Monday , March 18 2024

Best Soccer Gifts This Christmas – Official 2021 Gift Guide

Soccer Gift Guide 2021

We are kicking into prime holiday season and I’m sure there are plenty out there looking to secure some top gifts for their aspiring soccer stars. Maybe they have already offered up their wish-list, but I’m sure there are some of you just looking for fresh suggestions to consider.

With that, we wanted to take a look at the market and compile some of the best options available with recommendations on what will fill their hearts with holiday joy!

New Soccer Cleats

There are so many boot options available at the moment, and pending your budget there are a lot of ways to go. First thing to do is figure out what playing style your player likes. Do they want a boot with a little more class and comfort, or do they need a lightweight boot with with a little more attitude? Here are some of the better options that I’d consider top choices:

X Speedflow+ FG Up Close

adidas X Speedflow.1 FG

Price: Top tier $249.99
Description: One of the most popular boot options on the market right now, they are designed for speed. It is the type of boot that suits a wide variety of players, but are ideal for those with a desire to be creative. Premium engineered lightweight PRIMEKNIT upper provides adaptive fit, designed for intuitive players that need to react quickly.

NB Furon V6 Alpha Flair

New Balance Furon v6

Price: Top tier $219.99
Description: Without a doubt one of the best all around boots on the market right now. They are comfortable on foot and very responsive in play, plus there are wide options available in the range for players struggling to find the right fit.

Nike Mercurial Vapor 14

Price: Top Tier $249.99
Description: A boot designed for explosive speed and players that base their game on dynamic movements and acceleration. For most young players, these are the boot that are top of their wishlist, with a host of world class players wearing them. They are also the most responsive Vapor we have seen released to date.

Mizuno Morelia Neo III ß DNA

Mizuno Morelia Neo II Beta

Price: Top tier $319.99
Description: If you really want to get an elite boot with a classic, traditional feel then the Morelia Neo Beta is the way to go. They are built using the same MIJ (Made In Japan) detailing as signature Mizuno boots, with the benefit of modern tooling. You can’t go wrong with a pair of these! If you are looking for a similar option at a lower price point, check out the Morelia Neo Pro.

Nike Phantom GT Pro

Nike Phantom GT2 Pro

Price: Mid tier $129.99
Designed for: First note here, there is a version with a collar and a version without. We are recommending the latter version here. These stand as one of the best mid-tier options on the market thanks to the performance they offer and the comfort players report. They fit well and feature a micro texturing across the forefoot that provides a light grip touch on the ball.

adidas X 18.1

Price: Top tier, on sale, $149.99
Description: I absolutely recommend finding older model boots that are on sale. You are getting premium performance with the benefit of saving some money thanks to sales. And the fact that these are available for under $150 is an absolute steal. I still wear my pair from time to time, they still serve as a tried and trusted option. Don’t let the fact they are a 2018 model put you off picking up a pair!

Soccer Jerseys 2021

Favorite Team Jersey

Price: $89.99 to $165.99

So, I can’t recommend one single jersey since each player has their favorite team. But, I can offer one important note if you are considering picking one up; there are two versions of most jerseys avaialble and each have their own fit. The authentic jersey will fit very tight and is not the ideal option for your Dad or a wider fitting player. Authentic jerseys are designed for pro players, who are in shape, and look good with a skin tight, moisture wicking jersey on body.

Basically, don’t be fooled into thinking the higher priced Authentic version is a must buy. It is the replica version that most will want to pick up, with the added bonus of a more affordable price!

Performance Tracking

One of the most popular soccer options on the market right now is performance tracking devices. These allow you to track your in-game (or practice) stats and movement, allowing you to see where you are doing things right and what you need to do in order to improve as a player.

Playmaker Performance Tracking

Playmaker Kit

Price: $199.99
Description: The Playmaker kit slips over your soccer cleat and turns them into an analytics machine! You can track your game, improve your speed of play and understand your playing style. The smart sensor system detects every movement of both feet. Technical and physical stats are tracked and then sent directly to the easy-to-use Playermaker app.

So, what exactly does it track?

– Number of touches.
– Ball releases and possessions
– Average duration on the ball
– One touch and short/long possessions.
– Kick velocity.
– Understand the gaps between your dominant and weaker foot.
– Sprint distance, distance covered, top speed and work rate.

They weigh 6grams each, so won’t make your your foot feel heavy. Sensors are one size, medium and large options refer to the straps only. And finally, they come with 10 hours of battery life to get you through a weekend tournament.
STATSports Vest

STATSports Apex Athlete Vest

Price: $299.99
Description: If you have ever spotted pro players wearing a funny looking black vest in practice and games, this would be what it is! Seen to be the elite option of pro players and clubs, the STATsports GPS Performance Tracker allows athletes to track game data live using 14 different metrics. Where the Playmaker tracks your foot movements, the vest is designed to track more of your fitness and playing performance, tracking:

– Heart rate
– Max speed
– Total distance
– Number of sprints
– Time in red zone

It is FIFA approved, and is the official on-field monitoring device of the US Soccer Federation, and top teams in the game, including Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Brazil.

Teqball Table

Teqball Table

Price: $1800 to $3500

Description: You might recall seeing some awesome videos over the past year of players playing soccer tennis on what looked like a ping-pong table. Well, officially it is called a Teqball table and they are a lot of fun to play on. First, you have to have the right amount of space. It is pretty large and although it is waterproof, you are likely going to want to keep it stored in a dry location. Second, they are pretty expensive so you have to know you will get enough use to consider it value for money. But for building eye coordination and ball control they are pretty awesome!

Teqball blends tennis, ping pong, volleyball, and soccer into one incredible game.

Ted Lasso

Ted Lasso Gear

One of the best TV shows we have seen in a while, opening up a completely new type of soccer fans. It is impossible not to like. If you haven’t seen the show yet, you really have to watch it – it is not just about football (soccer) but it also creates a connection with life off the field, including tackling topics such as mental health.

A subscription to Apple TV would be a great starting point. But there are also a wide range of gifts you can find that fans will love, for example:

Ted Lasso inspiration speech poster HERE
Danny Rojas “futbol is life” t-shirt HERE
AFC Richmond Jersey t-shirt HERE

Nike Hi-Vis Flight Ball released

Premier League Hi-Vis Winter Ball

Price: $159.99

Desription: I could spend time recommending several soccer balls, but lets be honest, the latest Premier League hi-vis winter ball is pretty darn glorious. Featuring a cartoon strip style design, it is designed to stand out and be total fun at the same time.

Under the hood, it is the same Nike Flight soccer ball with all its high tech specs. It features Nike Aerowsculpt technology, a revolutionary new innovation in aerodynamics, with molded grooves for consistent flight, accuracy and control.

Soccer Gift Card

A Soccer Giftcard

If you just want to leave the choice in the hands of your soccer player, then going with a Gift Card is a great way to go. You can’t go wrong letting them get exactly what it is that they want.

Cards can be sent digitally and come in incriments from $5 to $200.

About Bryan Byrne

The mastermind behind the revolution that is SoccerCleats101. Bryan started this website back in 2008 and has been testing boots on a daily basis ever since. Check out our About Page for more details on Bryan and the website.

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