Nike Air Zoom Mercurial Vapor 16 Elite FG Vini Jr.

When Vini Jr. is in full flight, he's unstoppable. Blaze past opponents with devastating speed wearing Nike Air Zoom Mercurial Vapor 16 Elite x Vini Jr. FG football boots in Black/Dynamic Yellow/Green Spark/Soar. Vini Jr.'s first-ever signature Player Edition boot celebrates his ascension to the top of the game with a head-turning look that's true to his roots and trademark Brazilian flair.

The "Color of Speed" brings Vini Jr.'s journey to life. The medial side fades from red to yellow, representing his formative years with Flamengo, while the lateral side is awash in blue, green and yellow, inspired by the colours of the Brazilian national team. The phrase "Vini Fly, Vini Voa" repeats across each gradient, drawing attention to his speed. Vini Jr.'s custom VJR logo appears on the tongue in striking red, while "Vini Voa, Vini Fly" adorns the heel. The distinctive colour scheme also draws inspiration from the kites flown by Rio youth, accentuated by a black Nike Gripknit upper that contrasts his kit and evokes a feeling of speed.

Performance-wise, this is the most responsive Mercurial ever made. A unique three-quarter-length Air Zoom unit is built into the traction plate, which now features a cascading stud wave pattern to help athletes accelerate to top speed. The lightweight, minimalist upper combines multiple knit technologies in a design that brings you closer to the ball than ever before. Gripknit, Atomknit and Flyknit combine to form the thinnest Mercurial upper to date, reducing break-in time. Nike Gripknit is a sticky material that adapts to the shape of your foot and provides equal grip in wet or dry conditions.

An integrated speed cage structure keeps your foot locked in and ready to step on the gas at a moment's notice. Improved heel lockdown and Flyknit around the ankle create a more comfortable, secure fit. The outsole features an innovative wave-like traction pattern with chevron-shaped studs for exceptional grip during acceleration and quick directional changes. A fading pearlescent plate finish rounds out the bold look.

Watching my favourite players growing up, they all wore Nike boots," says Vini Jr. "For many years I've played with Mercurial exclusively — and even scored a goal in two Champions League finals. For my first Nike Player Edition boot, there was no need to move away from what already made me fly.