The Best Soccer Cleats Reviews

Soccer cleats are essential when you are going to be playing one of the most popular sports in the world today. The best soccer cleats are designed to give you optimal traction no matter what the condition of the pitch you are playing on.

The cleats on your shoes are protrusions at the bottom which is what provides that traction you desire. In this article, we examine the different types of soccer cleats that are available. You may wish to look at our review of the top indoor soccer cleats.

We consider the material they are made from, the different lasts or styles available, that what kind of traction they offer you, and what surfaces they are perfect for.

The shape and style of the cleats or studs will make a huge difference in the way you play, and the stability they will offer on the pitch.

After extensive research, reading numerous online reviews and checking out customer’s comments on popular sites, we have come up with a list of the ten most popular soccer cleats on the market.

The Best Soccer Cleats

1. Nike Hypervenom Phantom III Elite FG Soccer Cleats

The NIKE Hypervenom Phantom III Elite Dynamic Fit Soccer Cleat is our undisputed selection for the premium pair of soccer cleats you can buy. It has a tongueless design, which is perfect for increasing your ball control – as well as looking a lot more modern than other cleats, while the ankle sock allows for support and stability in all areas of the field.

These features are even further enhanced through the breathable and stretchable fit, which help to offer comfort across the full ninety-minutes – and more, should the game end in a stalemate – while the HyperReactive plate on the sole is designed with hexagonal studs that provide unrivaled traction on the majority of surfaces.

This also ensures quick reaction time during the unpredictability of intense, highly competitive games, meaning you’ll never lose your man, or be caught napping during a sudden, game-changing play.

Sure to improve performance, and likewise sure to improve enjoyment, it might seem like a large investment, particularly for younger players who are still growing, but can you truly put a price on soccer glory? We think not. Our guide to the New Balance shoes offers more sports footwear so check it out.

Key Features:

• Tongueless design
• Breathable and stretchable fit
• Support and stability
• HyperReactive plate with hexagonal studs to increase agility

2. Adidas Copa Mundial Cleats Men's

And the ball’s back in Adidas’ possession, the Performance Copa Mundial Soccer Shoes are legendary pair of soccer cleats that have more than likely been worn by every soccer-mad kid at least once for the last 50 years, and if they haven’t worn it themselves, they instantly recognize it.

Even looking at it brings back memories of cold Saturday mornings where the field was more mud than grass, and the paint of the goal frames was chipped away beyond belief.

But down to the actual shoe. It comes in a classic black design using full-grain that harks back to simpler, less soccer celebrity times and is complemented with a durable outsole that’s perfect for natural grounds.

Along with this, the lightweight die-cut EVA insole provides whole-game comfort, so you’re sure to be a ninety-minute man. If you’re serious about your soccer and feel like all these flashy designs don’t matter in the slightest, then the quality and reliability of the Copa Mundial Soccer Shoe is a no-brainer. Be sure to also check out our list of the best football helmets for more great items like this.

Key Features:

• Classic black and white design with iconic 3-stripes
• Full grain leather upper with synthetic lining
• Lightweight die-cut, comfortable EVA insole
• Durable firm ground outsole
• Perfect to wear on firm natural grounds
• Weight: 3 pounds

3. The Adidas Predator 19.3 Firm Ground Cleats

If you’re the kind of player who really wants to put in a commanding performance, then you need a pair of soccer cleats that can’t be beaten. These Adidas Men’s Predator 19.3 soccer shoes are designed to hold their own and then some, even on the hardest of surfaces.

The superior grip firm ground outsole delivers maximum traction and supports even on the hardest of surfaces yet is flexible enough to adapt to softer environments.

While these soccer cleats undeniably look cool, they’re not just for posers! These cleats are all about superior ball handling and performance, delivering excellent control and precision even in tight spots.

Anatomically designed and shaped with soft textile and synthetic uppers, this is a tactile and adaptable soccer boot that supports solid stabilization and promotes a grippy overall sensation.

Key Features:

• Supportive sock-like textile upper
• Control embossed forefoot grip for improved ball handling
• Comfortable and tactile, adaptable fit
• Anatomically designed for optimum fit
• Grippy sensation for solid stabilization and ultimate traction

4. Nike Superfly 6 Academy MG Mens Soccer Cleats

These Nike Mercurial Superfly 6 Academy Multi-Ground soccer cleats have plenty going for them, besides the highly attractive price point.

They’re comfortably designed to fit like a glove and deliver an outstanding amount of traction and support, even on more solid ground. They provide a good amount of grip while being nice and cushioned under the heel for a comfortable and flexible fit.

Using a one-piece upper construction, the synthetic low profile design seamlessly wraps around the foot to create that second skin sensation. The Multi-Ground cleats ensure plenty of dynamic propulsion for responsive and quick gameplay.

If you’re an agile player who enjoys changing directions and uses plenty of acceleration, then you will really appreciate the combination of traction and flexibility these Superfly VI soccer cleats deliver.

Key Features:

• Supportive sock-like textile upper
• Comfortable mesh lined breathable insole
• Dual lace hole system for secure lockdown
• Multi-Ground conical and chevron shaped cleats
• Support acceleration and quick directional changes

5. Nike Mercurial Victory VI FG Soccer Cleat

Our best choice of soccer cleats is the NIKE Mercurial VI, which is a firm-ground soccer cleat that’s designed to provide excellent performance on artificial turf with soft, synthetic leather that ensures durability and an enhanced touch that’s the hallmark of any future-great in the beautiful game.

This is further made possible with the contoured sock liner and compression fit, which gives the wearer comfort for the whole ninety-minutes, and even into overtime.

With these cleats, players both new and old will have excellent control and traction over most surfaces they encounter during the season, which is guaranteed with the chevron stud pattern.

Unlike cleat designs of the past, this is lightweight and will feel like you’re running on a cloud as you slide, twist, turn, and dip past the opponents and into the penalty box.

NIKE are world famous for their branding and their connection to some of the world’s biggest soccer stars, but when you actually check out their products, you see they’re top quality, too. If you love the brand, check out our selection of the best Nike sneakers on the market today.

Key Features:

• Soft, synthetic leather for durability and enhanced touch
• Contoured sock liner
• Lightweight plate chevron stud pattern
• Compression fit

6. Adidas Men's Nemeziz 17.3 FG Soccer Shoes

Moving on from the classic and into the future, this Adidas Nemeziz 17.3 FG Soccer Shoe is a quality piece of construction, despite perhaps making some soccer shoe purists turn away and wonder where we went wrong.

But we’ll ignore that for now and focus on what makes this boot so darn great. First, there’s the responsive touch that allows optimum control over the ball like never before, while you’ll also get explosive acceleration and direction change.

Unlike some kinds of soccer cleat, this is designed with every position in mind, even if the flash lends itself more to whipping wingers. Everybody from goalkeeper to striker can make the most of the design and transform their game as they may never have expected.

Furthermore, the dual lock collar ensures stability and support, while the rubber sole provides comfort throughout the game, and means you’ll be as fast and effective in the dying minutes as you were the early stages.

If anything demonstrates the evolution of the soccer cleat, the clever, unruly and maybe a little arrogant Nemeziz 17.3 does it like no other. Our handy guide to the best Asics shoes features more great products like this.

Key Features:

• Responsive touch for optimum ball control
• Explosive acceleration and direction change
• Dual lock collar
• Rubber sole

7. Under Armour Mens UA Force 3.0 FG

Under Armour may not have the history within soccer as NIKE and Adidas do, but that doesn’t mean they don’t know how to make a decent soccer cleat.

This Force 3.0 is the best example we’ve identified and it provides everything you’d need in a soccer cleat whether you’re a casual player or someone who lives, sleeps, eats, and breathes the beautiful game.

Designed with a synthetic sole and die-cut conical studs, you’re guaranteed optimal traction in multiple directions anywhere on the field and, while they’re designated to be most effective on firm-ground, they’re still versatile enough for other conditions, too.

If support and stability is something you’re concerned with, then you’ve come to the right place. The Under Armor Force 3.0s provide all of this plus excellent ball control, while also giving you the comfort required to stay focused on the game and not whether or not your heels are being torn apart with this great in-shoe feel.

They are reported to run slightly small, so be aware of that if you plan on buying these, and prepare to add a brand new dimension to your soccer game.

Key Features:

• Synthetic sole
• Support, stability and ball control
• Great in-shoe feel
• Conical studs for optimal traction

8. The Adidas Men's Freak X Carbon Mid Football Shoe

A cool looking pair of soccer cleats the Adidas Freak X Carbon Mid Football Shoe provides comfort and a lightweight feel that ensures everyone from defenders to strikers can enjoy the benefits of lacing up this pair of boots.

What makes them stand out is their high-top design, which is sure to provide support in a game that is becoming more and more fast-paced at every level.

They certainly offer a little something for everybody. For flashing wingers, you have the style, the strikers, they provide a strong and durable material to ensure every shot is crisp and clean.

If you’re a midfielder, then you can rely on the comfort and make every pass count, while defenders will love the synthetic sole that helps provide traction when coming up against the fastest players in the game.

And, if you’re not a player yourself, but instead a parent and supporter, you’ll be happy to know that they’re easy to clean, too because your little soccer superstar needs to look the part week in and week out. Don’t forget to also check our guide to the best Etnies shoes.

Key Features:

• Comfortable interior
• Lightweight material
• Easy to clean
• Excellent ankle support

9. Adidas Men's Nemeziz Messi 18.3 Firm Ground Soccer Shoe

This Nemeziz Messi 18.3 Firm Ground Soccer Shoe is available in a number of colors, which your opponents will only see a flash off as you whizz and weave past them and leave them completely reevaluating their lives. In addition to looking the part, you’ll need to actually act it, too though.

Luckily you’ll also have excellent ankle support and stability with the security lockdown feature, designed to protect the speediest players from the not-so-speedy – which inevitably ends up in a clattering of knees, ankles, and the odd yelp of pain.

After wearing these soccer cleats for just a few minutes (or at least, after they’ve been worn-in) you’ll recognize just why they’ve been named after Lionel Messi.

The material provides both responsive touch and optimum ball control, making it feel like the ball is attached to your toe, while the lightweight design makes quick bursts and longer sprints feel like you’re running on air.

You might not be at the level of the Argentinian Magician just yet, you might never make it there at all, but with these, you’ll get as close as you can. make sure you also check our tennis shoes review for more great products like this.

Key Features:

• Secure lockdown and ankle stability
• Responsive touch and optimum ball control
• Lightweight design
• Studs provide traction and increase agility

Best Soccer Cleats Buying Guide

Features To Look For When Buying Soccer Cleats

Way back when before soccer spread across the planet thanks to TV deals and rights, and you would see random children in far-flung villages in Thailand sporting a Liverpool jersey, a lot of soccer was all about booting it away whenever danger presented itself.

Since then, the game has changed dramatically, and there is a huge focus on the construction of soccer cleats that set them apart from the boots of the past.

Now, there is a science behind crafting them to achieve the most controlled, accurate, secure and stable cleats possible, and this is what you need to look for when buying your new cleats.

They won’t help you become a world beater overnight, but they will make the game just a little more enjoyable while you remember how to play.

Brand - The world of soccer is full of competing brands that manufacture and sell soccer cleats. When you’re trying to make your decision over which brand to buy, you’re best off going with one that has an existing reputation.

Brands such as Adidas and NIKE have been around for years, so they know what they’re doing, but if you have your own preference, then you can always pick that, too.

Material - In the past, soccer cleats were made from leather, but leather is heavy, and now cleats are made from synthetic materials that provide similar waterproofness but are much lighter.

When you’re playing a game that involves a lot of running, the last thing you want is for your feet to be weighted down.

Flexibility - Again, leather is not as flexible as other materials, which is why very few boots are made from leather now. Flexibility in soccer is essential due to the amount of twisting, turning, and bending your foot needs to do for ninety-minutes. If your cleats aren’t flexible enough then your game will suffer.

Outsole - This is the bottom of the shoe and is where the studs are attached to. Back in the day, studs were screwed into the boot, but now they are molded into the design to provide better grip and more comfort.

You can find rubber studs (or blades), as well as some boots that still use metal, at least on the tips, but the type of outsole will depend on the type of surface you’re playing on.

Torsion - Coming from the Latin for ‘to twist’ torsion refers to how easy it is for you to, well, twist on the spot. In soccer at all levels, you need to be on your toes, ready to turn at any moment, and so you’ll need cleats that do not catch in the turf or grass but instead allow you enough range of moment to turn on a dime.

Otherwise, you'll be left in the dust as your opponents wind through the whole team and mock you with the classic and infuriating cupped ear that we all know and despise.

Shock Absorption - As you run, jog, or sprint across the ground, you need shock absorption to reduce the strain on the balls of your feet and your heels. This is true in whatever surface you play on but is double (maybe even triple) important on hard ground.

The whole game of soccer is played with the feet, and if your feet are hurt or injured due to the hard ground, then you’re unlikely to be a very effective player.

Control and Accuracy - Having excellent control and accuracy with the ball, even those who were in, the past, expected to just boot it to safety, such as center backs and goalkeepers is now crucial across the field.

Players of all positions are expected to be able to control the ball when receiving a pass and reach the feet of their teammate every time. If your soccer cleats don’t provide a little bit of assistance in this department, you could be resigned to the bench.