The boots we will see in the Champions League final

The time has come for the Champions League final, the pinnacle of the European football season. On the pitch, it's PSG vs Inter, with Munich’s Allianz Arena setting the stage for a completely unprecedented matchup in the history of the Champions League finals. Tension is high as fans await the final result and the answer to who will lift the trophy with big ears. But there’s also a lot of visual anticipation for a truly historic match that promises surprises even in the realm of football boots. We’ll see several players debut the latest models from their technical sponsors or wear custom boots made specifically for the occasion.

Nike

Lautaro Martinez will be the key ambassador for the return of the Hypervenom: during the week, the Argentine striker was seen wearing the Hypervenom RGN as he prepared for the match, featuring the same launch colorway used by Nike — the classic orange and black look of the original model. On the eve of the match, however, Lautaro was selected by Nike as the face of the new Hypervenom Hydra Transform, a white boot that reveals a darker pattern when it comes into contact with water.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan might instead take the field wearing a pair of custom Nike Mercurial Superfly designed by Swithadot StudioS. The Armenian wore them during training, with the upper featuring a design mimicking snake scales — a nod to the Biscione, symbol of the club — and a yellow inscription reading "Amarti è il Destino" ("Loving you is Destiny"), with the final “o” stylized as Inter’s official logo.

adidas

Over on the PSG side, all eyes will be on Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The Georgian winger will step onto the Allianz Arena pitch wearing a new version of adidas’ F50 from the “Road to Glory” collection. These slip-on boots feature a white upper with metallic gold detailing and black logos. The toe box is embellished with an F50 print, and the traditional laces have been replaced by a practical elastic strap.

The same color scheme is used for the latest versions of the Predator and COPA PURE III, the other two boots adidas has produced for the “Road to Glory” collection. We'll see them worn by players sponsored by the three stripes, such as Gianluigi Donnarumma for PSG and Federico Dimarco for Inter.

Under Armour

Another player sure to draw attention will be Achraf Hakimi: the Moroccan defender surprised everyone last April by leaving adidas to sign a deal with Under Armour, a move that now gives the brand founded by Kevin Plank a presence on football’s biggest stage.

Specifically, Hakimi will once again wear the Shadow Elite 3, the latest release from Under Armour’s football collection. These boots are designed to enhance acceleration, featuring a lightweight soleplate with strategically placed studs. So far, Hakimi has always worn a red-and-black version of these boots, but surprises aren’t off the table as in recent training sessions, he’s been seen testing a blue and fluorescent yellow pair.