Nike has always been at the forefront of style and innovation, setting the benchmark in both sportswear and athletic wear. Certain timeless classics, such as the Nike Mercurial boot, have even eclipsed their own football space to become a marker of style and design across the board.

In the 20 years since the Mercurial’s inception, countless Nike silhouettes have since paid homage to the boots, from the Air Force 1 to the Air Max 1.

For example, the 1998 Air Zoom Mercurial trainer was the first shoe that allowed people to take Ronaldo’s style from sports to the streets, while the 2001 Air Max Mercurial was one of Nike’s first running/training hybrids that transcended the two categories.

Since then there have been numerous adoption and incorporations of the Mercurial boots into wider designs. Most recently, the HTM Nike Free Flyknit Mercurial SP drew on the Mercurial design ethos to deliver an all-new silhouette that became the blueprint for a generation of casual footwear.

Initially designed for the football pitch, the Mercurial boots have been seamlessly woven into the history of Nike footwear, becoming so much more than solely football boot. They are representative of Nike’s drive for innovation and constant improvement.

The only question that remains is – what could be next for the Nike Mercurial? Stay tuned for tomorrow’s big reveal.

Read here, 6 reasons why the Mercurial is more than a football boot.