Yep, forget all previous theories. Adidas is officially better than Nike. Our ‘extensive’ research over Euro 2016 and our Boot Battle showed us that the Germans performed better than their American counterparts. So, missing the football? Can’t wait for the new footy season to start? Well, why not read our recap of how the two big names in football boots performed at the Euros in our epic Nike vs Adidas battle?
Pre-tournament
Before it all kicked-off in France, both Adidas and Nike were keen to have their latest football boots on show, worn by their biggest advocates. Ironically, it was perhaps Puma who released the most significant football boot before the tournament with their EvoFreshes. Nike had the improved version of the Hypervenoms and Adidas had the improved version of the PureControls.
Paul Pogba, with his customised Pogbooms, was the big one for Adidas. He was tipped to do wonders in France following a great season in Italy. Gareth Bale, Champions League winner with Real Madrid, was also set to star for Adidas following his pivotal role in Wales’ qualification for the finals. Spurs youngster Deli Alli, and indeed a young and seemingly energetic England team, despite tiring towards the end of the season, was tipped by many to be instrumental in helping England to finally perform at a finals.
Nike was obviously headlined by Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo. The striker had been criticised for being below par this season, despite winning the Champions League, scoring over 50 goals and setting numerous records. Dimitri Payet also featured for Nike, as the West Ham-man dazzled the Premier League all season as well as impressing for France in the friendlies preceding the tournament. Iniesta proved that class is permanent, despite being significantly closer to the grave than most of his teammates, as he still ran the show for Barcelona in the middle of the park; guiding them to a La Liga and Copa Del Rey double. People expected Spain to reinstate their claim as the best in Europe after an abysmal World Cup.
Overall, the lineups looked fairly even. Both Adidas and Nike had some of the world’s best playing for them. If we had to choose one, it would have been a tough decision. Adidas had the more solid team, containing a lot of Germans and experienced, well-established players with the only real exception of Deli Alli. Whereas Nike, although displaying a lot of talent, had more players who hadn’t really done it on the big stage. Adidas was the more reliable team, the team you would put your big money on. Nike had more potential, more ability if their players turned up on the day! So it was setup beautifully.
Group Stage
Top scorer: Bale 3 (Adidas)
Adidas’ Bale finished top scorer after a group stage that lacked goals. He scored in each one of Wales’ matches. The first was a powerful free-kick from range which opened his side’s scoring account at the tournament on the second matchday against Slovakia. He banged in a replica, if not slightly less impressive, free-kick against the English in the second match which Adidas’ Joe Hart may have done better with. He also got the crowning glory against Russia, putting a third nail in the coffin.
Nike’s Ronaldo and Payet came just behind Bale, both scoring two goals and grabbing an assist each in the group stages.
Most assists: Eden Hazard 2 (Nike)
No! It was not Mesut Ozil who assisted the most in the group stages, but last-season flop, Hazard. The Belgians had been hotly tipped to do something at this tournament, and so their opening match defeat to Italy was surprising. They pulled it out of the bag in the second game, though, with a comprehensive second-half performance sealing a 3-0 win over Ireland; with Hazard assisting Romelu Lukaku late on for the third. He got another assist in his side’s next match- a 1-0 win over Sweden in Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s last ever international match (may the God R.I.P).
Most Boot Battle points: Payet 9 (Nike)
Payet was by far the bright spark in a tournament that had yet to alight. His winner in the opening match and subsequent break down into tears was a truly magical moment. After Antoine Griezmann scored late on against Albania, Payet doubled the lead to see France progress to the next round with a game to spare. After resting the winger and other stars such as Pogba, France lacked creativity in their final match against Switzerland until Payet came on. The game ended 0-0, but Payet created a number of chances and looked on it. His nine points and place as top Boot Battler in the group stages was completely justified. He was single-handedly ensuring Nike didn’t fall drastically behind Adidas at this stage.
In second place was Bale with six points. Wales are often seen as a one-man team, but their performances definitely showed evidence to the contrary. Having said that, Bale stepped up as the big fish in that pond and really did influence his team and drove them to top of their group.
Fewest Boot Battle points: Patrice Evra -2 (Nike) and Sergio Ramos -2 (Nike)
Nike’s cause was not helped by their players losing the side points. Evra looked very suspect and out of place. Obviously once a good defender, but maybe his age was showing, as players of a poor standard in comparison to what he had been used to were frequently destroying him down the wing.
Ramos being labelled as the worst Boot Battler (on points) was, although technically correct, slightly unfair. He put in some characteristically-solid performances throughout the group stages. However, he was let down by his missed penalty against Croatia, a yellow card he received as well as the two goals conceded against Croatia. This was more about him having little to do, but what he did do was poor, rather than him having a bad tournament.
Knockout stage
Obviously, the two shocks of the knockouts were Wales and Iceland. No need to dwell on that Iceland victory; R.I.P Roy Hodgson’s career… Time of death: that second Icelandic goal. They couldn’t get passed a rampant and top-quality French side in the quarters, but did manage to score twice against the hosts- something no other team did.
Wales, of course, reinstated that the ‘Leicester model’ works by getting to a EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINAL with a team consisting of average Championship and Premier League players and Bale (not a dig, really Bale is the only real superstar where other teams like France have loads… That is what they have had to compete with and they have done so extremely well).
So by the semis, those teams who had managed to scrape through via this third-place spot had fallen away to superior opposition. I’m talking about the Slovakias and Northern Irelands of the tournament, leaving four very good sides. We lost Spain, Belgium, Italy and Croatia. All four of those teams had looked very promising and you wouldn’t have bet against one of the four actually winning the tournament, but whether on merit or via bad luck, they all crashed out prematurely; in Spain’s case signalling the continued demise of, what was once, their dominance over international football leading to Vicente Del Bosque’s departure.
Portugal and Wales played out a nervy semi-final. In the end, Portugal’s extra bit of quality showed through, as they saw the Welsh off scoring twice in the second half. Another forgettable semi-final between France and Germany was played out, with the French defeating the world champions in the end 2-0.
Final
Onto the final then. Portugal were hoping to improve on their 2004 defeat to Greece in the final. This time, the roles were reversed and they were facing the hosts. Ronaldo was stretchered off in tears early on, but made a second-half appearance, acting as a second manager. He directed his team to victory from the sidelines as Eder’s bursting run was ended with a powerful strike to win it for the Portuguese and break French hearts.
Top scorer: Bale 3 (Adidas), Payet 3 (Nike), Ronaldo 3 (Nike)
All three of these guys showed up when it mattered for their country. Three goals was enough to earn them the top scorer title in the Boot Battle. Bale’s finest was his opener after ten minutes against Slovakia which swerved and flew into the net. Payet’s was his rocket in the opening game which was on par with Siphiwe Tshabalala’s goal for South Africa in 2010 and Torsten Fring’s strike in Germany’s opener in the 2006 World Cup, all great ways to begin a tournament. Ronaldo’s best was his cheeky little back-heel which he makes look so simple.
Most assists: Hazard 4 (Nike)
Hazard showed signs of his former self this tournament. He was electric and sharp from the off, and may have proved to be a more significant figure overall had Belgium have got passed Wales in the quarters. Second on the list was some Portugal player names Ronedo? Rineldo? Can’t really remember his name, but yeah that guy got three assists.
Most Boot Battle points: Payet 13 (Nike)
Of course, it was Dimitri Payet who finished the tournament on the greatest amount of points. He was consistently good, but in the end his heroics were not enough to give Nike the victory. Second was Ronaldo again, although the Portuguese man came first where it counts.
Fewest Boot Battle points: Hart -5 (Nike), Evra -5 (Nike)
Ah, so that is why Nike lost. In total, in the whole tournament, Hart faced five shots on target and conceded four of them. The thing is, he’s actually a decent keeper. It doesn’t make sense! But he looked like a tit when he came out in the group stages saying how he had nothing to do… Yes, Joe, I could also do nothing and let every shot that came my way go in… D***. As we said earlier, Evra looked shaky all tournament. France’s defence was pretty solid, but he looked like a fish out of water.
Nike vs Adidas Euro 2016 Boot Battle winner
Adidas 19-16 Nike
So, in the end it was closer than it had looked to being at one point. Payet and Ronaldo carried Nike almost single-handedly. Whereas Bale showed up for Adidas, but was supported by a few more other players. Does this settle that not-so-age-old debate ‘who is better: Nike or Adidas?’ Of course not! But it is clear that Adidas may have just got the better of their rivals with this one. They’ve won this battle, but trust me, much, much, much more is still to come…