Kylian Mbappé has stepped into a spotlight that feels tailor-made for him. Nike has tapped the Real Madrid star as the face of the new Mercurial Air Max 95, a football boot that pays homage to one of the most influential sneakers in street culture. The cameras spotted him wearing them in training, and the buzz has grown louder since.
They’ll drop on April 12 for $310 through select retailers, with a second wave of availability at Nike and other outlets soon after. The packaging is even themed after the original Air Max 95, underscoring Nike’s commitment to blending sneaker nostalgia with modern performance.
Street DNA, pitch performance
The Air Max 95, designed by Sergio Lozano, was legendary for its layered aesthetic and neon highlights. This new Mercurial takes many of those cues. White mesh transitions into a gradient of greys, capped off by eye-catching neon green accents along the studs and hidden eyestays. It’s a design that many longtime fans will recognize instantly. Yet Nike’s modern tech elevates it beyond a simple throwback.
A Flyknit-based upper hugs the foot with a sock-like fit. Beneath that is a specialized plate that fuses Air Zoom cushioning with a traction pattern built for explosive speed. You’ll see cascading studs that make sharp cuts feel effortless. “Nike’s attention to detail doesn’t stop there—the boots even come packaged in a special Air Max 95-inspired box, adding an extra layer of nostalgia for fans,” noted one House of Heat review of the boot’s design.
Mbappé’s involvement is no coincidence. He’s previously laced up Air Max-inspired football shoes, including a Mercurial that echoed the Air Max TN. Now he’s switching gears with a silhouette that’s celebrating 30 years of street cred. Off the pitch, the Air Max 95 was embraced by youth culture and found itself on the feet of countless footballers traveling to and from matches. On the pitch, it becomes a canvas for Nike’s latest innovations.
Sam Kerr and Cole Palmer are also rumored to be in the mix, though Mbappé’s star power has made him the unofficial face of the campaign. Some insiders say Vinícius Júnior could join him in wearing these neon-flecked boots, though official team lineups often keep that a surprise until match day.
The timing of this launch aligns with Nike’s ongoing strategy of crossover releases that merge its storied running silhouettes with modern football tech. Everything points to the brand bringing iconic Air Max designs onto the pitch in new and unexpected ways. The Mercurial Air Max 95 might be the highlight of that mission so far.
Mbappe will debut the cleats tomorrow in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal clash against Arsenal.
