Nike Resurrects the Original Mercurial Vapor 1

Nostalgia is a core pillar to football fandom and it has been a driving force for two of its biggest sportswear labels. On one side, adidas continues to tap into the 1990s with a slew of retro-inspired releases, including AS Roma’s deliciously good ‘93 collection. Alternatively, Nike has dialed the clock a bit further up to revisit the T90 era of the noughties, as well as a re-release of the iconic chrome/lime Mercurial Vapor 1 worn by Ronaldo Nazário as he hammered Germany in the final of the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

The forthcoming Nike Mercurial Vapor 1 RGN is a firm-ground low top cleat, updated with Air Zoom cushioning and synthetic leather, whilst visually staying true to the classic. Similar to 20 years ago, the shoe is limited to just 4500 pairs globally, emblematic of its chromed-out collectors tag attached to the laces.

For those too young to have witnessed, “El Fenómeno” flipped the football world on its head as he redefined the striker position, blending pristine dribbling and ball control with a ferocious scoring ability that produced some of the most memorable moments on-and-off the pitch. Staying true to Nike’s fearless ethos, Ronaldo overcame two potentially career-ending knee injuries to hoist the FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan in ‘02, subsequently pioneering the image of the global football superstar that we know today.

Expect the Nike Mercurial Vapor 1 RGN SE to drop in limited quantities online and select global retailers on December 9.