Ousadia Alegria: Neymar JR Exclusive Nike Hypervenom Collection

The Nike design team loves to look to Neymar Jr.'s tattoos as inspiration for the designs behind his exclusive Nike Hypervenom boots. The "Ousadia Alegria" Collection is no different- inspired by Neymar's life mantra tattooed on his calves, meaning "daring" and "joy." The boots feature a unique graphic designed by renowned Brazilian artist, Bruno Big. One boot features an expanded, all-over print of the heart graphic created to represent "Ousadia," and the other boot features a fist graphic to represent "Alegria." Both of these graphics are printed in their entirety inside the boots.

For the launch of the collection, Bruno Big painted a giant mural over 1,000 boxes, which were then released as limited edition art pieces to accompany the first 999 pairs of the Hypervenom Phantom II purchased through the Nike Football App. Neymar Jr. was given the first box.

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The Neymar "Ousadia Alegria" Hypervenom Phantom II is available in The Soccer Shop and online in adult sizes. The Nike Hypervenom Phinish and Phelon (FG, IC & TF) are also available in adult sizes. The Hypervneom Phelon (FG, IC & TF) is available in youth sizes.

Nike's Newest Innovation: Hypervenom Phantom II

Although the first generation Hypervenom Phantom is only a few years old, Nike's design team didn't shy away from making the boot even better with an innovative re-design. The Nike Hypervenom Phantom II is the first boot of the Hypervenom silo to offer a Dynamic Fit Collar that flows seamlessly into a new enhanced mesh upper. Max Blau, VP of Nike Football Footwear, explained the design team's desire to push the boundaries with their newest boot: “Players loved the original Hypervenom, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do even better. We’re not afraid to make as many changes as the boot needs to be the best.  The kind of players who wear Hypervenom would expect nothing less.”

The design team took a unique approach when they started the research phase of the design process for the new Hypervenom Phantom II. In order to find exactly where an athlete's foot flexed during soccer-specific movements, members of the design team wore white socks and spray painted their feet to identify prominent flex grooves during play. These grooves now make up the unique, and seemingly random, zig-zagging texture of the boot's upper.

Another upgrade in innovation was the use of Flywire along the sides of the boot. Flywire, a technology already used in Nike running shoes, comes up around the eyelets of the boot's laces and creates a lock-down fit through the middle of the foot. The enhanced mesh upper is also featured in varying density throughout the boot for maximum comfort in the most critical areas. The Dynamic Fit Collar was also added for comfort, featuring an asymmetrical back seam that reduces distraction and tension on the Achilles tendon. The design was finished off with classic Hypervenom details: the NikeSkin coating combined with ACC (All Conditions Control) for touch, an asymmetrical lacing pattern for a larger strike zone, and a conical split-toe stud configuration for added stability and traction.

The first release of the Hypervenom Phantom II features the Wolf Grey & Total Orange colorway from the Silver Storm Pack. The first ever Women's-specific colorway for the Hypervenom Phantom II was released as a part of the Women's World Cup Cleat Pack in Blue Lagoon & Volt.

Neymar JR and Alex Morgan are Nike's main athletes wearing this boot, but they are also joined by the likes of other world class players such as Wayne Rooney, Edinson Cavani, Robert Lewandowski, Meghan Klingenberg, and Christen Press.

The Soccer Shop will carry the Hypervenom Phinnish (a low-cut version of the boot) in both adult and youth sizes.

Rare Boot for Rare Talent: Neymar JR Special Edition Hypervenom

Standout player for FC Barcelona, Neymar Jr., has collaborated with Nike to create a cleat inspired by both his close relationship with his sister and his fluid playing style. This strong familial bond is represented by matching diamond tattoos on each of their arms. Just above Neymar Jr.’s diamond tattoo is the word "sorella" for sister. His sister, Rafaella has "fratello" for brother above hers. Being one of the most valuable minerals on earth, the diamonds are meant to symoblize the rare and unbreakable bond between the two siblings. 

Stand Out Player, Stand Out Shoe
Diamonds stand out, which is exactly what Neymar Jr. wants from his cleats. He chose a chrome colorway to mimic the look of a shining diamond, and subtle accents throughout the upper are meant to appear like a liquid finish in order to compliment his renowned fluid playing style. These boots represent him as both a player and a person, highlighting his stand out moves and bold and cheerful attitude. The 3-D NikeSkin on the Hypervenom boots enhance the dimensions of the liquid diamond appearance. The traditional Nike swoosh captures Neymar Jr.’s energetic personality with bright Hyper Pink and Volt accents.

From Gold to Chrome    
Neymar Jr. is no stranger to football boot design, as this "Liquid Diamond" edition is the third installment of his specialty Hypervenom boots. In the past, Neymar Jr. launched the original Hypervenom in 2013, and then followed up with a gold edition during the 2014 World Cup. The Hypervenom series is equipped with a split-toe plate and agility traction stud pattern that enables strikers to quickly respond to enclosing defenders. 

In the Shop: We have all three silos of Neymar Jr.’s Liquid Diamond Hypervenom boots. This includes the Hypervenom Phantom, Phatal, and Phelon in adult sizes and the Phelon in youth sizes. Visit the Soccer City Soccer Shop to check out our selection.

Images (except first photo) courtesy of Nike