Nike Football Boots Book

No Colour

Step inside the history of the Swoosh with the Nike Football Boots Book, a 240-page hardcover book charting the journey of Nike boots all the way from the early 70s to the present day.

Told through the timelines of Nike’s four most iconic boot silos, the story moves in chronological order.

First, Tiempo, the ultimate classic – Nike’s longest-serving boot. Next, Mercurial, with its revolutionary lightweight speed. Then Total 90, the power boot that became a subculture. And finally, Phantom, in all its deadly forms.

Each silo is given its own chapter, combining exclusive resources from the Department of Nike Archives – close-ups, sketches, concept art, posters, film screenshots, and more – with illuminating insight from London-based author Caleb Azumah Nelson and historian Thomas Turner. Nelson provides the context for Nike’s journey, discussing the relationship between the Swoosh’s boots and wider culture, while Turner goes deep on the designs, talking style, materials, and tech.

Along the way, anecdotes from football greats including Kylian Mbappe, Megan Rapinoe, and, of course, R9 and CR7, give you an athlete’s perspective on the legendary boots and what it’s like to wear them at the pinnacle of the sport. At the heart of the book, a 12-page glossy insert displays every model in the Department of Nike Archives, from 1971’s “The Nike” to the modern-day Tiempo.