How did soccer shoes evolve?

The silhouette of the football boots that we see today was not the same since its inception. It has evolved and improved over time with the help of research work and technological developments. Let’s find out more.

Footballers used to play without shoes before 1891. In some parts of the world, only socks were worn. But in some regions, people used to wear office shoes. These shoes had rock-solid toes and were sometimes made of steel.

These shoes were never designed for kicking a ball, but people used to wear them due to the unavailability of any other option. The passion for soccer was so high that despite getting injured from wearing these shoes, they did not stop playing. There was no grip on the soles of these shoes, so slipping on the grass was very common.

In 1891, the national football bodies felt there was a deficiency and an amendment was made to the football rules allowing players to wear shoes that had small studs or something that could help players maintain their grip on the ground.

This laid a cornerstone for soccer shoes and many shoemakers stepped up to meet this specific demand. Italy, Uruguay and France were the pioneer countries of this advance.

In the first decades of the 20th century, the demand for soccer shoes fell dramatically due to the aftermath of the World War. After World War II, interest in playing sports took off and the demand for sports shoes experienced an extraordinary increase. During this period an immense technological and research work was carried out.

As a result, lighter and more flexible soccer shoes emerged. These shoes became more popular in southern Europe and America because the surfaces were less muddy compared to England where there were muddy surfaces.

After 1950, an improved quality of football boots was introduced. The selling point of these shoes were metal or plastic molded cleats. These cleats allowed footballers to play comfortably in different conditions around the world and were widely used in professional football.

In 1970, the evolution of shoes reached its peak. Soccer shoes became even lighter. Bold colors were used and various designers offered to print graphics and designs on them. Research and experimentation reached a new milestone when “Predator” from a well-known company was introduced. This became a new sensation due to the rubber straps and toe cap design made of stronger material.

Soon after this development, many professional soccer players were offered to promote different brands of soccer shoes. Advertisements were made and the marketing of soccer shoes began. At the end of the 90s, even flexible soles were made that offered comfort to soccer players, allowing them to play games more comfortably.

In short, this was the history of soccer shoes. The latest development in this regard can be witnessed these days in the form of laser technology. This technology will allow you to sew a custom pair of shoes based on your exact size and style of play. Not only that, the studs these days look like blades. Some soccer shoemakers have also introduced microchip technology that helps track these shoes; however, they are rarely used.