Are you looking to find out what the best football boots for crossing are in 2021?
Well if you find yourself playing a wide role for your football side, you may need to swing in several quality crosses during games.
Being able to cross the ball is a fundamental part of the game.
It’s how a team can create goal-scoring opportunities that can lead to goals and therefore wins.
So because of that, you may have been considering buying a pair of boots that will help you put a ball on a 6 pence for the strikers in the box.
In this post, I will discuss some of the best football boots for crossing that you can buy.
Table of Contents
What Boots For Crossing Should You Be Looking For?
When it comes down to looking for football boots to help you execute a cross, you’re looking at many areas.
Now while one football boot won’t suddenly put you on David Beckhams or Gareth Bales level, certain boots will give you benefits that will aid you.
To start with choosing a football boot that works for your feet and fits you well.
Boots That Give You A Compact Fit
If you have a football boot that is the right size and gives you a tight fit, you will have more control of the ball and be able to provide better delivery than boots that aren’t.
The best way to work out which boots fit you the best is to go through different brands, many I will cover later on.
Well Designed Football Boots
With top who do football boots, you are in good hands as each boot is designed to help a footballer execute any type of play on the pitch.
So whether you wanted to pass, dribble, shoot, control or pass, the majority of football boots that established brands make will help you do that to a good level.
Picking The Right Surface
One aspect that can have a big impact on your crosses is the soleplate on your boots.
Crossing is a footballing play that requires the right technique to perform it.
Now regardless of how good you are at crossing, the factor of trying to them with boots on the wrong surface can make it difficult for you.
You may find yourself slipping and just struggling to grip the ground when striking through the ball.
This is why it’s a good idea to make sure that you have the right football boots that are for each surface you play on.
If you’re a winger playing on an Astro Turf surface, you’re going to need to have a pair of Astros, as they have a soleplate optimized for that surface.
Now, if you play on a wet grass surface, you will be after soft ground football boots.
With wet surfaces in general, they tend to be really hard to play on when you don’t have SG boots since you will simply lose your footing all the time.
1) Nike Mercurial Superfly VIII
The Nike Mercurial Superfly’s are a good shout as a boot for crossing.
They are worn by many wingers in the game, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Jadon Sancho.
With the newest edition of the mercs, they are slim and lighter than ever and offer a great experience.
If you are playing out wide, you can get out your stride quicker and put killer balls into your forwards.
An improved Aerotrak soleplate gives you better traction and helps you speed off, something that you will notice the benefit of when crossing the ball.
You can get these from around the £50 mark all the way to £250.
This includes all four tiers of the silo, with the most expensive being the best version of the silo on the market.
2) Adidas X Ghosted.1
Adidas X Ghosted help with crossing in a multitude of ways.
These boots are created for speed with a very slim design and, because of that, are worn by some of the deadliest wingers in world football.
This includes Mohammed Salah, Angel Di-Maria and Heung Min-Son, who all currently wear the newest editions of the X Ghosted.1.
With a Fluroskin upper, it is made light to help a speedy winger accelerate away from opposing full-backs, giving them ample time to fire a cross into the box.
3) Puma Future Z 1.1
The Puma Future is another pair of footy boots made for players who want to make a difference in the final third.
Worn and repped by a player who perfectly fits that bracket is Neymar, who is often called upon to create opportunities when his team needs him.
A FusionFit band wraps around the centre of the boot to give a customized fit that will allow you to roam around the field effortlessly.
Grip control Pro sets you up for a good first touch of the ball, and an Evoknit Pro collar gives you support around the ankle.
These boots are also worn by fellow compatriot Willian and top talents who are known for great delivery in Suso and Dmitri Payet.
4) Nike Mercurial Vapor 14
If you prefer a boot without the fancy dynamic collar and still want to swing in quality crosses, then the Mercurial Vapor is likely a better suitor for you.
Now in the 14th generation of the silo, it is very popular and common with attacking players, which includes wingers since the boot is made for speed.
These are worn by Real Madrid’s Eden Hazard and Vinicius Junior and Frenchman Ousmane Dembele.
5) Adidas Nemeziz 19.1
The Nemeziz 19.1 is a football boot made by Adidas tailored to a players needs, thanks to a stretchy and adaptable upper.
Worn by some of the best players to grace a football pitch, including Lionel Messi, these boots will also support every move you make on the pitch too.
From crossing to sharp turns thanks to the torsion system on the outsole.
These boots can be brought for SG and FG, as well as AG for those who play on 3G pitches.
6) New Balance Furon V6+
The New Balance Furon isn’t the most commonly worn football boot.
However, repped by players like Raheem Sterling, they do offer a good amount of value.
These have what is called Fit Weave tech that makes the boots durable and flexible, adapting to a player’s needs.
Important when talking about crossing, these boots have an Infini Grip anti-slip layer.
So when you go to put a deep cross into the box, you can be assured that you won’t lose your footing.
Another aspect to note about these is that there are also synthetic and leather versions of the boot, so you can go with the material you prefer.
These boots are also worn by upcoming talents who often play in wide positions, Joe Willock and Bukayo Saka.
7) Adidas Predator Freak
The Adidas Predator Freak are a pair of football boots with an intimidating look to them and technology to benefit crossing.
A split-tooled soleplate gives a balance between grip to the pitch but also being able to get off your mark.
On the upper, the Demonskin 2.0 is a welcomed edition for those who want more control of the ball.
So if you are playing out wide, these spines placed all throughout the upper will help you dictate the speed and spin of a crossing play.
Good crossers of the ball to wear these include Real Madrid’s Marco Asensio and newly acquired David Alaba.
Q1) Will Football Boots For Crossing Give Me An Advantage?
Football boots aren’t specifically made to improve crossing on their own.
You will have ones that help specifically with shooting and passing, but for crossing, it is all included.
I mean that when designers create football boots, they keep in mind everything a footballer does in a game.
They know that the lighter a football boot will typically help a player move around a lot faster.
This, along with having a comfortable upper, will not only make the boots feel better but controlling the ball better.
However, by using research, you can seek out what boots will help you in certain areas.
So if we look at crossing, we rely on a football boot to help us execute the move.
You need a boot that is stable and won’t give way. I am sure you have seen a footballer who has slipped when going to cross the ball.
It could have been because of his footwear and not having football boots fully optimized to that surface.
Sometimes it will just happen, and it isn’t much you can do to stop it.
However, having football boots that have a well-designed soleplate, such as the ones listed above, will result in more consistency when crossing the ball.
When also talking about crossing, another thing that comes to mind is beating a man.
When one on one, you need to find time to get a cross in, which may require you to quickly accelerate off.
This ties into having a good soleplate but having a light boot will help you speed off quicker and increase your chances of getting that ball in the box.
2) How Much Should You Spend On Boots?
Honestly speaking, a pair of football boots from a top brand will do the job for you if given the wide position role.
However, for each silo I have spoken about, you have many a number of prices you can purchase them at.
You can get them from as cheap as £30, and this can go all the way up to £250, depending on the boot.
There is such a big difference in price because there are 3 or 4 versions for each silo.
The cheaper versions are made for those on a budget but still want to buy the latest football boots.
Whereas the most expensive football boots and therefore the top tiers are for those, who have more freedom with the price. These are also, as expected, the same ones pros wear.
Conclusion
Well, there you have it, they are the best football boots for crossing that you can buy in 2021.
I have tried to include a range of different brands, so you have more choice, but if you decide on one pair, you can be guaranteed a pair that will perform on the pitch.
If you have any boots you would chuck into the equation and think should be on the list, then do let me know.
Also, if you have worn any of the boots before and have found them especially useful with your crossing, then make sure to leave a comment below.
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