Cristiano Ronaldo, Old Trafford, the hush of an expectant crowd. All the familiar ingredients were in Manchester yesterday, but with one big difference: CR7 wasn’t playing. He was unveiling the latest and lightest installment in the Nike football boot dynasty – the Mercurial Superfly.
Here’s what the World Player of the Year, European Player of the Year and winner of the European Golden Shoe said about working with the Nike development team to bring his dream boot to life.
CR: “I give feedback about what I like best, what makes me feel good and things I’m accustomed to. Nike listens to my feedback and they improve the boots each time. This boot is very different to the one I’m using and I prefer these to my old boots. The Mercurial Vapor Superfly is much lighter and helps me attack faster.”.
And of all the boots out there, why is the Mercurial so special?
CR: “Since I was 16 or 17, I’ve always played with the Mercurial. These boots are very different to others – they’re much lighter, but I think the boots are perfect to play in. It is something very special to play with these boots because they are known for being fast. For people to associate speed with my style of play is flattering.”
When 76 000 fans pack Old Trafford on March 11, one thing’s for certain: with debut goals in both his Mercurial Vapor IV and Mercurial SL boots, the world will be watching the clock to see how long it takes CR7 to hit the scoresheet with his latest weapon.
Nikesoccer : February 2009
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Gale-force winds whipped through Columbus on Wednesday night, threatening to blow away anything that wasn’t lashed to the ground. An hour before the match a menacing storm front blew in, flooding the pitch and knocking down booths. So it’s no exaggeration to call the U.S. v Mexico game a blow out.
Oh, and the 2-0 score line doesn’t hurt either.
That’s right, the U.S. were able to defend their home turf yet again. Riding a wave of red-clad support from the fans at Columbus (big thanks to the American Outlaws and Sam's Army), the national team kicked off the final round of qualifying in style with a convincing win in the border clash against El Tri. The men’s national team has now gone eleven straight matches without a home defeat against Mexico, posting a 9-0-2 record.
Michael Bradley was the undisputed "Man of the Match" – not only did he fire home both U.S. goals, but his tireless effort in the midfield nullified any attempt by Mexico for a comeback.
“Before the match in the locker room I looked around at everyone’s eyes and everyone was very psyched to play,” said Bradley. “We all knew it was a big game and it was going to be tough.”
The match was indeed difficult, as the players not only had to contend with each other but also battle the contentious weather. But the U.S. squad rose to the occasion with strong team play. Landon Donovan even took a break from his role as scorer to turn distributor, setting up both Bradley goals.
“This game is as big as any game we have,” Donovan said. “We’re all willing to do whatever it takes to win. It brings out the best in me and it brings out the best in all of us.”
And while we’re on the topic of bringing out the best, Clint Dempsey brought out his top-shelf Mercurial Vapors for the big match. Clint was sporting personalized Mercurials from NIKEiD that featured his name, as well as the Don’t Tread on Me snake. If you like what you see, go to NIKEiD to design your very own Mercurial boots. And, if you want to rock some Don’t Tread threads, head over to NikeStore to find a DTOM Tee and a DTOM Cap.
In other CONCACAF qualifying news, Costa Rica beat Honduras 2-0 and El Salvador rallied late to earn a draw with T & T. So for now, the U.S. and Costa Rica are right where they want to be – sitting on top of the leader board. But, come end of March beginning of April, when the teams play two games in quick secession, the red, white and blue could put some serious breathing room between themselves and the rest of the pack.
So let’s get behind our team and let it be known throughout the land: DON'T TREAD ON THE RED!
It’s no exaggeration to call the February 11th match the biggest game the U.S. will play all year. So we’re calling upon all the fans from coast to coast to wear red in support of our team. No matter where you are – school, work, bar or at the game – let’s blanket the country with red, so no one can mistake our allegiance to the national team.
And, speaking of the national team, Bob Bradley recently released his 20-man roster. As expected, Coach Bradley brought in the big guns from Europe, like Landon, Dempsey, Howard, ‘Los and son Michael. There will certainly be no shortage of firepower on the pitch, and with the American Outlaws and Sam's Army leading chants of “Don't Tread on the Red,” there’ll be no shortage in the stands either. For those of you planning on attending the game, look for red fan cards on your seats that’ll direct you on when to chant.
And, whether you can make it to the match (7 pm E.T. kickoff, ESPN2) or not, you can still pick up all your Don’t Tread gear at NikeStore (products will be available shortly). However, you won’t be able to buy Dempsey’s one-of-a-kind NIKEiD Mercurial Vapors. Just for this match, Clint designed his very own Vapors that feature the Don’t Tread on Me snake coiled on his instep. Look for the boots to be lighting up Clint’s feet as he lights up the pitch.
So make sure to remind yourself, on February 11th, there’s only one thing to remember: Represent with RED!
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