The most expensive football boots ever belonged to Rio Ferdinand. Designer Luisa Di Marco pimped out some Nike Total 90s in the mid-2000s, spray painting them, graffitiing them and embedding 2,500 diamonds and rubies into them.
Luckily your average boot will be a lot cheaper than Ferdinand's prime design: expect to pay anywhere between £220 and £280 for the brand-new, elite models when freshly released.
Different boots vary in price, since there are different styles and studs. Nike, for example, price their new Phantom and Vapor boots within that range - but there are older Superfly boots you can pick up for under £80 from Nike's official website.
Likewise, the best Adidas football boots are generally released around the £230 mark. However, their classic Copa Mundial range is significantly cheaper, coming in at around half the price. The best football boots are often on sale, too, with older colourways and barely-changed models available at a significant discount. Indeed, it's possible to pick up deals on boots retailers such as ProDirect for as cheap as £20.
Be sure to keep an eye out over on Ebay too, for any bargains that may become available.
How much do football boots cost? And why do prices vary?
But what can a boot at the top end of the market give you?
Well, one key factor is durability. Boots with a metal stud will set you back more than the best firm ground football boots, largely down to the face that the former lasts longer than the latter. Metallic studs are, naturally, extremely durable and tend to keep their shape longer. A moulded stud will wear down quicker over time and when they do, the boot will need replacing.
The latest technology is also important in the modern-day boot market. Take the Nike Phantom GX Elite, which uses a revolutionary Gripknit innovation for an improved touch. This will also (probably) give you a better strike on the ball, but that is reflected in the cost, with the current design, worn by the likes of Rodri and Erling Haaland, still retailing at £120, down from the initial price of £235.
It is a similar story for the Adidas Predator Elite, which with a soft HybridTouch 2.0 upper, can set you back £140. Clearly, innovation comes at a price.
But that is not to say you can't still get a quality boot without paying a three-figure sum. There are plenty of options when it comes to the best football boots under £100, and boots coming in at this price point often prove even more reliable than their elite counterparts.
They may not have all the latest tech, or the most striking design, but plenty of designs at this level still sell by the truckload. Adidas' Copa Mundial - for example - remains a timeless classic, one of the most comfortable football boots - especially in comparison to many more expensive options.
The moulded studs help keep the price relatively low at £69.99, with the metal studs version, Adidas World Cups retailing at £150. They are also built for comfort over style, with the design virtually unchanged since the initial release in 1979. Again, this ensures the cost stays low.
Manufacturers will usually produce three or four versions of the same design with different price points. They know plenty of players at amateur level will be keeping an eye on their bank balance and less bothered about improving performance. Others will take their game more seriously and be willing to spend more.
Whatever end of the market you're shopping in, thankfully there are plenty of options to suit all: from the best football boots for wide feet to the best football boots for midfielders, there's always something on the market that will offer what you want.
