Nike to Introduce Air Max Joga Bonito Shoe During the World Cup

If you've ever wanted a sneaker that blends the unconventional cool of Ronaldo Nazário's Mercurial R9 boots from 1998 with the innovative cushioning of the Air Max 95, Nike's got just the pair for you: the Air Max Joga Bonito.

According to the self-proclaimed "sneaker sleuth" @brandon1an on X, the new Nike Air Max model blends the eye-catching upper of the legendary Mercurial boots with the beloved sole unit of Sergio Lozano's AM95 design. Numerous color schemes are expected from the hybrid silhouette, but it's only fitting that the football-inspired sneaker debuts to the public in a "Metallic Silver/Varsity Maize/Varsity Royal/Black" finish that should be instantly recognizable amongst diehard footy fans and casuals.

Recently, R9's innovative boots were "frozen in time" via the Cryoshot project.

Nike has previously commemorated the historic design and color execution, but its efforts in anticipation for the 2026 World Cup™ have been particularly of note as they've fully embraced football as lifestyle.

Why Is It Called Air Max Joga Bonito?

"Joga Bonito" is Portuguese for "play beautifully." In the lead up to the 2006 World Cup™, Nike introduced JogaTV, an internet channel and campaign dedicated to "the beautiful game." Although these spots featured some of the sport's most-iconic names of the time—think Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo—the most remembered ads featured either the Brazil national football team or Brazilian stars like Ronaldinho. Furthermore, Joga Bonito was inspired by the deadly, competitive, and creative joy showcased by Brazil squads of the late 1990s and early-to-mid-2000s.

It's arguable that "Joga Bonito" captures the spirit of football (at least the version Nike wants to be associated with) better than the word "football" itself can.

During the 2002 World Cup™, 'dinho, R9, and the rest of the squad representing the South American nation wore Lozano's Air Max 95 design. The "Neon" colorway paired well with pre-match gear. Brazil went on to get its fifth World Cup™ title that year, forever immortalizing the Air Max 95 within football and Brazilian culture.

The Air Max Joga Bonito "R9" is scheduled to debut on Thursday, July 2, during the 2026 World Cup. The silhouette is priced at $180. A Nike.com and select shop launch is expected, with more colorways likely to launch before the year ends.

For more footwear related to global football, check out the Mercurial Superfly 11, the boots Kylian Mbappé and Cristiano Ronaldo will wear during the tournament.