In the ongoing race to make the fastestfootball bootsilo,Nike challenged the industry by introducing an all-new football-specific Zoom Air unit to their speed silhouettes. If fast is in the air, then Nike have got it nailed with the Mercurial.

👟 Shop the Nike Zoom Mercurial Vapor Elite FG boots right now

The Mercurial is Nike’sbest football boot for speed. Its speed cage structure and twi-star studs offer explosive speed on the pitch, allowing for multidirectional traction and stability when you need it most. Favoured by the likes ofCristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland, the silhouette is amuch-loved classic among elite playersand fans of the game.

So, we put the Nike Zoom Mercurial Vapor Elite FG boots to the test. From comfort to value for money, we take a deep dive into everything that makes this football boot stand out against the competition.

How we tested the boots:

We enlisted a helping hand from London-based boot reviewer @ljcollects to take the Nike Mercurial out on the pitch. We tasked @ljcollects with a list of questions, seeking everything from the boot's wearability to areas where they lack. Dribbling to shooting and everything in between, there’s nothing we didn’t try with these boots, giving you our most accurate review possible.

At a glance:

You’ve seen the ratings, now let's get into the boots in more detail: 

The Nike Zoom Mercurial Vapor Elite in three words

• Lightweight
• Aggressive
• Cushioned

Most notable features

• The ‘Air Zoom’ unit is one of the most unique bits of tech in any football boot in the market.
• A unique hollowed-out AG stud pattern with added FG studs.

How the Nike Zoom Mercurial Vapor Elite compare to their competition

The extra cushion provided by Nike’s addition of the ‘Air Zoom’ unit in the soleplate makes these unique in the current market.

The problem with the Nike Zoom Mercurial Vapor Elite

These are definitely unsuitable for anyone with even slightly wider feet.

The Nike Zoom Mercurial Vapor Elite are the perfect fit for

Quick, nimble players looking for highly responsive boots to complement their style.

Our final thoughts

The combination of the AG-specific studs and the ‘Air Zoom’ unit makes these the best AG boot currently available.