For most players out there, the iconic Nike Mercurial series evokes some sort of vivid memories from huge games or events of recent years. It all started in 1996, when Nike partnered with the world’s most decorated international side, the Brasilian National Team. In the eyes of the swoosh, it was time …

Welcome to the second edition of The Linesmen, Jim Gautier and my bi-weekly(ish) rant about things that we find interesting or things that bother us in the football landscape. From knitted boots to Sepp Blatter nothing is safe from our wrath. This week Jim and I will be writing about our …

It has been fifteen days since Brazil first kicked off against Croatia, but it may feel like ages ago. If you were one of the dedicated fans who watched every game, that would mean that you sat through 48 group matches. Obviously we have seen both fantastic heart pumping games …

The USMNT’s campaign is underway in Brazil, and so far it has been one of the more exciting ones to watch. They control their own destiny going into this final game against Germany, and a win or draw will definitely see them through. Much of the team’s success can also …

With only a few games left to play in group stages, we are now starting to see what the second round match-ups will be and things start to get ever more exciting. Yesterday was all about the ever controversial Luis Suarez, but today was all about the maestro – Lionel Messi. …

With day 13 complete, we’re one step closer to seeing the full picture for the next round of the World Cup. As we’ve become accustom to, there was no shortage of story lines in a couple of must-win matches. Between the late drama that saw Greece through, and the bite …

Neymar is the payer that captures the playing style of the Hypervenom Phantom boots to a tee – he is the player that Nike has essentially modeled the boot after. Because of that, Nike has created this exclusive, absolutely stunning new gold version of the Brasilian star’s Hypervenom boots for him to …

On June 24, 1987 the football world was given a gift. Today is Lionel Messi’s 27th Birthday and to celebrate, the folks at Adidas have given him a new special edition pair of boots. Messi is scheduled to wear these boots in training today, ahead of Argentina’s final group game tomorrow against …

Day 12 brings us our first spin at finishing off the group stages. Group’s A and B saw their final matches, and some furious multitasking was par for the course. Despite Group B being pretty much done and dusted there were a couple of treats still in store as Chile …

Here is one we spotted today that might prove super useful for some of you guys right now. The folks at Adidas have a Summer Sale going on right now with some great prices on soccer gear. From a pair of new boots to several World Cup jerseys and plenty of …

Day eleven has concluded in Brazil, and that means that every team has played twice. At this point in the World Cup, matches in groups will be played concurrently to avoid any questionable actions or deals between teams. This means that the avid fan will have to multitask and keep …

As part of the Battle Pack collection released prior to World Cup 2014, adidas introduced us to the latest incarnation in their fabled power boot series – the Predator Instinct. In recent times, the Predator has become more of a hybrid release, but on this version they have restructured the …

As we approach the end of the second round of group stage matches, groups are starting to pan out and teams are starting to go home. Spain and England are two of the major initial casualties with Costa Rica proving pre-tournament rankings can sometimes motivate teams to pull off huge …

Day 9 of the World Cup treated us to a fiesta of goals and three absolutely cracking matches. From Italy and Costa Rica in the opener right through to Ecuador and Honduras in today’s finale. There’s quite a few pairs to cover in today’s edition of the World Cup Boot Recap, so …