Nike Hypervenom, the Ultimate Expression of Agile, Deceptive and Deadly Attacking Style of Play

Nike Hypervenom is a completely new product created based on the feedback of Neymar, Wayne Rooney and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. These athletes and countless others specified the need for a boot that could help them create space quickly in and around the penalty area, and get their shot off from any angle. 

The athletes discussed the increased agility of their opponents, referencing today’s defenders who are now as quick, as agile and as skillful as many of the world’s top forwards. Neymar was most direct in his feedback “Help me make space more often and more quickly. I want a boot that helps enhance my agility and gives me the space to get my shot off before I’m closed down.”

“Neymar’s input was invaluable. He had been wearing the Mercurial Vapor IX a boot designed to help athletes look and find space to beat a man. It’s a pure speed product. The Hypervenom focuses on creating the space in order to put the ball in the net. It’s a small but important nuance. It is designed to increase the player’s agility and their ability to get a shot off.” said Phil McCartney, VP Nike Football, Footwear.

New boot for changing game

The Nike Football design team, led by Denis Dekovic, Nike Football, Design Director began by looking at the attacking forces in today’s game. The game is changing.  It used to be that speed was focus of the attacking side of the game. But now everybody has pace to burn. The creation of the Nike Hypervenom is a reaction to the way the game is changing. Players want to be quicker. Not just in a foot race, but quicker with the ball at their feet in small spaces. They want to leverage the natural agility they already have to find space in a congested penalty area. They want to create chances from nothing.

Revolutionary NIKESKIN upper

The design team knew that the product had to be a revolution in the way that boots were being created.  Traditionally a new boot will focus on an evolution of the fit, the upper material or the sole plate and stud configuration. The Hypervenom features brand new solutions for all of these areas. 

Mesh delivers an amazing level of comfort and feel. The athletes asked us to deliver a boot that gets as close as possible to the feeling of playing barefoot. Mesh takes us a step closer to doing that. The All Conditions Control ACC finish keeps the mesh dry, but doesn’t take away any of the suppleness or comfort so the performance and intent of the design isn’t effected.

Perfected last and outsole

The Hypervenom also features a new foot last which has focused on removing access materials to get the foot closer to the ground and the ball. The last is Nike’s most anatomical last to date.

The final element of the design is perhaps one of the most underrated innovations in football. Nike worked with some of the world’s top podiatrists to create a decoupled outsole that increases the player’s ability to get that important first step away from the defender. The result can be seen in the groove in the forefoot, helping allow the first metatarsal to be activated quickly. This part of the foot defines the reaction time of the foot’s first movement.

The chassis of the outsole features compressed nylon for a high-response, lightweight plate that helps deliver strength whilst being incredibly light. The stud configuration and length is designed to allow for faster penetration to the surface and ultimately a quicker release – all design innovations created to allow the players to create space quicker than ever before. The Hypervenom is the ultimate expression of this new breed of athlete who is unpredictable. He is agile. He is quick. And he can finish like very few players on the planet.

The new Nike Hypervenom will debut on June 2 feet of Neymar and Wayne Rooney. Other players set to wear the boot include Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robert Lewandowski and Danny Welbeck. The Nike Hypervenom will be available in Malaysia from August 1 onwards and will retail for RM799 at all Nike retail stores.