On 3rd May, 2010, Nike launched their first ever colour co-ordinated full boot range specifically for the 2010 FIFA World Cup following the outstanding job they did on working on a couple of models in their EC2008 2 years before.
This range was called the Nike Elite Series!
Whats the hype?
The Elite Series provided the 4 current models that included the Mercurial Vapor SuperFly II, CTR360 Maestri I, Total90 Laser III and the Tiempo Legend III. The emphasis was on a new upper to improve on-field visibility and a reengineered sole plate to deliver lightweight performance for every style of player.
“At Nike, we have a relentless focus on product innovation to give athletes a real competitive edge and deliver the best products in the world,” said Andrew Caine, Nike Design Director for Football Footwear.
According to Nike Research in 2010, the average energy expenditure of an elite player is over 1,000 Kilo Calories per game for a 75kg player. By reducing the weight of their boots Nike deemed that this would help reduce the energy needed over the course of 90 minutes and therefore give an advantage in the final stages of a game.
Lightweight football boots
Carbon Fibre Sole Plates - The designers at Nike reduced the weight of each boot to enhance players performance over a long time – especially in the South African heat. The use of Carbon-Fibre sole plates for all models added strength and lightness.
This resulted in the Mercurial Vapor SuperFly II being 5% lighter, the CTR360 Maestri 19% lighter and both the Total90 Laser III and Tiempo Legend III 16% lighter.
Contrasting, eye-catching colours
This pack made players stand out by using two contrasting colours ((Metallic Mach Purple and Total Orange) to give a “Flash” effect, hoping a team-mates feet would stand out (as long as the opposition weren’t wearing the same boots!).
The Nike design team and Nike Sports Research Lab (NSRL) collaborated to understand how to deliver new product innovations including incorporating visual performance benefits into boot design.
Due to Nike’s research, the contrast colours were designed to increase the focus of peripheral vision so that a moving player will trigger a stimulus to catch the eye of a passer’s peripheral vision.
Premium Materials
Along with the use of a flexible, light and ultra strong Carbon one piece sole plate, Nike featured a full KangaLite upper for the Tiempo Legend as well as the CTR360.
Players that wore the Nike Elite Series Football Boots:
The high contrast colours made the boots unmissable on pitch. From Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney to Andres Iniesta and Wesley Sneijder, every Nike athlete was tooled up with their respective "Elite" level boot - a move that generated huge public attention to the brightest boots on pitch.
