Cleats for the streets: is this the peak of the football trend?

Football boots are making a major comeback as Gen Z ventures onto the streets in cleated footwear. What’s driving this trend? Experts from Adidas and Zalando offer some insights.

Football is once again playing a prominent role in fashion, influencing not only streetwear but also designer collections. Football shirts have become wardrobe staples, even for luxury brands like Balenciaga, Koché and 3.Paradise. With studded boots emerging as the latest ‘it’ piece, the trend now appears to have reached new heights.

Football on the catwalk

As early as the Spring/Summer 2025 collections, fashion houses embraced football boots as a key styling element to underscore the sport-inspired theme. For their Y-3 collaboration, Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas incorporated studded football boots from the Herzogenaurach-based sportswear giant and also unveiled the official jersey of the Japanese national football team. Meanwhile, Louis Vuitton took it a step further, sending its own branded football boots down a turf-covered catwalk—highlighting the full integration of football culture into high fashion.

Collaborations between luxury labels and sporting goods giants, such as Prada and Adidas, who recently launched a joint football boo, have further underscored football's growing relevance in fashion.

Berlin-based online retailer Zalando observed a rising interest in football boots, according to Matthew Glynn, Zalando’s Head of Strategy and GTM, Sports. This surge was particularly notable during the 'back to club' season, from July to September, which marks the restart of national football leagues.

Comeback of the football trainer

For years, football boots – whether with studs, turf soles for hard courts, or lifestyle adaptations – were considered off-limits in fashion beyond the pitch. Only a decade or two ago, they were essentials for teenagers more at home on the football field than in the classroom.

Today, those same teenagers have grown up – and iconic models like the early 2000s Nike Total90 are enjoying a nostalgic return in reissued formats. Adidas, a key rival, has also tapped into this wave. The Herzogenaurach-based brand recently relaunched the F50 football boot silhouette as a trainer, available from mid-June in five colourways. The new design, merging elements of the Taekwondo lifestyle shoe, features a sleeker sole, slip-in tongue and its signature glossy upper.

“The fusion of football and lifestyle remains highly relevant,” said Oliver Brüggen, Senior Director PR Central Europe at Adidas. “We’re now expanding this trend – previously focused on apparel – into the trainer category, as seen in the launch of the F50 Taekwondo.”

Glynn also observed this shift, noting a clear demand for football-inspired lifestyle shoes. “Trainers that blend sporting heritage with an everyday look are especially popular. This reflects a broader movement where sport continues to shape streetwear.”

While millennials are indulging their inner child with revived football favourites and fashion followers link the trend to the larger Y2K wave, Gen Z is pushing boundaries even further.

On TikTok, the hashtag #bootsonlysummer is currently trending. Users are integrating studded football boots, originally designed for the pitch, into their street style looks, often sparking surprise and debate in the comments. Football boots are styled with everyday denim and relaxed streetwear, incorporated into personal style without changing the rest of the outfit.

@unknowncr7ttv #bootsonlysummer #landedinusa #futbol⚽️ #cleats #vapor #newtrend #hs @not_ethan03 @AnthonySotelo @3nriquee.e ♬ original sound - Spragga ⛷️

The trend then gained international attention through Rosalía. The Spanish singer was photographed on her way to a fitting appointment for this year's Met Gala in a simple white T-shirt with the slogan ‘Protect Me From What I Want’ and a voluminous white skirt. A white pair of New Balance football boots peeked out from under the long skirt with its neon green and pink accents.

“Football boots have long since made their way from the stadium to the street. Today, they represent an expressive fashion statement,” said Glynn. “Trends like #bootsonlysummer, where cleats are worn in urban settings, clearly highlight this shift.”

Glynn, who played football himself, noted, however, that classic studs are not made for everyday wear on asphalt and could only confirm this from his own experience.

Whether the trend extends beyond social platforms remains to be seen, especially as the menswear season kicks off with Pitti Uomo and the first wave of street style images surfaces.

Studs unscrewed

According to Sebastian Richter, Team Lead Buying, Streetwear at Zalando, the #bootsonlysummer trend gained traction online – but likely prompted wearers to realise cleats aren't suited for hard surfaces. In response, brands have begun developing everyday footwear inspired by football boot aesthetics.

“A great example is the recently unveiled Nike R9 Mercurial Cyroshot collaboration with Patta,” said Richter. “I believe we’ll see even more styles in the coming months that are rooted in sport but tailored for everyday life.”

Meanwhile, some fans have taken a DIY approach and have started modifying vintage football boots for everyday wear and sharing their creations on platforms like Instagram. Modifications range from plastic-covered studs to complete sole swaps with loafer-style bottoms.

Studded or not, the streets this summer belong to the football boot.

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