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 Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the appointment of German tactician Bruno Labbadia as the new Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National Team, the Super Eagles.
This development was announced by the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, in the early hours of Tuesday, following the approval of the NFF Executive Committee based on a recommendation from its Technical and Development Sub-Committee. Labbadia’s appointment takes immediate effect.
Born on 8th February 1966 in Darmstadt, Germany, Labbadia enjoyed a distinguished playing career, earning two caps for the German national team. His club career included stints at prominent clubs such as Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Arminia Bielefeld, and Karlsruher SC. Notably, he won the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 1994.
Labbadia’s coaching career has seen him manage top-tier clubs such as Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, and Bayer Leverkusen, among others. He holds a UEFA Pro License and is well-regarded for his tactical acumen.
With his appointment, Labbadia becomes the sixth German to lead the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts, and Gernot Rohr. Höner notably guided the Super Eagles to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Rohr qualified Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Labbadia’s immediate task is to prepare the Super Eagles for their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches.
Nigeria will face Benin Republic on Saturday, 7th September in Uyo, and Rwanda on Tuesday, 10th September in Kigali. The team will also play four additional qualifying matches in October and November as they aim to secure a spot in the 2025 AFCON, scheduled to be held from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
The Super Eagles, placed in Group D, will face familiar foes Benin Republic, who recently defeated Nigeria in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The draw for the AFCON qualifiers, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, last month, also sees Nigeria taking on Libya and Rwanda, both of whom are also part of the Super Eagles’ group for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers set to be hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Labbadia’s appointment comes at a crucial time as the Super Eagles look to regain their dominance on the African continent and secure qualification for both the AFCON and the World Cup.
Finidi George has stepped into a new role as the technical manager for NPFL side, Rivers United, following his resignation as coach of the Super Eagles.
During his brief tenure with the Eagles, George’s 1-1 draw against South Africa in Uyo and a 2-1 loss to Benin Republic in Abidjan cast doubts on Nigeria’s World Cup qualification, prompting calls from fans for his dismissal.
Nevertheless, Rivers United, the 2021-22 champions, expressed optimism in a statement on Wednesday via their official handle about having the former Eagles international manage their team.
“Finidi brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our team, having had a distinguished playing career spanning over fifteen years,” the statement read.
Dr. Okey Kpalukwu, General Manager of Rivers United FC, welcomed George, stating, “We are delighted to have Finidi George join our team. His appointment marks a new chapter in our club’s history, and we are committed to working together to achieve success.”
Expressing his gratitude to the club, an elated George remarked, “I am honored to have this opportunity, and I thank the Sports Commissioner, the General Manager, and the supporters for their confidence in me. I am committed to working hard and making the team win.”
Inter Milan’s Argentine forward #10 Lautaro Martinez lifts the trophy with teammates during a ceremony for the Italian Champions following the Italian Serie A football match between Inter Milan and Lazio in Milan, on May 19, 2024. Inter celebrates his 20th Scudetto. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP)
Inter Milan were taken over by US fund Oaktree on Wednesday after the Serie A champions’ outgoing owners Suning missed a deadline to repay a debt worth hundred of millions of euros.
In a statement, Oaktree announced they had “assumed control” of Inter after the non-repayment of a “three-year loan to Inter Milan’s holding companies that matured on 21 May 2024 with a total balance due of approximately 395 million euros ($428 million)”.
Chinese conglomerate Suning have relinquished control of Inter to Oaktree three days after the team were officially crowned Italian champions for the 20th time.
Suning borrowed 275 million euros at over 12 percent interest three years ago to pay staff and players as the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the finances of clubs across Europe, putting up their controlling stake in the club as collateral.
“Oaktree is dedicated to achieving the best outcome for the long-term prosperity of Inter Milan, with an initial focus on operational and financial stability for the Club and its stakeholders,” Oaktree continued.
Inter became a powerful force at home and abroad after Suning acquired the club in 2016, with seven trophies including two Serie A titles and two European finals.
Simone Inzaghi’s team cruised to this year’s championship, winning the Scudetto with five matches remaining by beating AC Milan in a thrilling local derby.
Oaktree, which manages $192 billion in assets, said they are “committed to working closely with Inter Milan’s current management team, partners, the league and governing bodies to ensure the Club is positioned for success on and off the pitch”.
Inter ended up in the hands of Oaktree in a manner similar to the way another US fund, Elliott Management, took control of their local rivals Milan in 2018.
Elliott became Milan’s owners when Chinese businessman Li Yonghong was unable to repay a loan he had taken out when he bought the club from the late Silvio Berlusconi’s Fininvest the previous year.
