The Coolest Shoe of the World Cup Is Already Cosigned By Virgil Abloh & G-Dragon
Nike is doing things only Nike can do ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The world’s biggest sportswear brand debuted a massive slate of on-pitch kits for the tournament in March (admittedly to mixed reviews) and has now unveiled a huge lifestyle collection to match, rounded out by a full range of top-tier collaborators. And, this time, no complaints.
This drop is built around seven brands from seven nations, bringing together huge brands, classic Nike silhouettes, and local youth sport organizations. Canada’s got Drake’s NOCTA line, France called upon Jacquemus, South Korea snagged “King of K-Pop” G-Dragon’s brand PEACEMINUSONE, while Palace tapped England legend Wayne Rooney to model its range.
There’s almost too much happening to mention. So, let’s zoom in on the shoes.
Each of the seven countries has its own "Cryoshot" Nike shoe, all dropping on June 11 and built atop various old football boots. Or soccer cleats, to use the lingo of the American World Cup fans.
One of the biggest standouts comes from America’s representative, the Virgil Abloh Archive (or V.A.A.), which was established by the Louis Vuitton creative director’s wife after his passing. This shoe revives the design language of Abloh’s history-making “The Ten” sneaker collection on a pair of Cryoshot Zoom M9 sneakers. This is, essentially, a pair of late-’90s boots but with Abloh’s “AIR” iconography on the heel and a see-through plastic cover over the sole’s studs (or, again, cleats).
But while it’s wild to see one of the most hyped sneaker collaborations ever suddenly return (sort of) several years after its designer’s passing, the V.A.A x Nike shoe is actually one of the more modest designs.
Patta, the Dutch Royal Family of Fashion, recreated the wavy silver panels of R9’s Mercurial Vapor, NOCTA dressed a 1994 Tiempo in golden yellow, and artist Slawn, being Slawn, covered a 1976 Striker boot in his spray-painted art in an ode to Nigeria.
I’ve been a well-documented skeptic of “boots-only summer,” last year’s push to wear football boots off the pitch, and of the sudden fashion brand-backed football boot obsession. But even I have to admit there’s something cool about a 1970s boot being reborn as a surprisingly suave sneaker.
And Nike’s got the star power to make sure that everyone notices.
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