
Every day is a matchday
nss sports' tribute to Nike Total 90s
June 30th, 2025
Piero Percoco
If you grew up in the late ’90s or early 2000s, the Nike Total 90s weren’t just football boots. Not even close. They were a full-blown obsession. A badge of honor for those of us raised dreaming of getting drafted for “The Cage” or nutmegging the Fenomeno with a cheeky “olé” during an imaginary Brazil vs Portugal match in the schoolyard. That era shaped many of us, and more than anything, it shaped how we looked at football – not just as a sport – but as a phenomenon. And let’s be honest, the Total 90s were the statement piece. Boots that screamed personality, on and off the pitch. In a time when what you wore on the field said just as much about you as how you played, those shoes did a lot of talking. With Nike bringing them back in 2025 in all their iconic colorways, it’s clear we’re not the only ones who aren’t quite ready to let go of that magic.
Back then, the Total 90s were more than just sports items, they were a passport for coolness. If you had them, you weren’t just good at football, you were sick. Opponents would clock your boots before they saw your face. But what really sticks in every Millennial’s mind? It’s the moments when we wore them way outside the pitch.
Yes, the Total 90s were our go-to shoes for all the big “off-pitch” events: birthday parties, weddings, Christmas dinners. Before we worried about ties, Excel files, and office dress codes, there was always a pair of Total 90s that — for some reason — felt perfect for the most wrong occasions. Picture this: crisply ironed trousers, the dreaded “fancy sweater” your mum warned you not to stain, and on your feet? Bright red T90s, ready for action. Those same shoes would inevitably end up on the grass, part of an improvised 3v3 for a cousins-vs-classmates banger of a match.
If we look into it, those boots were the first real negotiation we ever had with our parents: "Fine, I’ll wear the nice shirt, but I’m wearing the T90s too." A childhood version of diplomacy, sealed with laces and short studs. The Total 90s weren’t just part of the outfit, they were an extension of our football soul. A love letter to the game that didn’t stop after the final whistle. The logic was simple: “You never know, if there’s a ball, we might play.
And even if we don’t, at least my boots will turn heads. Even without a match in sight, just wearing them gave you that rush, as if you were always on the verge of kick-off. Ready for a spontaneous game in the town square. Ready to channel that Brazil-Portugal energy, no matter what.
Every generation has its "uniform", and for football-loving Millennials, it was the Total 90s. What made them special wasn’t just the tech or the players who wore them. It was what they stood for. Suddenly, people who didn’t even watch football wanted a pair. With all those crazy colorways, they became a fashion item, not just football boots. Guys, girls, sporty or not, everyone wanted in. And to be quite frank, no one cared how they performed, it was about the feeling. They represented that romantic idea of “football for football’s sake”, just as it was starting to evolve into something bigger — football as a lifestyle – a concept we now see everywhere in today’s storytelling of the Beautiful Game.
The Total 90s are a vivid snapshot of childhood, our golden ticket to a world where football wasn’t just a sport. Few pieces of football gear carry this kind of collective, generational memory. So seeing them now on collector pages or back in stores, shiny and bold, hits differently. There’s nostalgia, there’s a smile, maybe even goosebumps. And even if they never got us that Ballon d’Or we promised ourselves as kids, they might still work with a suit. Perhaps even a wedding one.
As part of Les Vêtements de Football – The Golden Age of Football Jerseys, we collaborated with Nike, sharing our perspective on a true icon of sportswear and football: the Total90 III.
Les Vêtements de Football – The Golden Age of Football Jerseys is a project by nss sports dedicated to the golden era of football shirts. It will be officially launched in New York during the final days of the 2025 Club World Cup, in collaboration with Classic Football Shirts, Million Goods, and with a party at Regina's Grocery. The New York event dates will be announced soon, along with the stores and venues in Europe and around the world where the book will be available and presented.
The preorder is available now on our e-commerce at this link.