Silver Boots for Silver Trophies: Ronaldo & Nike Release the Latest CR7 Line

Last fall, Cristiano Ronaldo introduced his own Nike Mercurial Superfly CR7, featuring a shimmering black colorway. For his spring boot, Nike continued with the glittery finish but in a silver colorway known as "Silverware" inspired by the covetable trophies given out to champions at this time of the season.

Image courtesy of Soccer Bible.

First Place Trophy for the Superfly
The Superfly is the star of the new CR7 line, built for speed with a sock-like feel and a glitzy silver colorway. It has a Dynamic Fit collar ensuring that the boot is like an extension of the body and locks down the foot at full velocity. The micro-textured upper gives the player a barefoot feel on the pitch, allowing their foot to be as close to the ball and ground as possible. 

Image courtesy of Soccer Bible.

Vapor X Takes Silver
Although the Superfly's appearance shines in comparison, the Vapor X is a more understated beauty. The Vapor X has a micro-textured synthetic upper featuring a tongue-less design that naturally molds to the shape of the foot for a barefoot-like feel similar to the Superfly. A perforated sock liner mimics the foot’s contours offering low-profile cushioning from stud pressure and maximizing comfort. The boot is finished off with a lightweight nylon sole plate featuring reconfigured blades and studs that work to increase a player's stability and rotational toe-off traction.

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In the Shop: The CR7 Mercurial Vapor and Victory are available in both adult and youth sizes. Other accessories such as training socks, guards, balls and bags are also available from the CR7 line.

#DosACero: USMNT Secures Sixth Consecutive Win Against Mexico

The U.S. Men’s National Team had an exciting 2-0 win over Mexico at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas on Thursday. The Mexico-USA game is always promised to be a thriller due to the long standing rivalry between the neighboring nations. U.S. defender and Texas native, Omar Gonzalez, spoke about his excitement to play at home and contribute to the effort against Mexico:

“This rivalry is very important, you never want to lose to your neighbor. In the past, these games have been awesome to watch and they’ve been really tough games and important games. I’m Mexican-American and that has a lot to do with it as well. There’s just a lot of history in these games and they’re always exciting to be a part of.”

Continued Success Against Mexico
A sell-out crowd of 64,369 looked on as Jordan Morris and Juan Agudelo scored the only goals of the game. This was Morris’s first starting game and first international goal of his National Team career. Within minutes after subbing in for Morris,  Agudelo brought down a long ball by Michael Bradley and sent the ball into the goal between Mexico's Goalkeeper, Cirilo Saucedo, and the left post. The U.S. has yet to lose to Mexico in six games, and have yet to lose on home soil in 21 games.

Up Next: On June 5th the USMNT will face the Netherlands at Amsterdam Arena. The game will be available to watch on ESPN, WatchESPN, UniMás, and UDN at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Image and video courtesy of  U.S. Soccer.

Adidas Lights the Way: Adizero 99g

Always at the forefront of cleat innovation, Adidas recently released the adizero 99g: the lightest boot ever made. The 99g concept was originally introduced at the Innovation Lab in 2013, with another year of rigorous testing until the revolutionary design was finally realized.

Lightweight, but Heavy Duty
In order to not compromise protection for weight, the adizero 99g was put through a series of rigorous play tests by amateur athletes, semi-pros, and professionals. The cleat holds up well against possible tears and abrasions, while simultaneously improving a player’s raw speed and agility. 

Breakthrough Technology
The 1 mm polyamide outsole reduces the typical weight of an outsole, but is rigid enough to perform under the stress of a player's sharp movements. The upper is built from a single layer of polyester mesh, which is also woven for added strength. A new stud layout allows for support and traction during quick changes of direction. The cleat is nearly half the weight of standard cleats, and doesn't retain water in wet conditions like both synthetic and leather uppers tend to do (adding to their weight).

The adizero 99g is the first release of Adidas's new "Limited Collection." Only 299 pairs of the 99g boot will be available globally. The "Limited Collection" will showcase Adidas's latest boot innovations and technology, and will only be released in super-limited quantities.

Images courtesy of Adidas. 

WNT Dominate New Zealand at First Home Game

On April 4th, the USWNT held their first home match of the season at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO. The international friendly, first in a send-off series to the World Cup, was played in front of a record crowd with an attendance of 35,817. The U.S. proved themselves to their fans as they netted in four goals to beat opponents New Zealand. The U.S. scored one goal in the first half, followed by three within a five minute span in the second half. Three of the goals were scored by defenders who provided great support to the team’s attack strategy throughout the game.

Dream-like Success
The U.S. developed numerous scoring opportunities throughout the game and continuously tested New Zealand’s goalie, Erin Nayler, who succeeded in blocking three shots on target. Midfielder Meghan Klingenberg scored the first goal of the game, and her second career goal with a long-range blast into the upper left corner in the fourteenth minute. Playing in her hometown, Defender Lori Chalupny was thrilled to score the second goal of the game:

“Just to be here playing in Busch Stadium and in St. Louis in front of friends and family is enough. Then, to score a goal is pretty amazing. I feel like I’m living in a dream a little bit. Absolute joy.”

A header by Julie Johnston sent the score to 3-0 minutes after Klingenberg’s goal, and Morgan Brian ended the scoring margin at 4-0 in the 81st minute.

Up Next for the USWNT
Catch the women in the second game of their send-off series, as they take on Ireland in San Jose, California on May 10, 2:30 P.M. ET. The game will broadcast on FOX Sports 1.

Image and video courtesy of US Soccer.