Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite Review – Are the Superfly 9 Elite Football Boots Worth it?
Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe wear them, so do we really need to do a Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite football boot review? Well we’re doing it anyway, because you are better than those two frauds in every way on the pitch. So here’s our complete, honest review of the latest model of Nike’s prestigious Superfly range.
| Name of Boots | Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite |
|---|---|
| Brand | Nike |
| FBG Rating | 8.6⭐ |
| Boots Best for… |
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| Cons |
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| Price Range | From £254.99 |
| Buy Now | Cheapest Price Here |
| Most Similar Alternatives |
Quick Preview of the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite
Here’s a quick overview of how we rate the Mercurial Superfly 9s on the most important aspects of football boots.
| Aspect | FBG Rating |
|---|---|
| Appearance | 9 ⭐ |
| Value for Money | 8 ⭐ |
| Comfort | 9 ⭐ |
| Features | 9 ⭐ |
| Durability | 8 ⭐ |
What we Most Liked About the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Boots
We’d recommend the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite Football Boots
There’s a lot to like about the Superfly 9s, but what we like the most was their performance on the pitch.
It sounds silly, but a lot of boots have specific features or aspects that make them great. But with these Superflys, we generally just thought that they were a top-class boot. They come at a hefty price, but if anything that set our expectations even higher. And yet, they really didn’t disappoint.
On the pitch, they felt light and yet sturdy at the same time. They allowed us to be fast (well, as quick as a 28-year-old centre-back with two dodgy knees whose best days are well behind him can be), yet they weren’t flimsy. What we mean by this is that some lightweight boots feel like they’d break apart in the first challenge. The Superflys certainly didn’t feel like this.
Read on to find out what other parts of these beautiful boots we loved.
The Best Parts of the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite Football Boots – What Makes the Superfly 9s Worth Buying?
So, ‘tHeY PerFoRM WeLl oN tHE pITcH’ – great expert analysis there FBG. So, apart from doing their job, what else about the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elites make them worth their price tag?
Zoom Air Unit
Nike’s creative version of a cloud
Nike claims these boots feel like you’re ‘stepping on a cloud.’ We don’t recommend trying to step on clouds, but we get their metaphor. And it’s because of the Zoom Air Unit installed in the soleplate.
The Zoom Air Unit consists of pockets of compressed air with tensile fibres. This provides a comfortable buffer zone between your foot and the ground, that puts less pressure on your soles. It also acts as more protection from challenges, so if you are in a collision the opponents’ studs have to get through the Zoon Air Unit – which they won’t.
A final advantage of the unit’s addition is that it helps you to change direction more quickly. This is due the the traction that it gives, so if you’re looking to zoom off into a sprint, these boots are optimised for that.
Super Comfortable Fit
Comfort is something that not every boot focusses on, and while it’s not exactly the focal point of the Superfly 9s, they are SUPER comfortable to wear. This is down to the successful combination of a few different elements.
Firstly, the Flyknit material used for most of the upper is really lightweight and soft. This adds to the speed point we mentioned earlier, but also adds a lot to the comfort aspect of these boots. The lightweight Flyknit material is flexible, but includes strong fibres to make sure it’s not breakable. Take a hacksaw to it and sure, they’ll end up in 1,000 pieces, but the flexibility of the Flyknit helps it to mould around (and not constrict) your feet.
A dynamic ankle collar carries that flexibility further up the foot. It provides a lock-in feel while still being able to slip your foot in effortlessly. Some boots with ankle collars are really difficult to slide in to, but these ankle collar here helps the Mercurial Superfly 9 Elites wrap nicely around your foot.
Vaporposite+
The Vaporposite+ uppers identify as socks
We hate the random names boot manufacturers come up with for different parts of boots, but the Vaporposite+ uppers is truly one of the best in the game. It’s made from grippy mesh that really helps with control.
Due to the upper being thin, it’s like you’re playing in socks – and we all know we turn into Ronaldinho when we’re bootless in the garden. Anytime you have to take the ball down, it will be cushioned nicely as the thin upper shapes cutely to the curves of your feet. The ball will be gripped to your boots so you spend less time thinking of how to trap the ball, and more time how you’re going to use it.
What Position are the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite Football Boots For?
The positions that the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite boots are best suited for are wingers and strikers.
This is not to say that if you’re your Sunday League’s answer to Paulo Maldini you can’t wear them. Trust us, if you’re wearing the Superfly 9s on the pitch you’ll feel the benefit regardless of position, but they’re definitely best suited for players who based their game on speed and agility.
They’re ideal for wingers, but if you’re an Erling Haaland-type striker, someone who is explosive, dynamic and powerful, these could also be the best boots for you.
Are the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite Football Boots for Goalkeepers?
They certainly can be, but we feel like it might be a bit of overkill wearing the Mercurial Superfly 9 Elites in goal. It’s a bit like driving to the shops in a Lamborghini. Sure, you could do it and the Lambo would be an incredible ride in getting you there, but its capabilities would be limited. IF you did choose to keep a clean sheet in style, wearing the Superflys, you’d still feel the benefit of excellent comfort and precise control. So, if your centre-backs keep giving you overly enthusiastic back-passes, the Superfly 9s could come in handy.
Are the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite Football Boots for Defenders?
For attacking full-backs, these could be the ones. If your game is heavily focussed on bombing up and down the wing, the Mercurials will help you unleash your pace. It gets tight on the wings as well, where the touchline can sometimes close off the space. The excellent control ability the Superfly 9s provide could be ideal to tackle this problem. One touch and the ball is trapped, ready for your to sprint off. If you’re a ball-playing centre-back, the Superfly 9s are suitable for you. A more rugged, tough-challenging defender might want a more sturdy boot, though, like the Puma King Tops.
Are the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite Football Boots for Midfielders?
Similarly to the defenders question, if you’re a wide midfielder who can do the 100m in 11 seconds or less, these boots are the ones for you. If you can’t do the 100m in less than 11 seconds, maybe you need the Superfly 9s to help improve your speed! For central midfielders, the Mercurials could be a good fit as well. With several players always closing you down in the middle of the park, an instant, perfect touch is a necessity.
Are the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite Football Boots for Strikers?
Yes, the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elites are for strikers. A crucial part of their game is to run in behind defences, so having a boot that is fully optimised for speed is never going to be a bad thing. While the Superfly 9s might be best suited for pacey strikers, the Peter Crouches of this world could also benefit. Holding the ball up is another important part of being a striker, so that killer touch that the Superfly 9s provide could be the difference between getting an assist or getting flattened by the oppo’s centre-back.
Are the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite Football Boots Suitable for Wide Feet?
Yes, the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite Football Boots are suitable for players with wide feet.
While a lot of Nike boots are not suited for wide-footed players, these Superflys are more of a good fit for those with flippers. This is due to the flexible mesh upper. Your wider feet might push against the sides of your boots, but the Superfly 9’s Vaporposite+ upper will absorb that pressure and stretch out where needed. If we’re being honest, other boots are better suited for wider feet, but if you buy a size up the Mercurials should fit just fine. The comfort is not lost and you’ll still be able to play your game in one of the best football boots on the market.
**One thing to mention is that Nike notoriously produce narrower and smaller boots than competitors. For this reason, we always recommend sizing up when you’re buying Nike boots and it’s the same for the Superfly 9s.
Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite Football Boots
Nike Customer Reviews for the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite Football Boots
We’ve hyped these boots up quite a lot, but what do we know? Sure, we might have over a decade experience reviewing football boots, but if you don’t trust us then trust you… the general public. This is the split of real customer reviews that we’ve taken directly from players who’ve bought these boots from the Nike site.
Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite Reviews
The Best Nike Reviews for the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite Football Boots
With a total rating of 4.5/5 from 56 reviews (at the time of writing), it’s clear customers were pretty happy with these boots.
In particular, the most common positive feedback was around their comfort. Customers agreed with us that the upper, ankle collar and Air Zoom Unit all work well together to create one of the most comfortable boots out there. People also loved the lightweight of the Mercurials. In general, several comments stated that the Superfly 9s were the best boots they’ve ever worn, with many others saying the high price was well worth it.
Best Review
The Worst Nike Reviews for the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite Football Boots
With a total of just two 1-star ratings, it was difficult to highlight many negatives with these boots.
Negative reviews, all two of them, were focussed on the sturdiness of the boots. One said the soleplate came off, but this was put down to a factory defect. In general, we had no problems with the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elites and felt they were very robust.
Worst Review
Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite vs Academy vs Club – What’s the Difference?
There are a few differences between the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite, Academy and Club football boots.
Target Market
The target market for each boot is different. The Superfly 9 Elites are very much for pros, semi-pros or players who want the very best boots on the market. The Academy boots are a step below, for players who want a great boot with a little less quality at a lot cheaper price. The Club boots are the lowest tier. They’re still a great pair of boots, but are very much targeting the more amateur demographic.
Price
As alluded to, the price for each varies drastically. The Elites will set you back well over £200, while the Academy boots will be a little over £100 at most. The Clubs on the other hand are much cheaper, around the £50-£70 price range.
Quality
Quality is perhaps the wrong term, as all three versions of the Mercurial Superfly 9s are great quality and all-round top boots. But as the price suggests, the Elites are by far the most superior. They consist of the most modern tech and its features vastly outweigh its counterparts. The Club is the other end of the spectrum, with more elementary tech, but it can still do a job on the pitch. The Academy is somewhere in between the two.
Final Verdict – Are the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite Football Boots Worth it?
The Superfly 9 Elites are certainly one of the most expensive football boots we’ve ever reviewed, but are the worth their hefty price? Yes, they absolutely are as they’re overwhelmingly one of the best football boots currently available on the market.