Buyer Guide: Getting The Right Football Shoes?

The choice of a pair of shoes requires taking into consideration several factors: the shoe itself, the state of the field, and its level of play. Three essential parameters to be sure to find “shoe to your foot.”

The “pumps” are one of the main elements of the footballer’s outfit. If today, they become more and more flashy, their choice remains subject to principles to respect to evolve in all tranquility.

sole and material

The first characteristic to consider is the composition of the sole. This one can be molded or aimed. The molded feet are equipped with integrated spikes of the generally round shape. There are also slatted soles with wider crampons and beveled edges. This feature gives the player a better grip and more responsiveness during start-up phases and changes of direction. These crampons are often sold with the characteristic of responding favorably to acceleration and stopping. As for the shoes with screwed cleats, they are equipped with two large crampons at the back and four smaller ones at the fore part, six pieces that promote the grip on the ground. When trying the pair, you should not feel the crampon in contact with the sole. If it

The second attribute is the material of the shoe. The latter can be made of leather or synthetic. Leather has the advantage of offering more flexibility, adjusting perfectly to the shape of the foot, and ensuring a more precise touch of the ball. However, the life of leather models is shorter than that of synthetic shoes, which are also much easier to maintain. 

Your football playing level

If you are a beginner, choose football boots with molded rubber sole. The maintenance, the quality of grip, and the cushioning are the three criteria to evaluate in beginners. If you are a regular and intensive player (more than twice a week), a lighter model can be considered. It will guarantee you more sensations and better handling of the ball.

Consider you playing terrain

The model of shoes will finally have to adapt to the surface of the play. The idea is to have several pairs to be able to adjust your game to the conditions of the ground.  If you play on the dry/hard field or covered with a synthetic material, the chosen shoes must allow to alternate the short game / long game and favor a better control of the ball. In this case, molded crampons or turf (stabilized) crampons are the most suitable. Lamella crampons can also be used.  If you play on fat or wet surface, screwed studs are the most appropriate. Choosing this kind of shoes is to privilege an optimal grip during the changes of direction.

Our recommendation

In any case, try your shoes before buying them. Opt for a rather stiff model on the back and more flexible at the front. This choice will ensure excellent support of the foot and ankle and a maximum of feeling and precision when touching the ball. The shoe must finally guarantee a homogeneous distribution of the supports for better adhesion and more stability.

How do you choose the right size?

To choose the right size, leave a margin at the end of the shoe. The benchmark is this: you must have the opportunity to place your thumb between the toe and the first toe.

What dimension for big feet?

Depending on the form, models will fit more quickly to a full foot (Umbro) while others will fit little feet (Nike Mercurial).