Best lightweight football boots: The latest ranges designed for speed and agility from Nike, Adidas, Puma, Umbro and New Balance
The best lightweight football boots, as worn by the likes of Neymar, Erling Haaland and Sadio Mane
If you're player who relies on speed and agility, you'll want to find the best lightweight football boots to maximise your skillset before the new season kicks off.
Having the right boots can make a huge difference to a player's game, with certain ranges specifically designed to assist defenders, attackers, speed merchants and creative maestros. FFT has been dedicating itself to categorising designs to make boot shopping easier for you. If you're simply looking for the best football boots out right now, be sure to check out our other reviews.
But here you'll find the best lightweight football boots on the market right now for goal scorers...
Best lightweight football boots: 1. Nike Mercurial Superfly 8
As worn by: Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland
Arguably the best football boot on the market right now. In our Nike Mercurial Superfly 8 football boots review, we praised the lightness of these boots in particular. At just 190g, this is among the lightest boots ever, despite being made from a material that does offer genuine protection and durability. They're so noticeably light, that even FFT (not quite blessed with the speed, say, of a young Theo Walcott) felt the difference in a game situation. They also offer great traction thanks to a unique stud pattern and are tight on the foot without any chance of coming off.
The latest Mercurial Superly also boasts 'Anti-Clog Traction' technology. So if your Sunday league pitches are susceptible to heavy rainfall and poor drainage, they could be a good option – no more stud plates caked in mud after the firs five minutes of a game.
Lastly, they look the part, come in a huge range of colours AND you can customise your own pair on the Nike store if you're really up for pushing the boat out. If you can afford them (they are pricey), they're worth every penny. Trust us.
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Buy the Nike Mercurial Superfly from Pro Direct
2. Nike Tiempo Legend 9
As worn by: Harry Kane, Phil Foden
While the latest Tiempo's have been snapped adorning the feet of a host of players in varying positions, FFT's Nike Tiempo Legend 9 football boots review points out the fact that these are, in fact, boots built for nippy players. That's because, while extremely comfortable and durable, they're among the lightest on the market, weighing in at only 207g.
It also features a number of other little nifty gadgets, inclduing memory foam and touch pods, designed to specifically help attackers shoot, dribble and control the ball. The chevron studs have been specially designed to add traction, helping attacking players can change direction more easily – perfect for bursting past defenders.
This is a stunning all-round boot, and one any fleet-footed players should consider adding to their toolkit.
Buy the Nike Tiempo Legend 9 from Pro Direct
3. Puma Future Z Lazertouch
As worn by: Neymar, Marco Reus, Christian Pulisic, Kingsley Coman
In our recent Puma Future Z Lazertouch football boots review, we praised the authentic leather feel of the boots worn by some of the nippiest wingers in world football. The standard range weighs in a 220g, while Neymar's version of the Future Z are lighter still, made by synthetic material as opposed to the leather on the Lazertouch, so you have a choice.
The boots are a fantastic fit, offer superb traction, look stunning and are light enough to make you feel as if you're wearing carpet slippers. The Future Z is geared towards attacking players specifically, and come in a range of easy-on-the-eye colours.
Order the Puma Future Z Lazertouch from Sports Direct
4. Umbro Velocita 6
FFT was positively stunned by how light they are when putting together our Umbro Velocita 6 football boots review.
Weighing in at 190g – the same as Nike Mercurial Vapours – this is an area where this boot sits comfortably alongside the absolute best in the business. During training and games we took these out for, we half expected to look down and find we were wearing Crocs. Fortunately, what we found down there was one of the best-looking boots on the market right now.
You'll absolutely fly past opponents in these, safe in the knowledge that if you are caught, you'll be well-protected by the tough shell and textile. There are some drawbacks, including a lack of flexibility in the soul. But check out our review to find out more about the pros and cons.
Buy the Umbro Velocita 6 from Pro Direct
5. New Balance Furon V6+ Pro
As worn by: Sadio Mané, Raheem Sterling
Lightweight, colourful and with touches of blue and red across them that just look beautiful, the New Balance Furon V6+ Pro are an absolute triumph. These boots will give strikers the edge in a foot race since they're so weightless at just 176g – but they're also comfortable, too.
These are the boots that the likes of Sadio Mané and Bukayo Saka wear. Perfect for a speedster, these shoes look the part, too – and it's important for your forwards to have the style to back up their talent, right?
Ed is a staff writer at FourFourTwo, working across the magazine and website. A German speaker, he’s been working as a football reporter in Berlin since 2015, predominantly covering the Bundesliga and Germany's national team. Favourite FFT features include an exclusive interview with Jude Bellingham following the youngster’s move to Borussia Dortmund in 2020, a history of the Berlin Derby since the fall of the Wall and a celebration of Kevin Keegan’s playing career.
- Mark WhiteContent Editor