky storm from the comfort of his vineyard, as French house duo Justice soundtrack the scene.

The latest iteration of the Phantom boots look 80s-inspired and worn by the likes of Jack Grealish and Kevin De Bruyne. While they're the least-known of all the American brand's efforts, they're among the best: suitable for strikers or full-backs, offering control, lightness and a design somewhere between the Mercurial and the Tiempo. 

Nike have since updated the Superfly on from this triumph – does that make these classics, yet?

With its semi-circle design on the outside and now-iconic colourways – Cristiano Ronaldo wore a blue/yellow pair to match Manchester United's third kit last season – the Superfly VIII is one of the most distinctive pairs of boots that the Swoosh has delivered for years. Last season's or otherwise, they still look gorgeous, remain among the lightest on the market and offer top-quality traction. 

The latest Tiempos are extremely comfortable and durable, and are among the lightest on the market, weighing in at only 207g. 

They feature a number of nifty little gadgets, including memory foam and touch pods, designed to specifically help you shoot, dribble and control the ball. The chevron studs have been carefully designed to add top-level traction, helping attacking players can change direction more easily – perfect for bursting past opponents. 

This is a stunning all-round boot, and one any player should consider adding to their toolkit. 

Adidas

Released in conjunction with a specially made Rick and Morty short, the Adidas X Speedportal boots are a natural evolution from the last X model while upgrading on the look, feel and comfort of the model.

We were blown away when they landed. These are the best-looking Xs in years, with a freshly-designed heel and the brand-new, textless Adidas logo. Bravo.

Adidas do "no-frills" awesomely well when they want to and the Copa Sense is testament to that. Worn by the likes of Jude Bellingham and Joao Felix, the Copa Sense is a defined understatement, stripping back the football boot to its bare essentials. These boots are immensely comfortable, perfect for any player who prides themselves on their first touch and despite the simplistic design, they look hella cool – whatever colour you get them in.

The Predator is basically the Routemaster bus of football: a design classic that pops up in everyday life without you so much as noticing these days… and actually, the updated versions are cooler than many of the vintage models.

Controversial? Yeah, but we're going there. While old Preds were given the task of simply improving David Beckham's sweeping crosses, the Predator Edge are tailor-made for the modern baller, with panels all over to aid control, walloping from 30 yards and, of course, the occasional Goldenballs-style ping. The Predators are well and truly in their renaissance – and we're loving it. 

One for the old guard and hipsters alike, there's simply nothing like the Copa Mundial football boots, no matter how many times Adidas reinvent the wheel. 

For the sheer comfort, nostalgia and reliability, it's virtually impossible to top these brilliant boots, with buttery soft K-leather ensuring your feet have room to breathe while staying warm and dry. The Adidas Copa Mundial is an icon – and if you're a football nerd, you deserve a pair of these at least once in your lifetime.

Umbro

Umbro are as British as a one-armed Alan Shearer celebration, disappointment after the 120th minute or a grey-skied cup final at the old Wembley. But before you interject, yes, we know the Double Diamond are now owned by Nike. 

The Velocitas are still going strong, though, despite the takeover of one of Blighty's greatest icons. The Umbro logo is bigger than ever – perhaps in defiance as much as anything – with the newest 'Bro boots coming in a wider range of shades than you would have seen when the brand made Three Lions shirts. The Velocita VI are perhaps the best Umbro boots yet, even if they fall a shade short of their high price tag – and a fitting tribute to the good old days of the English game.

Puma

Puma is often seen as lagging behind the juggernauts that are Nike and Adidas – yet the German manufacturer can boast the likes of Pele, Maradona and Cruyff as icons of their brand. The Total Footballer even ripped one of Adidas's three stripes off his Netherlands shirts in the 1970s in loyalty to his sponsor. That's dedication.

And now, they have Neymar in their corner. The Puma Future boots are the chosen brand for the most expensive player on Earth for their sleek, polished design, bright palettes and ambition to do something a little different – including teaming up with Liberty for a floral version of these Z boots. If the Puma King is the boot of a certified legend, the Future Z is for someone who enjoys smashing trends and stepping out to be different from the pack. They're deliciously light, comfortable and come in a range of colours. 

In our recent Puma Future Z Lazertouch football boots review, we praised the authentic leather used in boots worn by some of the nippiest wingers in world football. Neymar's version of the Future Z are lighter still, made by synthetic material as opposed to the leather on the Lazertouch, so you have a choice.

The boots are a fantastic fit, offer superb traction, look stunning and are light enough to make you feel as if you're wearing carpet slippers. The Future Z is geared towards attacking players specifically.

The Puma Ultra boots are everything that you'd expect from a brand that consistently looks to push boundaries – whether that's with the wacky design of some of their shirts (see club names emblazoned in bold during the 2021/22 season) or the actual materials they use.

The Ultras tip the status quo a little further. They have the heel, laces and shape of a classic King but with surprising weightlessness, that genuinely feels freeing to your feet. Puma is rapidly becoming the choice of so many top stars – see Erling Haaland and Antoine Griezmann – and it's easy to see why with these beauties. 

New Balance

New Balance Furon 6+

New Balance is a recent competitor in the market compared to the big guns but boy are they making strides with stylish boots. It feels like NB has always had a chair pulled up at this banquet – and the Furon is one hell of a signature party trick.

Starboy Bukayo Saka – among stellar company – can't be wrong. The New Balance Furon is textured, hard-wearing and available in a number of sexy shades, evoking classic boot designs of the noughties while feeling new, fresh and exciting. If Hermes, the Greek god famed for his winged sandals, was lining up for Olympiacos these days, we know what he'd be lacing up. 

In our New Balance V2 442 Pro review, comfort was the key recipient of our praise. The boots are sturdy, offer a flatter foundation for all foot types and fit nice and snug. 

This is what all football boots used to feel like: soft leather slippers that could thwack a rain-soaked ball top bins with might. Yet with the colour choices, the new lowercase New Balance logo on the heel and the ridged material around the ankle, these things feel not like relics of the past but callbacks, perfectly suited to football in 2023. New trends may come and go – but the 442 always has a place in the game.

Diadora

A special edition boot released 15 years after Filippo Inzaghi stunned Liverpool in the Champions League final, these Diadora Brasil efforts hark back to a golden age – literally – of football boots.

They're made of the softest leather and the tongue is pure nostalgia on these beauties. And as for the "9" insignia on the heel… Pippo has immortalised with this instant classics. 

Just as soft as the Brasil efforts from Diadora, the B-Elite version doesn't have the same tongue. Where the dots representing the Italian flag are on the other boots, here, they sit on the side of the boot itself. 

It's all about preference and here at FFT, we're going back and forth between which version is our favourite. Perhaps Filippo Inzaghi himself would have worn one of each.

We're a sucker for a whiteout boot. There are so many millions of colour combinations these days when it comes to what to wear on your feet but we're old-school – and we remember the days when a simple, plain white football boot like this would have had your da shaking his head and ranting away about "back in his day".

How times change. The circle of life has rendered these K-Leather Diadora boots retro, when once it was new and bold. If you're anything like us, you still get a thrill from wearing something completely all-white and as impractical as this down to the muddiest five-a-side pitch in town. 

How we test football boots

Here at FourFourTwo, our boot testing procedure is all about getting boots on our feet and personally trying them out in kickabouts, training sessions and matches. Our writers test each pair over a number of weeks, in various playing conditions, in order to get a proper idea of what they're like on a football pitch. 

This is the best way to find out if boots are better suited for firmer or softer ground, what level of traction they offer and how else they're geared towards improving a player's game. We're passionate about football boots and regularly attend launch events and Q&As to get as much information as possible from manufacturers and designers before we begin. 

All of our reviews are honest (despite working with brands, nobody can "buy" a good review from us) and we always have real footballers in mind when giving recommendations.