There's no time like the present to get yourself out onto the pitch to play, and picking out the perfect football boots isn't just something you can leave to chance. These are precision-made pieces of well-honed craftwork made by some of the most popular manufacturers in the world, like Nike, adidas, New Balance, PUMA and many more.
It's only right that you put plenty of thought into your new footwear, from where you're going to play to what you're going to do with it – and luckily, you don't have to break the bank to shop for the perfect pair.
Before buying anything, though, it's vital to know just what you can find on the market and what you'll need, depending on how and where you play.
Click here to skip ahead to our round-up of the best men's football boots.
Our top three:
Best firm ground overall football boots: adidas Copa Pure.1
Best soft ground overall football boots: New Balance Furon v7 Pro
Best multi-ground overall football boots: adidas Copa Pure.3
FAQs:
What is the best football boot?
There is no "best" type of football boot, per se – with so many ways to play the game these days, the best kind of footwear is all down to the player's individual needs. Even before you split them into the types you can find, there will be no overarching "best" to go for, as it depends so much on what you want from them. That said, several brands have emerged over the past half-century as leading lights of the business – Nike, adidas, Umbro and more. While there are many manufacturers to choose from, these headline names have built their brands into global success stories because they know how to deliver the goods.
What type of football boot do I need?
The individual type of boot will depend on what you hope to achieve with your game and where you will be playing it. Football pitches can be split into roughly half-a-dozen different categories. Depending on which one you play on most, you'll want to purchase a boot that best enhances your performance on those particular surfaces.
What kind of surfaces are there?
You can buy football boots for five different surfaces – firm ground, soft ground, artificial grass, astro turf and indoor courts – while in addition, you can purchase a sixth type, multi-ground, which covers varied combinations of the above. On tougher grass that's frozen in the winter? You'll want firm ground. On grass that's soaked in the rain overnight? Soft ground is your best bet. Five-a-side at the local sports hall? Indoor courts are the way to go. Knowing what you'll be playing on is sometimes half the battle.