Beyond disrupting the pitch, the boot also extends the narrative of Nike’s coveted “What the” design themes. In 2007, Nike Skateboarding produced the brand’s first iconic colorway mashup, the Nike SB “What the Dunk” shoe. Then Nike Basketball elevated the concept, celebrating memorable signature basketball shoes beginning with the “What the Kobe” in 2012.
“What the Mercurial” applies this eclectic treatment to football for the first time, crafting a time capsule of Mercurial history. Four past Mercurial logos are mashed up to create the logo on the heel tab and aglets. The left and right boots boast the same design, striped with iconic Mercurial colorways, while the sockliner showcases iconic Mercurial elements. In total, 18 colors from previous Mercurial iterations meld together into one Superfly boot — the most colors Nike has ever used in a football boot.
“What the Mercurial” comes in a “What the Box,” with the retrospective color mashup on the inside. The “What the Bag” is designed with the combination of four logo fonts on the front and a timeline of iconic Mercurial boots on the back.