How to choose your football boots

Michael Black provides some advice on finding the correct pair of football boots.

Choosing the right pair of football boots can be tricky, particularly when understanding the jargon used by the big manufacturers. With new designs hitting the market at a rapid rate, it is no easy task to keep up to speed with the latest innovations in boot technology.

A good starting point for any player is to check out boot reviews, which provide you with an impartial look at the different options. To help you make the right decision, we have pieced together a few crucial factors you need to consider when choosing your football boots.

Establish your budget

This might seem like an obvious point to make, but you need to establish how much you are willing to spend before starting your search for boots. Looking at boots you cannot afford could easily leave you feeling disappointed about your eventual purchase, so work out how much you spend.

As with any purchase, you will need to ensure that your outlay provides value for money, so consider this when setting your budget. If you are an amateur player who plays on muddy pitches, do you want to be shelling out £180 on the Adidas X Speedflow boots worn by Lionel Messi?

On what type of pitch do you play?

As we have just alluded to, different playing surfaces will dictate the type of boot you should consider purchasing. Buying the wrong footwear could put you at risk of serious injury, so you must factor this into the equation before splashing the cash.

Firm-ground boots are ideal for dry or slightly moist natural grass surfaces, while soft-ground boots are suitable for wet and muddy natural grass.

Artificial ground boots should be used on 3G and 4G artificial pitches, Astro football boots on the sand, and water-based astroturf pitches.

Choose your material carefully

It was once the case that leather football boots dominated the landscape, but things have changed drastically over the past couple of decades.

Modern synthetic and knitted uppers are now all the rage, with most professional footballers preferring to go down this route.

Leather boots have always been renowned for comfort, but the latest synthetic and knitted technology has slowly caught up in this respect. These boots have the added benefit of being lighter, faster and more durable, thus providing better performance and longevity.

Make sure the boots are comfortable

One of the difficulties of buying boots online is the uncertainty surrounding whether they will be the right size and how comfortable they are. You can take some of the guesswork out of this by visiting land-based sports shops and trying on a few pairs before making your final decision.

The Adidas Nemeziz are worth considering if you have narrow feet, while the Puma King or Mizuno Morelia Neo II are suitable for people with wider feet. The most comfortable boots on the market offer a stable and secure lockdown of the foot without feeling too tight and restrictive.

What position do you play?

Boot technology has progressed a long way since the ‘one-style-fits-all’ approach adopted by manufacturers in years gone by.

If you are a tricky winger, the Adidas X Speedflow or Nike Mercurial have the streamlined feel that ilk players love. By contrast, a rugged centre-back is more likely to want to rake his studs down the back of your legs in a pair of Nike Tiempos.

There are boots designed for every position on the pitch, each designed to enhance the skills required to play that role.

Ask someone for help

The phrase ‘it is good to talk’ can be applied to many scenarios in life, and buying boots is undoubtedly one of them. All major manufacturers have customer support teams who can offer expert advice on which type of boot will be most suitable for you.

Teammates can also be a good source of information, as they may well have first-hand experience of a purchase that failed to live up to expectations.

Buying boots often requires a significant financial outlay, so make sure you do your homework before parting with your hard-earned cash.

Page Reference

If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:

BLACK, M. (2021) How to choose your football boots [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article675.htm [Accessed

About the Author

Michael Black is a freelance journalist.


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Choosing the right pair of football boots can be tricky, particularly when understanding the jargon used by the big manufacturers. With new designs hitting the market at a rapid rate, it is no easy task to keep up to speed with the latest innovations in boot technology. A good starting point for any player is to check out boot reviews, which provide you with an impartial look at the different options. To help you make the right decision, we have pieced together a few crucial factors you need to consider when choosing your football boots. Establish your budget This might seem like an obvious point to make, but you need to establish how much you are willing to spend before starting your search for boots. Looking at boots you cannot afford could easily leave you feeling disappointed about your eventual purchase, so work out how much you spend. As with any purchase, you will need to ensure that your outlay provides value for money, so consider this when setting your budget. If you are an amateur player who plays on muddy pitches, do you want to be shelling out £180 on the Adidas X Speedflow boots worn by Lionel Messi? On what type of pitch do you play? As we have just alluded to, different playing surfaces will dictate the type of boot you should consider purchasing. Buying the wrong footwear could put you at risk of serious injury, so you must factor this into the equation before splashing the cash. Firm-ground boots are ideal for dry or slightly moist natural grass surfaces, while soft-ground boots are suitable for wet and muddy natural grass. Artificial ground boots should be used on 3G and 4G artificial pitches, Astro football boots on the sand, and water-based astroturf pitches. Choose your material carefully It was once the case that leather football boots dominated the landscape, but things have changed drastically over the past couple of decades. Modern synthetic and knitted uppers are now all the rage, with most professional footballers preferring to go down this route. Leather boots have always been renowned for comfort, but the latest synthetic and knitted technology has slowly caught up in this respect. These boots have the added benefit of being lighter, faster and more durable, thus providing better performance and longevity. Make sure the boots are comfortable One of the difficulties of buying boots online is the uncertainty surrounding whether they will be the right size and how comfortable they are. You can take some of the guesswork out of this by visiting land-based sports shops and trying on a few pairs before making your final decision. The Adidas Nemeziz are worth considering if you have narrow feet, while the Puma King or Mizuno Morelia Neo II are suitable for people with wider feet. The most comfortable boots on the market offer a stable and secure lockdown of the foot without feeling too tight and restrictive. What position do you play? Boot technology has progressed a long way since the ‘one-style-fits-all’ approach adopted by manufacturers in years gone by. If you are a tricky winger, the Adidas X Speedflow or Nike Mercurial have the streamlined feel that ilk players love. By contrast, a rugged centre-back is more likely to want to rake his studs down the back of your legs in a pair of Nike Tiempos. There are boots designed for every position on the pitch, each designed to enhance the skills required to play that role. Ask someone for help The phrase ‘it is good to talk’ can be applied to many scenarios in life, and buying boots is undoubtedly one of them. All major manufacturers have customer support teams who can offer expert advice on which type of boot will be most suitable for you. Teammates can also be a good source of information, as they may well have first-hand experience of a purchase that failed to live up to expectations. Buying boots often requires a significant financial outlay, so make sure you do your homework before parting with your hard-earned cash. Page Reference If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is: BLACK, M. (2021) How to choose your football boots [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article675.htm [Accessed About the Author Michael Black is a freelance journalist.