BACK in the day, choosing football boots was easy – everybody wanted Predators.
But simple black boots are a thing of the past.
GETTY – CONTRIBUTOR: Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero have smashed in the goals for Man City this season… but what boots do they wear?
Now there are hundreds on the market, each seemingly more bizarrely complex than the next.
Do I want the luminous orange or the lime green? Laces or no laces? Do I need built-in socks?
And let’s not even start on Mario Balotelli’s mohawked monstrosities.
All that really matters is goals – especially if you want to make a late bid for the World Cup squad.
AFP: Mohamed Salah is the top scorer in the Premier League this season
So, what is the best pair to pick if you want to find the back of the net?
Using data from Football Boots DB, we’ve found out what EVERY goalscorer in the Premier League this season is wearing to discover the division’s top-scoring boot.
WHICH BRAND COMES OUT ON TOP?
ON the face of it, Nike.
Excluding own goals, the ball has hit the back of the net 309 in the Prem this season – most of them from Manchester City.
And of those strikes, 169 have come off of a Nike boot (or the head of someone wearing a pair).
Which manufacturer’s boots have scored the most goals in the Premier League this season?
NIKE: Nike Hypervenom Phantom III is warn by the likes of Harry Kane and Alexandre Lacazette
REUTERS: Harry Kane celebrates after scoring yet again for Tottenham… he has eight in Prem this season
That equates to 54.7 per cent of all goals scored this campaign.
A total of 116 have come from players wearing Adidas, 18 from Puma and 5 were scored from a Mizuno foot.
While finally, Michail Antonio one goal is the only netted from and Umbro boot.
WHAT IS THE TOP SCORING BOOT?
ROMELU LUKAKU ditched his Nike boot deal for Adidas this season… and it’s helped fire the Adidas X 17.1 right to the top of the table (even if the trick hasn’t worked for United).
The Belgian’s eight goals – plus the same number as Man City’s Gabriel Jesus – have helped the super-light polkadotted footwear notch 50 Prem strikes already.
It is the most popular boot in the league, with 8.6 per cent of players wearing it.
The five top-scoring boots in the Premier League this season
AFP OR LICENSORS: Romelu Lukaku scored in Adidas boots for Manchester United against Newcastle
ADIDAS: Lukaku wears the Adidas X 17.1 boot, which is the most popular in the Premier League
Who wears the Adidas X 17.1?
Gabriel Jesus – Man City (8 goals)
Romelu Lukaku – Man Utd (8)
Glenn Murray – Brighton (4)
Pascal Gross – Brighton (3)
Sam Vokes – Burnley (3)
Michy Batshuayi – Chelsea (2)
Tomer Hemed – Brighton (2)
Jay Rodriguez – West Brom (2)
Cesar Azpilicueta – Chelsea (1)
Nacer Chadli – West Brom (1)
Steve Cook – Bournemouth (1)
Troy Deeney – Watford (1)
Jermain Defoe – Bournemouth (1)
Demarai Gray – Leicester (1)
Ahmed Hagazy – West Brom (1)
Vicente Iborra – Leicester (1)
Daryl Janmaat – Watford (1)
Christian Kabasele – Watford (1)
Saed Kolasinac – Arsenal (1)
Joel Matip – Liverpool (1)
Alfie Mawson – Swansea (1)
James Morrison – West Brom (1)
Matt Phillips – West Brom (1)
Diafra Sakho – West Ham (1)
David Silva – Man City (1)
Moussa Sissoko – Tottenham (1)
And in fact, a total of 26 different goalscorers are wearing a pair this season – making it the most prolific on this list.
Nike’s super-agile Hypervenom Phantom III comes in second with 45 goals, from the likes of Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling and Alexandre Lacazette.
And it’s Nike for the rest of the top five with the Mercurial Vapor XI, Mercurial Superfly V and Magista Opus II picking up the minor honours.
NIKE: The likes of Anthony Martial, Richarlison and Tammy Abraham wear Nike Mercurial Vapor XI
REX FEATURES: Anthony Martial has scored five goals this season for Manchester United
WHERE’S MOHAMED SALAH?
YOU may have noticed that the Premier League’s top scorer is not on this list.
That’s because free-scoring Liverpool winger Salah has been sporting a pair of Adidas X 17+ Purespeeds throughout his goal-laden campaign.
Appropriately named for the rapid Egyptian, the Purespeed has helped the Kop star lead the charts with nine goals this season.
ADIDAS: Adidas X 17+ Purespeed is worn by prolific Mohamed Salah, but is designed for creators
AP:ASSOCIATED PRESS: Mohamed Salah is the Premier League’s top scorer with nine goals
However, actually designed for creators rather than scorers, its wearers have notched just 21 goals so far.
And what of the rest of the Prem’s best marksmen?
We are yet to mention eight-goal Sergio Aguero so far… that’s because he wears Puma ONEs.
While six-striker pair Leroy Sane and Jamie Vardy wear the Nike Mercurial Superfly V.
GETTY IMAGES – GETTY: Sergio Aguero has netted eight times for City in the league this campaign in Puma boots
PUMA: Puma ONE’s are worn by Sergio Aguero and Stoke’s Choupo-Moting
SO WHICH ONE IS BEST?
WELL, it seems the best players seem to score goals, whatever they’ve got on their feet.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has congratulated Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan on their 2-1 victory over newly promoted Inter Lagos in the opening fixture of the 2026/27 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season.
The Oluyole Warriors began their campaign on a winning note at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan, on Friday, securing three points in front of their home supporters.
Ahead of the encounter, the lawmaker mobilised hundreds of supporters to the stadium and provided free tickets for fans to enable them to watch and cheer the Ibadan-based club.
The mobilisation, led by members of his youth wing, contributed to the strong home support for Shooting Stars as the team battled the Lagos-based newcomers in an entertaining opening-day encounter.
In a statement issued on Friday by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, who represents, Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency said he was delighted with the victory and commended the players, coaches, management and supporters of the club for starting the new season on a positive note.
The statement added that the gesture was a reflection of Oseni’s passion for sports and his belief that sustained support from the fans could inspire the team to greater achievements during the season.
“ Oseni is a lover of sports and passionate about Shooting Stars. This is one of the ways, among others, that we can support the team and encourage them in their quest for victory,” the statement stressed.
It further explained that the free tickets were provided to encourage more supporters to fill the stands and give the players the backing they needed, particularly in their first home game of the season.
According to the statement, Oseni believes that sports provide an important platform for youth engagement, development and community pride, stressing that Shooting Stars remains a club with a strong place in the identity of Ibadan and Oyo State.
On the pitch, Lucky Emmanuel put Shooting Stars ahead in the 15th minute before Inter Lagos equalised through Uchenna Njoku. Sodiq Ibrahim restored the home side’s lead from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time, with the score remaining 2-1 until the final whistle.
The APC chieftain urged the Oluyole Warriors to build on the victory and maintain their winning mentality throughout the season, assuring the team of his continued support and encouragement.
The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other anti-graft agencies to investigate the N5.5bn reportedly spent on the renovation of the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, by the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde.
The party made the call following the reported rejection of the stadium by the Confederation of African Football as a venue for Shooting Stars Sports Club’s continental campaign.
Shooting Stars secured qualification for continental football after about 28 years but will reportedly play its home matches in Abeokuta after the Ibadan stadium failed to meet CAF’s requirements.
In a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan on Tuesday, the Oyo APC Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, described the development as disappointing and embarrassing to the state.
The party alleged that the CAF decision had raised questions about the quality of work carried out at the stadium and the funds reportedly committed to its renovation.
Sadare said the state government should explain why a facility said to have gulped N5.5bn could not secure approval to host a continental competition.
He said, “Everyone in the state should ask Governor Makinde to explain the circumstances surrounding the stadium’s failure to secure approval for the CAF Confederation Cup and provide details of the funds committed to its renovation and upgrading.”
The APC also criticised what it described as the alleged delivery of substandard projects by the Makinde administration, citing the recent erosion that reportedly damaged part of a road project in Bodija shortly after its commissioning.
The party said the stadium’s failure to host Shooting Stars’ continental fixtures was particularly unfortunate because the club’s return to African competition after nearly three decades should have provided Oyo State with an opportunity to showcase its sporting infrastructure to a wider African audience.
The APC therefore urged the EFCC and other relevant anti-graft agencies to investigate the award and execution of the stadium project, establish how the funds were spent and make anyone found culpable to face the law.
It also called on the state government to urgently address the deficiencies identified at the stadium and ensure that the facility is upgraded to meet international standards and capable of hosting major continental competitions in the future.
Former Arsenal star, Jack Wilshere, has sent a message to the Gunners ahead of their UEFA Champions League final with Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal will take on the French Ligue 1 giants in the Champions League final this year in Budapest on Saturday evening.
Mikel Arteta’s side had lost 3-1 on aggregate against PSG in the Champions League semi-final stage last year.
Speaking on TNT Sports (via GOAL), Wilshere remembered Arsenal about their last year’s defeat to PSG and urged them to use it as a revenge to get a win against Luis Enrique’s side when both sides meet again this weekend.
“Now that the Premier League is over the line, I know that the Premier League was the one. I know that Mikel wanted that. I know that the boys wanted that,” Wilshere said.
“Now you have to go through some tough times and learn from it. I hope that the Champions League semi-final [PSG 3-1 Arsenal] last year hurt them enough that they can go on and use that [against PSG].
“I think when you are on the pitch, and you are playing against your direct opponent, you learn so much about them. And to face them next year, they will be better for that.”
