- Model: Nike Mercurial Vapor 1998
- Player: Ronaldo Nazário (‘R9’)
- Condition: Match worn & dual signed
- Season: 1998/99
- Size: No size labels, measures to be UK9 / US10
- Soleplate: SG
- Made in: Montebelluna, Italy (Nike Athlete Services)
- Headline Features:
- Ultra-rare, museum-level artefact from one of the greatest players of all time.
- Match worn with Inter Milan during the 1998/99 season.
- Hand-signed by Ronaldo Nazário on both boots.
- Bespoke, hand-made build at Nike’s Athlete Services facility in Montebelluna, Italy.
- Unique player specifications: raised heel shape, absent size labels, custom tongue design.
- Iconic R9 branding featured on both sides of each tongue – never released at retail.
- One of the most historically important boots ever released to the market.
- Authenticity guaranteed with BC Boots UK Certification Package.
- Provenance & Player Features
- Match Worn: Used by Ronaldo during his time at Inter Milan in the 1998/99 campaign.
- Custom Construction: Hand-made with no size labels, tailored exclusively to Ronaldo’s exact measurements.
- Bespoke heel structure raised higher than retail versions to meet R9’s unique anatomical needs.
- Custom tongues with R9 logo front and back, a feature unavailable on commercial releases.
- Dual Autographs: This pair are hand-signed by Ronaldo on the lateral heel cup.
- Collector & Investment Significance
- Era-defining boot: The original Nike Mercurial launched in 1998 and was synonymous with Ronaldo’s explosive peak, reshaping football boot design forever.
- Historical context: These Mercurials were worn during Ronaldo’s Inter Milan years, a defining chapter in his career.
- Player exclusivity: Hand-made in Montebelluna – Nike’s most prestigious workshop – reserved only for their top global athletes.
- Autograph rarity: Dual-signed match-worn boots from this period of Ronaldo’s career are almost never seen on the market.
- Legacy value: Widely regarded as one of football’s greatest ever players, Ronaldo’s match-worn and signed boots are considered blue-chip collectibles with long-term investment appeal.
