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It's been a year of sensational collaborations and top-class archival releases
Here at GOAL, we take football boots seriously. Throughout the year, our inboxes are inundated with the latest drops – some of which we deem worthy enough to share with you.
We’re constantly testing and judging, so as 2022 draws to a close, we thought it was time to share our insights on the best boot releases of the year.
From cult collabs to the retro releases dreams are made of. Budget-friendly to worth the price tag. Best speed for strikers and no-nonsense designs for defenders. We’ve narrowed our list down to ten categories, which we’ve judged by comfort, speed, control and style.
Without any further delay, here are the GOAL 2022 Boot Awards.
The GOAL Boot Awards 2022
Honourable mentions: Nike x Mbappe Air Zoom Mercurial, PUMA x Liberty Ultra Ultimate
Stone Island’s collaboration with New Balance only arrived in November, but the late entry has already cemented its status as one of the year’s best.
As well as officially introducing Stone Island into football for the first time – after decades of casual association with the sport – it has also made an impact at the World Cup.
When Raheem Sterling scored England’s third goal against Iran he used the outside of the boot, leading some fans to speculate that he had gone out of his way to “get the badge in.”
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Honourable mentions: Nike Air Zoom Mercurial Vapor XV SE, adidas Predator Edge 94+
adidas has released a series of Predator iterations over the course of the past year, but arguably the best is a nod to an infamous moment for the silhouette.
The original Predator Absolute in gold was worn by Zinedine Zidane for his last ever match, the 2006 World Cup final that ended in a headbutt and eventual defeat.
Despite that origin, the boot is a classic, and the Three Stripes made an inspired call in bringing it back from the archive.
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Honourable mentions: adidas Predator Edge.3, Mizuno Monarcida Neo II
The Nike Phantom GTII has proven itself to be a popular choice for elite-level players this season, and the Academy version offers an affordable alternative.
The boot is packed with design touches to improve your play, including patterning that helps you place your shots and an off-centre lacing system that is intended to help you dribble, pass and score.
If you’re buying a pair, we’d go for the Glacier Ice, Yellow Strike and Sunset Glow colourway favoured by Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Harry Kane.
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Honourable mentions: adidas Copa Sense+, PUMA Future 1.4 NJR Rare
The latest innovation for Nike’s Mercurial line arrived this year, with Air Zoom added for the first time since 2001.
The new feature was rolled out across two silhouettes, with the Mercurial Vapor XV the pick of the bunch.
The boot is designed with a three-quarter length air cushion, giving the players extra speed and control, while the upper is designed for ball control, and a new stud pattern is used to allow for play in all directions.
At £235, it’s not cheap, but it packs a punch with Nike’s cutting-edge technology.
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