The
new boot, unveiled today by Cristiano Ronaldo in Madrid, is born from four
years of R&D in the Nike Sport Research Lab. Driven by insights from the world’s fastest
athletes, the Superfly is created to revolutionize speed.
First
unveiled in 1998, the original Mercurial was a radical and unprecedented piece
of design that established Nike as the leader in football boot innovation. With
the new Mercurial Superfly, Nike has created not just another cutting-edge boot
but a leap forward for on-pitch speed.
“With
its new design innovations, the 2014 Superfly makes a quantum leap forward in
what high performance boots can be – and what they can help players achieve,”
said NIKE, Inc. President and CEO Mark Parker at the Madrid unveiling. “Fueled
by Nike Flyknit technology and with a bold new silhouette, the Mercurial
Superfly will be the boot of choice for the game’s fastest players.”
Since
its debut, Mercurial boots have been synonymous with speed. The Mercurial
Superfly is designed for the player who is always a step ahead of his marker
and the game itself. This boot allows players to unlock their potential and
earn that split second that can open up the game.
“Innovating
for the game's best is the very soul of Nike. It is the fundamental pillar of
who we are,” said Trevor Edwards, President of the Nike Brand, at the
unveiling. “And as players get faster and stronger, we challenge ourselves to
keep improving – because sport is about constant progression – and so is the
Nike brand.”
“Today
is the culmination of that journey as we head toward Brasil,” Edwards said.
“It’s a journey of innovation fueled by our deep-rooted passion for the game.
Like the players we design for, when it comes to the World Cup we hold nothing
back. Because when the eyes of the world are upon you, you have to bring your
best. At Nike, we live for these moments; it’s what we do. We know the dreams
of entire nations rest on our athletes’ shoulders, so we ensure they have what
they need to succeed. Every day we challenge ourselves to live up to their
ambition. They choose brilliance. And so do we.”
The
Mercurial Superfly’s revolutionary design is driven through Nike’s most
advanced technology: Nike Flyknit. A new three-knit weave puts less material
between the foot and the ball to enhance players’ touch – a vital element when
operating at high speeds.
The
high-top Dynamic Fit Collar, which radically transforms the Mercurial
silhouette, is designed to create a better fit and a heightened sensation of
the boot as an extension of the foot.
“Players
have told us that the Mercurial fits like no other boot,” said Phil McCartney,
VP of Sport Performance Footwear. “It feels like an extension of the body
because the Dynamic Fit Collar integrates the foot, the ankle and the lower
leg. It removes distractions and allows the player to be quicker to the ball
and quicker with the ball. This is the huge advantage of Flyknit: We can tune a
boot to match a player’s attributes.”
Other
vital breakthrough additions include Superfly’s Brio cables, which are knitted
directly into the upper and locked into the outsole. By connecting this
tendon-like support to the heel, the Superfly acts like a slingshot that helps
propel the player forward. In addition,
a new, more-flexible full-length carbon plate helps players to more efficiently
transmit power through the ground.
“During
the four years that we developed the new Superfly, we kept hearing the same
message from our players: The game has changed,” McCartney said. “It’s more
intense than at any time in history. Players are fitter, stronger, more
athletic and more technical than ever before. Based on those changes, our
players told us they needed to be faster.”
“We’ve
delivered the boot for this new game because we know what a split second means.
It can mean the difference between qualifying for the next round and
elimination. It can mean the difference between being a champion and being a
footnote. At Nike, we design boots to bring out the champion in all of our
players. That drive and pursuit of perfection has led us to today and the
Mercurial Superfly.”
