Cristiano Ronaldo Fuels Rumors of a Nike Mercurial Superfly I Remake

The 2026 FIFA World Cup™ tournament is just six months away meaning that the spotlight on the world of football will only intensify from now to June. Both heavyweights and small-scale brands, figures, and creatives are utilizing the occasion to tease and launch a variety of product inspired by "the beautiful game." On Nike, Inc.'s end, much attention is being paid to the kits its sponsored nations will wear during the tournament. Additionally, all eyes are on the boots the likes of Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Cristiano Ronaldo will lace up for the World Cup™.

In a recent training session with the adidas-sponsored Al-Nassr, CR7 wore a logo-less pair of all-white Mercurial football boots. While not an uncommon sight throughout the calendar year given that the Swoosh consistently relies on top talent to wear-test developmental product, Ronaldo's boots of choice are particularly interesting because they deviate from the brand's current flock of offerings. The low-top design seemingly deviates from the current Vapor 16 and Superfly 10's current construction—which sees a mix of Gripknit, Flyknit, Atomknit, and Dynamic Fit—in favor of what was introduced to market in 2009 with the original Superfly.

In early 2009, Nike presented its most advanced football boot design to date in the Mercurial Superfly. A premium alternative to the beloved Vapor series, the model introduced a number of technological updates across its synthetic upper and carbon plate-assisted tooling. The speed boot's most emblematic detail was FlyWire construction, a lightweight system made up of thin, high-strength filaments embedded in the upper. These "wires" provided targeted support in key areas, helping reduce weight without sacrificing containment. The platform, which debuted a year earlier, drew inspiration from suspension bridge cables.

The Mercurial Superfly was set to debut at retail in a "Max Orange/Metallic Silver" color scheme, but the split offering never launched due to issues with the boots' durability. Didier Drogba and Andrey Arshavin, amongst other top footballers, had pairs of the all-new Nike Football design tear in-game, a result of the ultra-thin synthetic upper. The original presentation was scrapped, but it inspired the "Future DNA" Vapor 13 release from 2020.

Thanks to the 40-year-old Portuguese superstar, the world can suspect that a modern remake of the Mercurial Superfly 1 will land in 2026.

According to internal product descriptions obtained by Elden Monitors and reviewed by House of Heat°, there's a "MERCURIAL SUPERFLY RGN FG SE" release in the works. This pair features a "Metallic Gold Star/White" color scheme, which falls in line with the Special Edition Mercurial Vapor 1 Nike is expected to gift CR7 in time for the World Cup™, as reported by Footy Headlines. The internal pair's "RGN" distinction refers to Nike Football's ongoing Regen efforts, which have focused on the Mercurial line. These Limited Edition launches closely recreate a silhouette's upper, but make them game-ready by outfitting them with modern sole plates. It's likely, then, that the Superfly 1 RGN will see the same FlyWire-assisted upper it launched in '09, but updated Vapor 16/17 or Superfly 10 tooling.

Stay tuned for more details about what Ronaldo was wearing in training. Pairs are expected to eventually launch via Nike.com by June 2026.

For more from the beautiful game, check out adidas Trionda, the Official Match Ball for the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ tournament.