Nike Drops the Ronaldo-Inspired Air Max Mercurial R9
The Swoosh transforms the Brazilian legend’s old boots for wear away from the pitch.
Back in 1998, Brazilian legend Ronaldo was at the peak of his powers, leading his country to the World Cup finals at the Stade de France and taking home the Golden Ball award before a pre-match convulsive fit sadly derailed the striker and Brazil’s chances for back-to-back World Cup trophies. The Brazilian would get redemption, however, in 2002 as he took home the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top goalscorer after netting a brace to secure Brazil’s fifth World Cup title. Now Nike is paying homage to Ronaldo’s goalscoring prowess with a brand new silhouette: the Air Max Mercurial R9.
Transforming Ronaldo’s old Mercurial R9 from 1998 into an off-pitch sneaker, the design — which first popped up back in December — echoes the look of the iconic boot, but dons breathable mesh construction with no-sew overlays for warm-weather comfort while a Max Air unit offers lightweight cushioning in the heel.
Capped off with reflective silver hits throughout, the Air Max Mercurial R9’s black and blue colorway can be found now via Nike’s SNKRS for $130 USD while the black version is available now at nike.com for $120 USD while supplies last.
