Iconic soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo showcases his Nike Free CR7 x Metcon shoes in a tonal white and blue colorway. The training shoes are essentially a hybrid of the label's CR7 and Metcon silhouettes. The unveiling of the shoe arrives right ahead of the upcoming UEFA Champions League Final this Saturday. The collaborative hybridized shoes boast a low-top cut with infused designs from both shoes. The uppers are mainly finished in a clean white tone which sees the icy blue accents across the TPU cage overlaps, as well as the handstand heel clips.
Additional elements include the new branding detail on the cage, inspired by an ancient Portuguese navigational tool that also nods to the soccer player's national heritage. Ronaldo's signature is also seen adorning the sock liners along with CR7 branding on the heel and tongue tab in a fine leather material. The training shoes are set to launch on May 26 online at Nike and at select retail locations.
What's Driving This Trend
- Heritage-inspired Hybrid Training Shoes
- Opportunity to create new hybrid athletic shoe designs that combine classic and modern elements
- Low-top Cut Athletic Shoes
- Opportunity to create innovative designs for low-top athletic shoes for greater versatility in sports and training
- National Heritage-inspired Branding
- Opportunity to incorporate unique national heritage elements in branding designs for athletic shoes
Who This Affects Most
- Athletic Footwear
- With the growing trend of hybrid athletic shoes, footwear companies have the opportunity to develop innovative styles that blend classic and modern designs
- Sports Apparel
- Low-top cut athletic shoes are becoming more popular, creating market opportunities in the sports apparel industry to create complementary clothing pieces
- Branding and Advertising
- National heritage-inspired branding elements can be incorporated in various marketing platforms in the athletic and fashion industries to create unique branding strategies
