One of the best ways to get inspired when looking at what type of soccer cleats you want to buy is to look at what your favorite stars are wearing.
Most athletes nowadays are signed to some of the biggest brands in the world, which is why more often than not, you’ll see them wearing cleats from brands they’re contracted to.
We’re here to tell you precisely what cleats the world’s best soccer players are wearing right now.
adidas – Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi and adidas’ relationship has been a constant after the forward signed a lifetime deal with the brand 15 years ago. We’ve seen some great soccer cleats worn by the Argentinians throughout the years, including classics like the 530 TUNiT and F50 adizero. So it couldn’t be more apt that the player has been donning his signature X Speedportal cleats, celebrating 35 years of the GOAT and drawing inspiration from some of the most iconic adidas silhouettes Messi has worn.
Nike – Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo has long been associated with Nike soccer cleats and has a particular affection for the famous Mercurial range. Recently, two Mercurial cleats have been inspired by Al Nassr’s number seven. The first was a pair of special Mercurial Zoom Superfly, a signature design for Ronaldo to wear during the 2022 World Cup. It’s also the pair of cleats the Portuguese striker has been wearing of late. Recently Nike also released the Mercurial 006 from the Dream Series inspired by CR7.
Unsigned – Erling Haaland
For most of his career, Erling Haaland has donned Nike soccercleats and is a particular fan of the Mercurial silhouette. In 2020 he was awarded the Golden Boy award, and Nike designed a special pair of the Mercurial Vapor 13s, which never went on sale. Nowadays, he’s still rocking the Nike Mercurial cleats from the Lucent pack, which come in a sunny yellow and orange colorway. With his Nike contract finished in 2022, the eyes of soccer fans are on which brand will snap him up for his next big deal.
adidas – Paul Pogba
Paul Pogba has been a prominent face for adidas soccer cleats after signing a 10-year cleats deal that will expire in three years’ time. The pair have both made noise when it comes to culture and fashion – just think back to the announcement video when he returned to Manchester United. adidas also recently unveiled a signature pair of Predator Accuracy cleats, which features the Paul Pogba logo – it’s also the pair of cleats the Juventus striker has been wearing in recent fixtures.
PUMA – Neymar Jr
Unlike other soccer stars who are signed to either Nike or adidas, Neymar has opted for a cleat deal with PUMA – who have gone toe to toe with other brands with their designs. Neymar has been rocking the latest Future cleats, which have been packed full of innovative technology. PUMA has used Neymar in every big soccer cleats campaign, and he certainly is waving the flag for the brand on the pitch.
New Balance – Bukayo Saka
Bukayo Saka is Arsenal’s poster boy, and his boot deal with New Balance has brought the brand to the forefront to compete with other soccer cleat brands. 2023 has already been a big year for Saka in cleats because New Balance gave him his first-ever signature Furon v7 cleats – which pays tribute to the area of London he grew up in. They’re so special Saka is currently wearing them for the closing months of the 2022-23 Premier League season.
Nike – Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe has been a big player in Nike’s soccer cleats landscape and has recently been wearing the brand-new Mercurial 006 from the Dream Series. Like Erling Haaland and Cristiano Ronaldo, Mbappe will mostly be seen sporting the prestigious Mercurial range, the pinnacle of Nike’s professional cleat silhouettes. Recently Nike sent him a unique pair of Mercurials to honor the 24-year-old netting his 201st goal for Paris Saint Germain.
PUMA – Jack Grealish
In March 2023, Jack Grealish signed a record-breaking boot deal with PUMA for a British soccer player. He joined an illustrious list of names, including Neymar Jr, Antoine Greizmann, and Memphis Depay, alongside others to represent the brand. After the deal, Grealish has been seen donning the latest line of Future cleats, featuring a unique zig-zag graphic.
New Balance – Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling is another huge asset to the New Balance soccer family, who have massively upped their cleats game. The brand has collaborated with Sterling numerous times to create iconic cleats. In October 2022, New Balance released the Route To Success pack, inspired by the nostalgic TFL bus seats Sterling was familiar with in his early days. Later in November 2022, Stone Island joined forces with the brand for a special edition collection. Right now, sterling is swapping between boots from the Dizzy Heights and Whiteout pack.
adidas – Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah will more often than not be seen wearing a pair of adidas cleats, and that’s been the exact case of late. He’s been repping the new adidas Predator Accuracy range, which comes in a brand new Ftwr White, Core Black, and Team Shock Pink colorway. In January 2022, he was handed his first adidas signature cleats – the X Speedflow.1 Prepare For Battle pack, featuring the same pattern found on the F50 made for Lionel Messi.
