Lionel Messi – adidas messi15

Lionel Messi got off to a winning start in his exclusive new silo, the adidas messi15. Released just in time for the much anticipated Champions League final, the messi15 has replaced the, now redundant, adiZero as Leo’s cleat of choice. Featuring a new upper, dubbed messiTouch, an external heel-counter and a special stud configuration, these have been designed as the perfect weapon for the complete player.

Alessandro Pirlo – Nike Tiempo Legend

Unlike Messi, Alessandro Pirlo had a less than satisfactory first game in his brand new Tiempo’s. The Juventus veteran was wearing the new Silver Storm Tiempo Legend, one of four new colourways released by Nike for the Champion’s League Final and the upcoming Copa America. A no-nonsense colourway for a cleat that markets itself, Pirlo was joined by Gerard Pique in this latest Tiempo.

Ivan Rakitic – adidas Ace15

Ivan Rakitic capped off an exemplary first season with Barcelona by scoring the crucial first goal in Barca’s historic win. Rakitic was debuting the adidas Ace15, another of adidas’ brand new cleats. Created as a juxtaposition to the X15 (which we’ll get to later), the Ace15 has been designed with control in mind. Arguably the better looking of the two, it features a web-like material that is meant to provide supreme ball control – a feature that Rakitic undoubtedly benefited from throughout the final.

Arturo Vidal – Nike Mercurial Superfly

We’re nowhere near done with the new cleats in the Champion’s League final. Arturo Vidal slipped into the new Silver Storm Mercurial Superfly. Dubbed Wolf Grey/Hyper Pink/Black, Vidal was one of the only players on pitch wearing this new cleat, Dynamic Fit Collar and all. Expect a lot of this one come Copa America, as Vidal is joined by Marcos Rojo and Alexis Sanchez in ‘repping this latest colourway.

Luis Suarez – adidas X15

The player that everyone loves to hate, Luis Suarez, was unsurprisingly debuting adidas “Chaos” cleat, the x15. For those players that “can never be controlled”, the x15 is the brother of the aforementioned Ace15. Featuring a whole host of new materials and technology, the X15 has a new upper called X-Skin: a three layered material that is meant to provide performance, protection and comfort at the lightest weight-possible.

Patrice Evra – Nike Magista Obra

Playing in his fifth Champion’s League final, Patrice Evra switched into the new Silver Storm Magista Obra. In keeping with the other Silver Storm colourways, it features a wolf grey base colour contrasted to a brighter hyper-turquoise. Interestingly, Paul Pogba, who had prematurely debuted the colourway switched out of it and back into one of his custom colourways just in time for the final. The man can’t be controlled.

Marc-Andre Ter Stegen – adidas Predator Instinct

Ter Stegen apparently didn’t get the memo. Barca’s number one was meant to debut both the adidas Ace15 and its accompanying Ace15 Zones Pro Goalkeeper Glove during the final but opted on both counts for the old Predator range. Perhaps he wanted to give the Predator a worthy send off by wearing them for the last time in the Champion’s League final? Regardless, those at adidas won’t be too happy.

Wayne Rooney – Nike Hypervenom Phantom II

Breaking with the Champion’s League final theme of this week’s cleat spotting, we move over to the most boring international friendly of recent times. Wayne Rooney’s cleats were perhaps the most exciting part of England’s 0-0 draw with Ireland, the England Captain wearing the new Hypervenom Phantom II. When the Hypervenom was first released, Rooney was the face of the silo and featured prominently in all of it’s advertising. Now, two years later, he’s been edged out by Neymar and has played a background role in the launch of the new cleat. Nonetheless, he is and will remain to be, a major player in Nike’s arsenal for at least a few more years.

That does it for this week’s Cleat Spotting! See something we missed? Let us know in the comments section below!