by Adrian Gumowski 

What kind of soccer cleats should you buy?

There are so many choices. And all this marketing nonsense out there. Exactly. There is no simple answer to this question. How to buy proper soccer cleats could be very challenging but it does not have to become a nightmare. With the adequate knowledge you can easily choose the right soccer shoes for yourself or your child, if that’s the case.

So, let’s see what should you look for while buying soccer cleats? Besides the price, you want to make sure they are comfortable. But how would you know if they give you enough comfort, before you play in them at least few times?

You won’t.

But you can increase your chances of buying comfortable soccer cleats by considering the following factors:

1. Manufacturer.

2. True Leather or Synthetic.

3. Studs Type.

4. Size.

Let’s talk about these factors a little bit more.

Manufacturer Adidas and Nike are the 2 most popular. For a good reason. They are probably the best on the market.

While Adidas has manufactured soccer shoes “forever”, Nike has made great strides over the last few years. Both companies make equally good quality soccer shoes.

I personally never played in Nike’s shoes, so I can’t tell you about this brand from my experience. My sons played soccer using both brands. After trying them for a while, the younger son sticks to Nike while Pat (older) uses Adidas shoes only. They both are very happy with their selections. Do you know why?

Their feet are build differently. Pat has a much wider foot than his brother. Adidas makes its cleats bigger in width than Nike.

Basically if you have:

· Wide foot - look for a pair of Adidas Soccer Cleats.

· Skinny foot - look for a pair of Nike Soccer Cleats.

It wouldn’t be fair not to mention 2 other brands, almost as good as the above two: Diadora and Puma. Other brands like: Umbro, Kelme, Mitre, Lotto - only if you really can’t afford the brands mentioned above or if you just simply like these brands.

True Leather or Synthetic

Upper portion of every soccer shoe is made out of either true leather or synthetic material.

What is better?

True leather…in my opinion. And I recommend it to everybody who is serious about playing soccer.

True leather gives you an uncompromising feel of the ball. It molds to your feet producing great comfort. It also lasts longer than synthetic materials. And it is healthier for your feet. Synthetic materials don’t let the feet “breathe” building up of sweat, potential blisters and feet problem in the near future.

But…(of course there is a “but”) …True leather cleats cost more. There are few different types of leather used to manufacture soccer cleats. The least expensive is full grain. Sometimes full grain leather soccer shoes could cost only slightly more than “artificial”. Spending $10-20 more on much better shoes would be really worth it. The best leather out on the market is K-Leather (Kangaroo). Though more expensive but it is softer, lighter and still durable. If your feet are not growing like the speed of sound and your budget is not too tight, definitely consider buying soccer cleats made from K-Leather.

There is another “but” or an exception to my “non-synthetic soccer shoes” rule: soccer cleats made of high quality synthetic material. These soccer shoes are manufactured with special microfiber technology that upgrades synthetic material, usually a PU (polyurethane). It makes the PU very soft, and strong, giving it similar feel to a natural material. Top Super-Microfiber material can be just as expensive as some leather!

Nowadays almost all-leading sport’s footwear manufacturers use microfiber materials. For example, Nike makes their top quality cleats from super lightweight synthetic material called KNG-100 (Air Zoom Total 90) and Nike-Skin (Mercurial Vapor). Even Adidas, for the first time, used microfiber for its newest creation Adidas Predator Absolute (there is a Kangaroo leather model as well). So, my “non-synthetic cleats rule” applies only to a regular (cheap) synthetic material like PU or PVC (polyvinylchloride).

Studs Type

Posted by leaddog50 as Soccer at 5:21 PM CDT

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by Steve September 

Brazil’s Youth set a new direction even though the Brazil’s player exports have been of a high quality for decades. This is a brief look at some of the latest impact players to grace the international stage. These players have added a major competitive edge in their respective clubs from their starts at the intra national level, to the European premier clubs and their exposure to the international platforms.

Kaka

He was an integral part of the AC Milan team in 2004/2005, usually playing in a supportive role behind team mate and good friend striker Andriy Shevchenko. This is usually in a five man midfield. He scored seven goals in 36 league appearances, winning the Italian Super Cup.

However, the team failed domestically, losing the Serie A title to Juventus, and losing the UEFA Champions League final to Liverpool on penalty kicks.

In the last year Kaka has been a focal point and the go-to man that changes the complexion of the game at hand. He has become more aggressive and focussed on attacking more than ever before rather than the supportive player from the past.

His greatest goal is considered to be the one he scored against Fenebaçhe SK in AC Milan’s first game in the 2005/2006 Champions League; won 3-1 by the Rossoneri. Kakà started his run from midfield and skipped past three tackles before entering the area and finishing with a low shot under the goal-keeper.

Robinho

Robinho’s performances over the past three years had attracted the attention of the great clubs from Europe, but Santos were reluctant to let him go (foreseeing a possible decay of the club’s playing strength).

He finally left Brazil in the summer of 2005 and started his European club career with Spanish giants Real Madrid. On July 31 Spanish La Liga giants Real Madrid agreed a fee of about 30 million US$ for the striker. Robinho joined the side on August 25, and teamed up with fellow Brazilian and mentors, internationals Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Julio Baptista to make his debut against Cadiz. He came on as substitute in the second half. In the last 6 months he has been placed in more of an attacking midfield role. He has been bringing the ball through the left side and striking at the goal while also creating opportunities to be a set up player rather than a pure striker.

When he packs on the weight in muscle as Ronaldo had we will be a dynamo more so then he is now.

Adriano

During the 2004 Confederations Cup, Adriano was named Player of the Tournament. In the final, he steered Brazil to an unforgettable victory. Two outstanding goals helped Brazil to top Argentina 4-1, the first one coming from a blistering left-footed shot in the 11th minute. The second came as a result of a Cicinho cross, with Adriano heading it in. The goal made him the tournament’s top scorer with five goals overall. He is the proverbial “Bull in a China shop” and is virtually unstoppable because of his height and weight (mass). This coupled with his aggressive style is making him a new dimension on the front line of any team. When this young man gets the experience he needs in international play and stays injury free he will be head for a FIFA player of the year award like many of his fellow Brazilians.

A good indication of his goal scoring prowess is examined by the following statistics; From 11 July 2004 through 25 June 2005, Adriano has scored an impressive total of 40 goals.

They have come from an assortment of matches (28) including appearances in: Serie A, Coppa Italia & Champions League games for Inter in 2004/05; Copa America, South American World Cup qualifying, and Confederations Cup games for Brazil.

Currently Adriano plays for Inter Milan.

So the future of Brazil is in good hands with the continuation of these types of products of Brazilian Youth.

Hardest Job in Football?