Nike and Phaidon Archive the Evolution of the Pitch

Nike has partnered with Phaidon Press to release 'Nike Football Boots,' a 240-page hardcover volume that traces the technical and cultural lineage of the Swoosh on the pitch. The book moves chronologically from the 1971 leather silhouettes—the first shoes to ever feature the brand’s logo—through the four primary silos that defined modern play: the Tiempo, Mercurial, Total 90, and Phantom. Rather than a simple product catalog, the monograph leans into the sociopolitical weight of the sport. Award-winning author Caleb Azumah Nelson provides the narrative tissue, contributing essays that connect technical innovations like the 1998 Mercurial R9 to the broader shifts in global football culture. It is an exercise in documenting how a piece of equipment transitioned from a utilitarian tool to a symbol of regional identity and stylistic expression.