About Football Shoes

football boots, called cleats or soccer shoes in North America, are footwear worn when playing association football games. Cleats or studs are protrusions on the sole or on an external attachment to a shoe that provide additional traction on a soft or slippery surface. Those designed for grass pitches have studs on the outsole to aid grip and stability. Pick the right shoe for your style of game from a wide range of soccer footwear coming from international Brands, exclusively at myntra.

It is important that soccer players select shoes depending on the surface that they play on. The most important aspect is the outsole, which differs from court to court and the position and role of the player in a game. For hard fields, amateur participants may wear a sneaker shoe or a plastic-stud boot.

There are three main types of soccer cleats: round, hard ground, and bladed. There are also metal studded ones, but these are less common because they are banned by some associations.

Soccer shoes are usually made of leather or synthetic uppers. Leather is a more breathable fabric. It is a generally flexible material which ensures both comfort and function for the feet. Durable and slightly expensive, these shoes have a class of their own. On the other hand, synthetic uppers are usually meshed to ensure breath-ability for the feet. Most shoes use synthetic material in some parts of the shoe to provide reinforcement in the forefoot, midfoot and ankle area.

Once you choose the material of your soccer shoes, it is necessary that you look at the style and design to suit your style of game. Football cleats come in three essential styles to accommodate the needs of players across a team.

High-top shoes extend up to the ankle and provide extra support, especially for those who indulge in lateral movement on the court. This type of shoes is specially useful to linemen who need that extra support considering the amount of pressure that goes on to their ankle during the numerous lateral movements.

The mid-cut style of shoes are generally preferred by players at defensive back, running back, wide receivers and quarterback for more support and maneuverability's.

The low-cuts are a specific choice of players who prefer lightweight shoes for easy movement on the court.

Once the style of shoe is decided upon, a player needs to finalize the type of cleat that will suit the game. Soccer shoes come in moulded and detachable cleats, exclusively designed for either grass or turf fields. Those who play on both types of fields can opt for multipurpose cleats.

Moulded cleats are often made of rubber and are attached to the outsole of shoes made for hard turf games. These cleats enhance traction and agility on hard surfaces. Detachable cleats on the other hand, use studs that can be removed and replaced depending on the field condition. For instance, a player would prefer more cleats on a wet sloppy ground, and fewer on a dry field. This customized option makes detachable cleats a favoured style as one can even decided on whether to use long or short studs based on the ground surface and unstable weather conditions.

There is a third type called astro-turf which has rubber soles and closely packed studs, making it an apt wear on artificial surfaces. Indoor football trainers have soles made of gum for that grip and stability on smooth surfaces.

However, ensure that your shoe does not have too many studs as too strong a grip can lead to injuries. For slippery surfaces, it's best to wear shoes with 12 to 18 studs, while hard ground surfaces will work in your favour if the outsole is covered with spikes. For that muddy terrain prefer cleats that are thick and long and win the game!

While winning the game with the perfect pair is important, it is also a pep up if your shoes look stylish. While association games earlier preferred only black shoes, the concept is changing with international footwear brands doling out classy soccer shoes in various, vibrant colors such as blue, green, red, white, yellow, silver, gold and even pink. Industry giants like nike, adidas and the like have made an impact on the market with record sales. And all these are now available at myntra.com