With the upcoming launch of the Nike T90 Laser III football boots,
the SoccerBible has been taking a look back at some of the predecessors
in the Total 90 series. Next out of the SoccerBible's Boot Vault is the Nike Air Zoom Total
90 IV Supremacy, the fourth edition from the T90 series that continued the quest for power and accuracy.
Launched in 2006 the AZT IV hit the headlines for the wrong reasons in
late spring as the chosen boot of Wayne Rooney. With a nation expectant
ahead of the 2006 World Cup, Rooney broke his fourth metatarsal after a
seemingly innocuous challenge involving Paulo Ferreira during a Premier
League match.
Cue mass hysteria as the media went crazy with "modern boots blamed by some experts for the spate of metatarsal injuries". Not a good start to the launch of one of the most important boots of the season. Of course, the irony in all of this was that Rooney had played an extensive role in the development of his new footwear - with absolutely no adverse affects.
The AZTIV however bounced back from this setback to become one
of the most worn and sought after boots across the world, with
countless pro's choosing the Supremacy and enjoying the updated benefits of power, comfort and accuracy.
Made from a soft, supple PVC-free synthetic leather, the AZTIV had a superb glove-like fit and was also the most powerful boot Nike had produced so far. Weighing in at 290g the AZTIV claimed for a revolutionary and innvoative control system as well as optimum balance for the player.
Over the course of its release 10 official colourways were available, from the limited leather version show here, to the original Blue/White/Silver version (see further below) as debuted by Wayne Rooney. Also released were the special limited edition 4-Star versions (above) to
commemorate Italy's victory in the 2006 World Cup.
Designed once again for players that wanted devestating power and accuracy, the AZTIV Supremacy continued to deliver comfort and performance with a new innovative "control system". The premise was of perfect balance, precisce power and ultimate control way before the likes of the CTR360. So much so that top boot spotters can still find Premier League and international players sporting these boots today, surely a great a testimony to their solidity, reliability and performance.
The off-centre looped lacing system gave a more contoured fit and made for a large, clean strike area. The boot featured a unique asymmetric design to compliment the layout which gave fantastic on pitch visibility, and a integrated heel panel intended for showcasing your country's flag or your team squad number (an idea carried over from the previous AZT III).
As the name suggests the AZTIV Supremacy continued with Zoom Air technology and was now situated in the heel which was to aid protection and stability. Both sole plates offered improved support, control an traction with the standard T90 six-stud configuration for the soft ground plate and combination conical and bladed stud layout for the firm ground plate.
Stay tuned to the SoccerBible as we reveal more soccer cleats from the
Boot Vault, showcasing the best retro, classic and once forgotten boots
and bringing them back to life!