This week Europe's premier competition the Champions League returns, bringing together the most talented footballers from around the continent. With so many top players and top football boots on show, we want to know what players and boots you think will be this season's Champions League by storm?
Last season Lionel Messi was the top goalscorer in the Champions League, and also scored a crucial goal in the final wearing the adidas F50 range of football boots. Star performers also included Steven Gerrard and Miroslav Klose who both scored seven goals from adidas Predator football boots and Nike Legend football boots, respectively. We also wonder whether the Nike Mercurial range can have more of an impact with such wearers as Ribery, Ronaldo and Ibrahimovic? Here are our contenders for 2009/10 Champions League star performers...
NIKE MERCURIAL VAPOR FOOTBALL BOOTS
Key Players: Cristiano Ronaldo, Franck Ribery
The Nike Mercurial Vapor Superfly and Nike Mercurial Vapor V football boots have revolutionised the world of football
boots, with Nike implementing their unique Flywire technology. Designed for speed, the Mercurial range is strong, extremely lightweight and aerodynamic.
ADIDAS F50i TUNIT FOOTBALL BOOTS
Key Players: Lionel Messi, Arjen Robben
The adidas F50i TUNiT football boots
will be making their full tournament bow, following Messi's debut in last season's final. Continuing the evolution of adidas' speed component series, the F50i utilises the inter-changeable stud
and chassis system.
NIKE T90 LASER II FOOTBALL BOOTS
Key Players: Wayne Rooney, Fernando Torres
Designed to strike the ball, the Nike T90 Laser football boots
have been engineered with innovative
Nike ShotShield technology. Made from a
dense material to generate more power when the the ball is struck, the
ribbed surface and precision rings emanating from the 'sweet spot'
increase accuracy through the unique boot-to-ball contact.
PUMA V1.08 FOOTBALL BOOTS
Key Players: Samuel Eto'o, Nicolas Anelka
Samuel Eto'o scored the first goal in last season's Champions League final wearing the Puma v1.08 football boots. The Puma v1 range are quality lightweight speed boots, with a two-piece outsole to
improve acceleration and movement, and a unique design,
stitch pattern and off-centre lacing to increases the contact and
kicking area.
ADIDAS PREDATOR FOOTBALL BOOTS
Key Players: Steven Gerrard, Diego
The adidas Predator football boots
have been involved with the Champions League since it first began. Their design brief is to deliver
more power, more swerve and more control. The current Predator football
boots incorporate SmartFoam vamps and a PowerPulse chamber, to give
additional power and accuracy to every pass and shot.
NIKE TIEMPO LEGEND III FOOTBALL BOOTS
Key Players: Sergio Aguero, Cesc Fabregas
Nike Legend III football boots
were born out of the Nike Tiempo range, which has been striving to
deliver the ultimate in ball touch for over 25 years. The upper is made
from a soft kangaroo leather combined with unique stitching to hold the
leathers shape.
ADIDAS ADIPURE II FOOTBALL BOOTS
Key Players: Kaka, Frank Lampard
Inspired by some classic cup competition football boots, like the Copa Mundial and World Cup boots, the adidas adiPure II football boots will be a feature of the Real Madrid side in this years competition. With Kaka, Benzema and Xabi Alonso all wearing the k-leather boot, which gives great ball touch and feel from a boot that is flexible, supple and robust.
WHICH PLAYERS, TEAMS AND FOOTBALL BOOTS DO YOU THINK WILL IMPRESS DURING THE 2009/10 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE?