7 Best Soccer Cleats in 2023

Akshay Kumar Malhotra
Akshay Kumar Malhotra on
7 Best Soccer Cleats in 2023
Following the Nike Air Flight One "All-Star" Glow in the Dark are. Why trust us

Choosing the right soccer cleat can be a difficult task, especially for beginners. But worry not!

We have reviewed 30+ pairs of cleats to pick out the best performers. Whether you are playing on firm ground, turf, or indoors, we’ve got some highly recommended options for each surface.

Here, we offer expert tips on choosing the right cleat for you. Check out our guide section to learn about which cleat is right for your playing surface, what is the best material for ball touch, and how soccer cleats should fit.

Best soccer cleats overall

What makes it the best?

If you take soccer seriously, then the Nike Zoom Mercurial Vapor 15 Elite FG is the right one for you. Being one of the most prized offerings from Nike, this soccer cleat is full of features that deliver undeniable performance benefits. Running across the pitch has never been this nice and smooth.

ET and at select Nike Sportswear retailers for $210 each Pros

  • Reliable multidirectional traction
  • Nike Dunk Low Laser Blue
  • Barefoot-like touch on the ball
  • Comfortably supportive
  • Good one-to-one fit
  • Accommodating structure
  • Super light
  • Withstands various weather conditions

ET and at select Nike Sportswear retailers for $210 each Cons

  • A bit too pricey
  • Too similar to the previous version
Full review of Nike Zoom Mercurial Vapor 15 Elite FG

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Unisex
Any color
nike zoom mercurial vapor 15 elite fg firm ground football boot black summit white volt dark smoke grey 86f3 60
nike zoom mercurial vapor 15 elite fg white pink blast indigo haze baltic blue 9f50 60
Barely Green/Blackened Blue-Total Orange-Ghost Green (DJ4978343)
nike zoom mercurial vapor 15 elite km fg firm ground soccer cleats dark beetroot university blue vivid purple metallic vivid gold adult dark beetroot university blue vivid purple metallic vivid gold eb23 60
nike zoom mercurial vapor 15 elite cr7 fg firm ground football boots white white aed2 60
nike zoom mercurial vapor 15 elite fg firm ground soccer cleats metallic copper metallic copper 8f12 60
nike zoom mercurial vapor 15 elite se fg firm ground soccer cleats black black c9e2 60
Cobalt Bliss/Fuchsia Dream/Hot Punch (DV2417405)
nike zoom mercurial vapor 15 elite fg weisz 147d 60

Best soccer cleats for turf

What makes it the best?

The use of cheaper materials on the Nike Zoom Mercurial Vapor 15 Pro Turf does not have a negative impact on the performance of this soccer cleat. On the contrary, doing that is a very good decision because of the amount of comfort and ease that the shoe now affords its wearers. A "downgrade" from premium materials to more common ones is not always bad news after all.

ET and at select Nike Sportswear retailers for $210 each Pros

  • Extremely comfortable feel
  • Truly dependable traction
  • Bouncy midsole
  • Pliable upper materials
  • Great touch on the ball
  • Nike air structure mens shoes metallic summit-black-persian violet dc2548-100
  • Lightweight construction

ET and at select Nike Sportswear retailers for $210 each Cons

  • Might be too narrow
  • Requires break-in
Full review of Nike Zoom Mercurial Vapor 15 Pro TF

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Unisex
Any color
WHITE/PINK BLAST/BALTIC BLUE (DJ5605146)
Multi-Color (DR5940580)

Best indoor soccer cleats

ET and at select Nike Sportswear retailers for $210 each | What makes it the best?

Still relevant even after its release decades ago, the Nike Air Max 90 Sneakers bianche e rosa lives up to its name. The durability of this soccer cleat has been highly regarded. As far as comfort is concerned, the purchasers were satisfied with how soft the soccer cleats are after breaking them in. Football players find this soccer cleat a good pair given its durability, traction, and comfort.

ET and at select Nike Sportswear retailers for $210 each Pros

  • Superb comfort
  • Bang for the buck
  • Durable build
  • Great grip for indoor courts
  • Aesthetic style to match casual outfits
  • Superb comfort
  • Трикотажные шорты с принтом тай-дай Nike
  • Fits true to size
  • Removable arch support foam

ET and at select Nike Sportswear retailers for $210 each Cons

  • Heavy outsole
  • Кросівки nike air huarache "pastel blue pink"
Full review of Nike Air Max 90 Sneakers bianche e rosa

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Unisex
Any color
adidas men s samba classic soccer shoe black running white 13 5 m us schwarz white ba46 60
adidas samba classicadidas samba classic running white black men running white black 0aff 60

Best soccer cleats with leather uppers

ET and at select Nike Sportswear retailers for $210 each | What makes it the best?

The Nike Sportswear Sneaker 'Huarache' grigio chiaro grafite grigio scuro is surrounded by so much hype, and it's for very good reasons. It is conservative enough, which satisfies Nike Tiempo fans but daring enough to attract skeptical new buyers/players. It boasts a true leather shoe feel, which was sorely missed in the Tiempo Legend 8. Its upper is also textured, which enhances ball friction. The fact that this shoe sports a modern look is already the icing on the cake.

ET and at select Nike Sportswear retailers for $210 each Pros

  • Good ball touch
  • Nice traction
  • Conforming leather upper
  • Comfort that's immediately felt
  • mighty crown nike sportswear dunk sky force
  • Supportive fit
  • Characteristic Tiempo feel
  • Light
  • Modern aesthetics

ET and at select Nike Sportswear retailers for $210 each Cons

  • Hard to put on
  • Stud pressure
Full review of Nike Sportswear Sneaker 'Huarache' grigio chiaro grafite grigio scuro

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Unisex
Any color
nike tiempo legend 9 elite fg firm ground soccer cleats football grey light marine rush orange blackened blue c75c 60
nike tiempo legend 9 elite fg firm ground football boot team red mystic hibiscus bright crimson white 1578 60
nike tiempo legend 9 elite fg firm ground football boots barely green total orange blackened blue a3ed 60
Black Dk Smoke Grey Summit White (CZ8482001)
nike tiempo legend 9 elite fg firm ground soccer cleat black iron grey black adult black iron grey black cbfd 60
nike tiempo legend 9 elite fg firm ground soccer cleat white bright crimson volt adult white bright crimson volt 5580 60
nike tiempo legend 9 elite fg firm ground soccer cleat white bright crimson pink blast black 2f24 60
Black/Anthracite/Metallic Gold (CZ8482007)
More colors

Best soccer cleats with knit uppers

What makes it the best?

As an elite model, the Gripknit Phantom GX Elite Firm Ground can really cost a lot. Fortunately, it delivers a lot as well. Soccer clears will not be left wanting more when it comes to performance. You can think of this as an investment, and you can expect big returns with every use.

ET and at select Nike Sportswear retailers for $210 each Pros

  • Nike Sportswear Sport Essential Футболка-поло с короткими рукавами
  • Incredible ball touch
  • Shoe is of high quality
  • Bright Detailing Decorates The Nike Air Max2 Light
  • Highly breathable upper
  • Nice snug fit
  • Dependable foot containment
  • Light and airy construction
  • Pretty nice looks

ET and at select Nike Sportswear retailers for $210 each Cons

  • Nike Kybrid S2
  • Quite expensive
Full review of Nike Gripknit Phantom GX Elite FG

Today's best price

Unisex
Any color
Black/Dark Smoke Grey/Total Orange (DC9968010)
Citron Tint/Burgundy Crush (FD3069860)
Baltic Blue/White/Laser Blue (DC9968446)

Best premium soccer cleats

What makes it the best?

We know that it's not always wise to go where the majority goes. However, with the Nike Cross Trainer, we dare say that the hype from its almost 200 reviewers is warranted. It is among the most comfortable soccer cleats out there. Running up and down the pitch even for long hours on end would just be a breeze.

Additionally, this shoe is not playing around when it comes to ball feel. We discovered that it's quite straightforward, giving you total control over your movements and ultimately the ball.

This soccer cleat also has you covered in multiple directions. We learned that quick cuts and abrupt changes in direction during games are not going to be a problem when you have this on. 

It's just sad that the law of supply and demand works with the Nike Cross Trainer. Because it is quite popular and widely sought after, the price is also on the higher end of the spectrum. Definitely, we do not recommend this to those who have intentions of getting more for significantly less.

ET and at select Nike Sportswear retailers for $210 each Pros

  • Nike flex run 42р
  • Dependable multidirectional grip
  • No-frills touch on the ball
  • Comfortable upper
  • Nice snug fit
  • Nike SB Bruin React Releasing in Team Royal
  • Incredibly lightweight
  • Ready for all weather conditions

ET and at select Nike Sportswear retailers for $210 each Cons

  • Too expensive
  • No significant performance uptick
Full review of Nike Cross Trainer

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Unisex
Any color
Black Dk Smoke Grey Summit White Volt (DJ4977001)
nike zoom mercurial superfly 9 elite fg barely green blackened blue total orange 1c7d 60
White/Coconut Milk/Bright Crimson (DJ4977101)
Metallic Copper/Metallic Copper (FJ1588810)
nike zoom mercurial superfly 9 elite fg firm ground soccer cleats yellow strike barely grape coconut milk sunset glow adult yellow strike barely grape coconut milk sunset glow c595 60
Dark Beetroot/University Blue/Vivid Purple (DO9342694)
Blå (DQ5293182)
Copper (DR5932810)
More colors

Best soccer cleats for beginners

What makes it the best?

Even if it's a takedown model, the Nike Zoom Mercurial Superfly 9 Academy MG cannot be discounted when it comes to performance, comfort, and even looks. It's clear that this soccer cleat is impressive, so bet on this Nike soccer cleat if you want to get your every penny's worth.

ET and at select Nike Sportswear retailers for $210 each Pros

  • Good grip on various surfaces
  • Amazing touch on the ball
  • Dependable ankle lock
  • Reliable foot containment
  • Comfort all around
  • Aesthetically pleasing design
  • Easy on-off
  • Lightweight feel

ET and at select Nike Sportswear retailers for $210 each Cons

  • Fit is quite tricky
  • Durability concerns
Full review of Nike Zoom Mercurial Superfly 9 Academy MG

Today's best price

Unisex
Any color
Yellow Strike/Coconut Milk/Doll (DJ5625780)
Black Dk Smoke Grey Summit White Volt (DJ5625001)
nike zoom mercurial superfly 9 academy mg multi ground football boot orange orange 3098 60

Comparison of the 7 best soccer cleats

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Best
CoreScore
Users rating
Experts
Best price
Ranking
Popularity
# of colorways

3 things to consider if you want to get the best soccer cleats

Choosing the right model out of the best ten football cleats is a daunting task. You can make it easier by following 3 quick steps.

Playing Surface

All soccer players except the goalie are expected to run around the pitch. When it comes to choosing the right soccer cleats, their playing positions don’t have as much weight as the type of surface they’re playing on. 

Manufacturers are pretty straightforward as to what type of surface their products are for. The surface type is usually added as an extension to the product’s name (e.g. Adidas Predator 19.3 Firm Ground).

Surface

Sample

Description

Firm ground (FG)

firm-ground.png

FG cleats are for natural grass surfaces. They usually have molded conical or bladed studs. Multi Ground (MG) and Firm Ground/Artificial Grass (FG/AG) options may have shorter studs, but still long enough to ensure their performance on the firm ground.

nike downshifter 11 vs nike revolution. 

Soft ground (SG)

soft-ground.png

SG cleats are for muddy grass surfaces. They are referred to as metal soccer cleats because their removable studs are longer and usually metal-tipped. These are most likely worn at the beginning of the season, which coincides with rainy spring.  

Indoor (IN)

indoor.png

IN cleats have flat gum rubber outsoles with no real studs. They look like lightweight sneakers. These are for the glossy hard court or asphalt. Some brands call these Sala, Street, or Futsal shoes.

Turf (TF)

turf.png

TF cleats have small, compact spikes that are made of durable rubber. These soccer cleats are used on old-school carpet-type fields and artificial turf. 

Touch

Touch refers to how responsive the shoe’s striking area is. This factor is important because this determines how well the player can handle the ball. 

Nike Plus Enkellange legging met logo in zwart– upper material and closure system.  In general, the upper material must provide  a comfortable and snug fit. Looseness can affect not only touch but also the player’s gait.

Common upper materials for soccer cleats

Upper Material

Touch Rating

Pros

Cons

Kangaroo Leather

5 star.png

Very comfortable and durable (with proper care)

Expensive and not available in some areas

Calfskin Leather

4 star.png

Durable and fairly protective

May take long to break in

Knit

4 star.png

Light, comfortable, and fits like a sock

Nike Plain Knit Short JR

Synthetic

3 star.png

Der Nike wird in wenigen Tagen zu uns in die Sneaker Stores kommen

Less form-fitting and less durable

Soccer cleats are usually laced footwear. The laces allow the wearer to tighten the shoe’s fit, enhancing touch. However, these laces may disrupt the shoe’s striking surface. To get rid of the distraction, some brands now offer laceless slip-on cleats. 

But laceless options have issues with fit. Because there are no mechanisms for adjustments, they are either too loose or too tight. To remedy this, the top soccer brands produce SS22 Nike Air Force 1 Revaderchi; which are still laced but with an external cover to keep the striking area clean.

Fit

It’s obvious that you should get the right size to maximize a shoe’s potential. Here are a few tips that you can follow to get the best soccer cleats that fit you perfectly.

Take into account potential stretch. Bear in mind that leather stretches and softens over time. Your kangaroo or calfskin leather cleats should be OK if they feel tight right out of the box.

Shop or at least measure your feet late in the afternoon. Physiological processes cause our feet to swell at some points. They are said to be in their most optimal size late in the afternoon. 

Consider the thickness of your socks. Anything that you put on your feet adds bulk to them. If you are fond of thick socks, then go for cleats that are slightly bigger than your actual foot size.

Learn how to gauge size online.  Brands fit differently. Whenever possible, stick to brands that fit you well when you shop online. If you must, use sizing tools provided by some online retailers to get the right size estimate.

How long should the replacement studs be?

Soft ground soccer cleats are most likely the ones that have detachable spikes. The general rule is quite simple: the softer the ground, the longer the stud. The stud lengths of a soft ground soccer cleat are generally between ½ to ⅗ inches.

Soccer cleats price classifications

Not all soccer cleats are created equal. Some are just more premium than others in terms of the materials used and technologies incorporated. 

Some brands make price classifications of their soccer cleats quite explicit. Nike and Adidas, for example, add indicators in the product names. 

Soccer cleats price classification

Price

Nike

Adidas

$$

Elite

+ (laceless) or .1 (with laces)

$

Pro

.2 

$

Academy

.3

Soccer cleats vs football cleats

In the United States, soccer and football are two very different sports, and their athletes use cleats that are very different from each other. 

Soccer cleats vs Football cleats
Football cleat.png Soccer cleat.png

Football Cleats

Soccer Cleats

heavier

lighter

Nike air force shadow pink blue 1 low шикарные женские кроссовки найк

are usually just lows

nike zoom penny vi blackmetallic copper white

has no toe stud

Nike Air Jordan 11 Retro Cherry Varsity Red EU 44 US 10 BRAND NEU

Nike OverBreak SP-sko til mænd Brun

Compared to football cleats, typical soccer cleats have the following characteristics:

Feel lighter. Manufacturers keep soccer cleats light because players are expected to run most of the time during their games. 

Have no toe spikes. In football cleats, the extra stud near the big toe provides more traction for when players push against their opponents. No such contact happens in soccer, so this extra feature has no practical value.

Nike Wmns Air Zoom Vomero 16 Light Marine. Because they run most of the time, their feet must be free from all sorts of obstructions. Low-top cleats give soccer players this much freedom.

Responsive striking area. The responsiveness of the striking area, or more commonly referred to as touch, is a major factor in soccer because players handle the ball mostly with their feet.

How we test soccer cleats

Here at Stefoy-les-lyonShops, we are not fans of delivering half-baked shoe evaluations. With that being said, we put up our best soccer cleat guide with complete information about performance, practicality, and everything in between! In accomplishing this:

  • We remained impartial to brands or models by buying soccer cleats with our own funds.
  • We wore the cleats in games of soccer, both indoors and outdoors. We skid, slid, sprinted, and performed quick turns and other movements in these soccer cleats.
  • We are not done! We also sent the cleats back to our lab, and from there, we subjected them to different sets of tests. We even cut the shoes in half to have a full view and more accurate measurements of the components inside.
Author
Akshay Kumar Malhotra
Akshay Kumar Malhotra

Akshay is a former professional soccer player turned sports journalist. His passion for the sport led him to start writing about it, and he is now a published author across various sports websites, featured on TheSportster and Sportskeeda among others. After he retired from the Singapore professional soccer scene, Akshay formed his own amateur soccer club FC Banterbury, initially just for laughs. Safe to say, soccer is an integral part of Akshay's life, and soccer cleats in particular are an obsession for him.