Kylian Mbappé Hits the Back of the Net With Signature Nike Air Zoom Mercurial Superfly IX

Football colossus Kylian Mbappé sparked plenty of online chatter in January when he revealed the scintillating Nike Air Mercurial TN, a balls-to-the-wall mashup between the Air Zoom Mercurial Superfly IX and the OG Air Max Plus ‘Voltage Purple’ drop from ‘98 (for bonus points on the head-thumping history of the Nike TN, make sure to track down a copy of Stay Tuned). Since his much-publicised move to Real Madrid, football fans and sneakerheads have been patiently waiting for a colourway to inaugurate the occasion, and it looks like this one’s finally hit the back of the net.

Glimpsed on the Frenchman’s feet since he first put on the Real Madrid jersey at his Santiago Bernabéu Stadium presentation, this announcement marks the official unveiling presented by Nike. Featuring a ‘Light Laser Orange/Armoury Navy’ colour combination, the signature model also features a disruptive digital print applied around the Air logos and heels to create a pulsing visual.

Eviscerating defences since the late 1990s, the Nike Mercurial is still the sportswear giant's flagship speed boot. Popularised by R9, Ronaldo, some of the world’s greatest players have now adopted the technology en masse, including Eden Hazard, Ada Hegerberg, and Didier Drogba. In terms of hardware, the Superfly IX utilises Vaporposite+ uppers for a lightweight feel and flexibility, an internal speed cage, and a 3/4 Zoom Air unit engineered specifically for football. The Zoom Air unit sits beneath the midfoot plate for aggressive speed to burn the defenders.

Nike members will get early access to Kylian Mbappé’s latest Mercurial. Unfortunately, we don't have a concrete release date as yet. For more on Mbappé, make sure to check out his all-time greatest Nike sneaker moments.