Revisiting the Nike Hypervenom: An Iconic Yet Short-Lived Boot | OneFootball

With a potential return of the Nike Hypervenom on the horizon, we look at what made the boot so special, and why its run was cut so short.

Murmurs. Rumours. We’re hearing that the Hypervenom might be making a return. Whispers are saying that this popular Nike silo will be getting a revival, following suit with the latest trends of bringing back nostalgia-filled gear. It’s been just over a decade since the first edition hit the pitch, and Nike looks to be tapping into the early ’10s nostalgia infused with Neymar and Co. to continue the industry’s reflective drive.

The Hypervenom was an alternative to the iconic Mercurial, moving away from focusing on sheer speed and instead, blending it with technique and agility. Following the curtain call on the T90 — a boot largely marketed around shot power and accuracy — Nike decided to try something new and add in an agility-focused boot to its lineup. The design broke the mold using innovative technology, like a new soleplate structure and NikeSkin upper, which created something the game had rarely seen. Destined for the feet of the best attacking players in the world, the Hypervenom was an instant hit.

There were three generations of the Hypervenom, each offering something different and each garnering different receptions. By far the most popular was the first installment, which is why Nike is flirting with bringing it back. The likes of Neymar and Wayne Rooney became the faces of the new silo, which featured a lightweight, aggressive aesthetic that meant business. The boot provided responsiveness and a fantastic fit that enhanced ball control and movement.

After those three generations of the boot, Nike phased it out in 2019 to be replaced by the underwhelming Phantom boot, which is a silo I have never been a fan of. In my eyes, the Hypervenom only lasted three generations because they ventured too far away from the original for the second edition, which did not land with its audience. Nike tried to revive it with the third edition, which looked like it might work, but the damage was done and the mistakes made on the second-gen had knocked the wind out of the Hypervenom’s sails. Did the boot have the potential to be a long-term member of Nike’s line-up? Absolutely. But it wasn’t meant to be.

What really separated the boot from the rest was the introduction of the NikeSkin tech, a mesh base coated in polyurethane that created an ultra-thin and flexible feel, enhancing the sharpness required for an agility boot. Combine that with the All Conditions Control tech that Nike used during this time period and you have a boot made to be ready no matter the weather or situation.

This boot was worn by some of the most lethal players, too. Neymar was the poster boy of the Hypervenom I. The boot became synonymous with him, especially with it coming out before the 2013 Confederations Cup where he led his team to victory, the perfect prep for the 2014 World Cup in his home country, too. But it wasn’t only Neymar who made this boot famous. Rooney, Robert Lewandowski, Harry Kane, Gonzalo Higuain, Isco, and Mauro Icardi all wore the boot — a pretty star-studded line-up.

And while the boot had great tech and was worn by big names, a lot of the love it was shown was thanks to its look. The aesthetics were so clean and the colorways were fantastic. The launch colorway, officially known as “Bright Citrus and Black,” was an instant classic but from there, they released a limited edition gold colorway and the “Liquid Diamond” especially for Neymar, both of which are beautiful.

Nike bringing back the boot would be a win for the Swoosh, especially at a time when adidas is thriving thanks to re-releases of the F50 and Predator models. While the T90 rebirth was a hit, Nike needs to build on that and the Hypervenom relaunch is certainly the right way to go about it. The boot still resonates with many thanks to the nostalgia of peak Neymar, the 2014 World Cup, and its technology features that positioned Nike as a market leader.

With nostalgia playing such a huge part in football culture, this seems a likely hit. The Hypervenom, along with the Magista, was part of an era where Nike was continually pushing the boundaries of the football boot space. Don’t be surprised if we see a return of the Magista either.

There’s a much deeper conversation to be had around this current trend in football. Why do we have to look back and reintroduce old designs? Where is the new innovation? Where is the progression in creativity? Why can’t we make new classics?

It’s becoming a big talking point for purists of football fashion and culture as it creates worrying signs in the creative scene because it blurs the direction and makes everyone question where we go when we run out of things to remake. Or are we in a constant cycle? Regardless, I loved the Hypervenom, and hate the Mercurial, so seeing this silo get some more love is always nice.