Blatant. Totally blatant. You can forget all the post match comments of ‘it wasn’t intentional’, Thierry Henry was at the heart of one of the worst examples of cheating on a football field last night and time has come to say enough is enough.

At the centre of a major storm, French international Thierry Henry

For those of you who missed it, like the referee and his assistant, the Republic of Ireland were leading 1 – 0 against France in Paris and seemed destined to take their World Cup play off match to a penalty shoot out.

But in the 13th minute of extra time came Henry’s outrageous act. He handled the ball, not once but twice, before setting up William Gallas for the deciding goal.

On camera, Henry admitted that it was handball but said that he didn’t mean to do it. However, Irish defender Richard Dunne told reporters that the Barcelona forward admitted to him that he had cheated.

Henry wears Reebok football boots, but should he any longer?

At least Henry should know how Dunne and his team mates will be feeling this morning. Who can forget his raw and emotional pitch side interview after the Champions League final of 2006 when he accused Barcelona of a less than honest approach during that game?

So what can be done?

First off it’s worth noting that any retrospective action against Henry or France will be of little consolation to the Republic. France are off to South Africa and they are not. That said, surely there must be action of some kind.

Certainly, if I was sitting in the Reebok board room today, I’m not sure I’d want my brand to be associated with such an individual as Henry. The incident, already known as ‘Hand Gaul’ is going to be replayed endlessly for years to come and Reebok will be at the heart of it. If I was them, I’d be sending Henry a letter curtailing his contract for ‘gross misconduct’. Gillette might think about doing the same. How Henry can now be mentioned in the same breath as Federer and Woods is beyond me.

Henry is one of Reebok’s biggest name ambassadors

Secondly, though Fifa and Uefa will be privately delighted that a major country like France has progressed at the expense of a lesser national like the ROI, they should ban Henry from taking part in the competition.

Any other message from either Reebok or the football authorities will be interpreted that cheats can prosper.

Thirdly, and here we go again, but how can it be that millions of viewers around the world can see that an offence has taken place and yet the referee and his assistant, who was perfectly positioned by the way, cannot. Where were Michel Platini’s extra assistants? If he’s so sure that they are the way forward, why were they not employed in such a crucial game as opposed to being used in worthless trials during the Europa League? And, if there was ever a more clear cut example that video technology is so desperately needed, I’ve yet to see it.

Henry’s conning of the officials and football world at large can be best summed up in the words of Liam Brady. “A shameful night for football.” Too true Liam, too true.

There have been some highly visible boot launches of late. PUMA brought out the v1.10 closely followed by the introduction of Nike’s CTR360.

Nike CTR360 Maestri

The Superfly and Vapor V have new colourways and on the horizon we have the eagerly anticipated reveal of the adidas Predator X, a new colourway for the Speciali plus new football boots from Mizuno and Reebok.

And, with the World Cup just around the corner, the flurry of new football boot activity will only get greater as the kick off in South Africa gets ever nearer.

Despite the current economic situation, it seems that the football boot market has escaped the down turn which has been great for us and probably not too bad for you!

But it got us thinking. Even with such a healthy, ever expanding product range to choose from, which football boots remain out there, doing a job from times past?

Naturally, the adidas World Cup and Copa Mundial still have a part to play.

Indeed, Belgium’s Emile Mpenza was twice on target in the Copa’s against Turkey recently. And let’s not forget that Argentina’s Mario Bolatti was wearing the adiPure I when he sneaked home that late goal for Diego Maradona’s side against Uruguay on Wednesday. Additionally, we are not too far away from a retail sales date for the Tiempo ‘94.

adidas adiPure I

But what other ‘old style’ football boots are still getting some serious wear time? That’s where you come in.

We’d like to know which players have bucked the trend of wearing the very latest models, colourways and designs in favour of something that would look more at home in a football version of the Antiques Roadshow.

Find anyone still wearing these and we’ll give you a prize!

Lets us know who you’ve spotted playing in ‘bygone boots’ by posting a comment below. It doesn’t matter if they are internationals, top league players or even lower league players that we might not be too familiar with. And if you’ve got a picture of them, even better.

We’ll keep an eye on your comments as they come in to see if there’s a clear favourite or if the choices are relatively random.

Whilst a few countries like Brazil, England and Spain can go in to their final two World Cup qualifiers safe in the knowledge that they have already made it to South Africa in 2010, the situation isn’t as clear cut for a number of other sides.

Their matches this weekend and next Wednesday will determine whether they too will be part of the greatest tournament in the world.

Footy Boots looks at a few players who could make all the difference for their team mates, coach and population at large.

Argentina v Peru / Uruguay v Argentina

There’s a religion in Argentina called ‘El Diego’ that has 100,000 members such is the popularity of former World Cup winner Diego Maradona. But following a 6 – 1 hiding in Bolivia followed by 3 successive defeats, Mardona has his work cut out to get his side in to the mix for next year’s final’s.

It’s not that they don’t have the talent – far from it. Just that Maradona has failed the get the best from his squad. So step forward Lionel Messi.

The Barcelona forward, in his custom built adidas F50i’s must make a contribution against bottom side Peru on Saturday and away to Uruguay on Wednesday.  But even 2 wins might not be enough. It could be the play-off’s for Argentina or worse still, four years of national mourning!

Russia v Germany

This is a straight shoot out between the Russian’s and German’s in European qualifying Group 4. Whoever wins will top the group going in to the final matchday and with Germany at home to Finland and Russia away to Azerbaijan, Saturday’s game is the important one.

Both coaches have called on their sides to keep a clean sheet so the actions of the forwards is going to be crucial. Germany have Miroslav Klose, currently in third place in the Castrol Performance data. Klose is expected to wear the Nike CTR360 Maestri.

Meanwhile, Russia’s top scorer is Roman Pavlyuchenko. He may be struggling at White Hart Lane but he’s hit 5 goals in qualifying so far. Back in September against Wales, Pavlyuchenko played in the adidas F50.9 Rome but has been training this week in the F50i.

Ukraine v England

A strange game to choose perhaps seeing as England have already qualified whereas the best Ukraine can hope for is a play off spot. But one player will certainly be fired up for the game – Ukraine’s Andriy Shevchenko. His stay in the Premier League with Chelsea never really worked out and only today the Daily Mail newspaper included Shevchenko on their list of the 50 worst striker‘s ever to play in the EPL. At number 8 in case you were wondering.

So Shevchenko, now back at Dynamo Kiev and wearing the Reebok Valde Pro, will be doubly keen to show that he’s still got it. Two wins for Ukraine would be enough to take them in to 2nd spot above Croatia.

Republic of Ireland v Italy

The Republic are in an extraordinary position of still being able to win Group 8 but also missing out all together. But a positive result against Italy on Saturday will guarantee Trapatoni’s men 2nd place at least with the final positions coming down to Wednesday’s games when the Republic host Montenegro and Italy the Cypriots.

At least the Republic goes in to the Italy clash with a striker in rich vein of form. Robbie Keane, who wears the Nike Total 90 Laser II, has scored 6 times this season, 4 of those coming in a 5 – 0 home win for Spurs over new boys Burnley.

Honduras v USA

Another Spurs player could be instrumental in this game, the much capped Wilson Palacios. The Honduran ace has played in every EPL game for Tottenham this season and has helped his international side to pick up 9 points from their last 4 games.

The USA currently tops the group with 16 points, with Mexico on 15 and Honduras 13. San Pedro Sula is the venue for tomorrow’s encounter between the Hondurans and the USA who will be without star striker Clint Dempsey.

Palacios, in his Umbro Speciali’s, will be hoping that he, along with the likes of David Suazo and Carlos Pavon can put one over on the States and continue their fine progress towards South Africa 2010.

An increasingly uncommon feature among footballers is the title of being a “one club man”. This respectable declaration belongs only to a few of today’s superstars in the modern mega-money transfer market, and looks to become even rarer in the coming years.

But, how many players can say they’ve been a ‘One Boot Man’? Well, here’s our top three, one from England, one from Wales and one from Italy.

Steven Gerrard

With club since: 1997 (youth contract at age 17)
Team Awards Include: Champions League, UEFA Cup, FA Cup (2)
Personal Awards Include: Football Writers Assoc. Footballer of the Year (2009), Professional Football Assoc. Fans Player of the Year (2001, 2009), FIFPro World XI (2007, 2008)
Current Boot: adidas Predator PowerSwerve

Liverpool’s captain is one of the truest examples of a ‘one club man’ currently playing in the English game. Born in Whiston, Merseyside, Steven was a fan of the Reds from a young age and was given the opportunity to play for their academy at 9 years old, eventually signing a youth contract with the club in 1997. Of his near-thirteen year tenure with the Reds, how many years were as an adidas lad?

Almost all of them. Before Stevie G donned his pair of adidas football boots in mid 1999, he was actually a Nike man. That being said, over a decade with one brand speaks highly to Gerrard’s seemingly loyal personality… or at least, to adidas’ chequebook and their desire to keep one of their most marketable athletes wearing their Predator series.

Ryan Giggs

With club since: 1990-1991 (youth contract at age 17)
Team Awards Include: Premier League (11), Champions League (2), FA Cup (4)
Personal Awards Include: PFA Player of the Year (2009), PFA Team of the Century (1997)
Current Football Boot: Reebok Instante

One of (if not) the greatest Welsh footballers to ever play the game, Giggs has been with Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United since his teenage years; debuting in March of 1991 at the tender age of 17. What football boots has he worn during this illustrious career, and for how long?

Few are likely to know (or remember) that Giggs initially wore a pair of PUMA football boots. If you pay close attention to photographs of him with United in his early years, you’ll be able to see him wearing PUMA football boots in 1992 and early 1993. However, Giggs switched later in 1993 to Reebok, and has been one of their premier sponsorships ever since. Sixteen years with one football boot manufacturer? I’d say that’s long enough to call him a ‘one boot man’.

Paolo Maldini

With club: 1985-2009 (debut at age 16)
Team Awards Include: Scudetto (7), Champions League (5), Coppa Italia
Personal Awards Include: FIFPro World XI (2005), UEFA Team of the Year (2003, 2005), FIFA World Cup Team of the Tournament (1994)
Last Worn Boot: Nike Air Legend Tiempo II

Having retired at the end of the 08-09 Serie A season, Paolo completed his career where he played his first professional game – AC Milan. Over his career Maldini earned a legendary status with his surging runs as a fullback and his strength and smarts while at centreback. What football boot did he wear while doing it?

Although his career has spanned over two decades, the majority of it has been in a pair of Nike football boots. Even as far back as World Cup 94, Maldini can be seen sporting a pair of Nike’s; the predecessors to the football boots he wore in his last competitive game, the Tiempo Air Legend II. Maldini was one of the flagbearers for Nike’s football boots, which emerged in the early 90’s, and represented them faithfully for over a decade while playing at the highest levels of the game. ‘Solo Per Te’ indeed.

Let us know your favourite ‘one boot men’ by leaving a comment below.

A lot of us football boot enthusiasts—myself included—love to debate over boots and their manufacturers, and much time has been spent examining and arguing over which ‘brand’ is king.

Now, imagine a game where players were not divided by club or country, but instead by their allegiance to their boot manufacturer. A one-off game, or perhaps a tournament, to decide the best boot company based on the athletes which have chosen to support that ‘team’. Who would the companies choose to field in such an important game?

This week on ‘From The Sole’, I decided to have a go at arranging three Fantasy XI’s (as we love to do around here) based on such requirements. I gave heavy-hitters adidas and Nike their own squads, and also put together a ‘world brand’ side that encompasses the rest of the boot makers: Puma, Lotto, Mizuno, Umbro, Reebok, Diadora, Kappa, Lotto, and Under Armour.

The results were naturally three very impressive squads that I attempted to pick with teamwork, technique, and chemistry being the most important factors.

Team adidas – aka the ‘Triple Stripes’

GK: Edwin Van Der Sar (Predator PowerSwerve)
LB: Philip Lahm (adiPure II)
CB: Per Mertesacker (Predator PowerSwerve)
CB: Martin Demichelis (Predator PowerSwerve)
RB: Jose Bosingwa (adiPure II)

Jose Bosingwa

Defense: Edwin gets the nod over Petr Cech, who’s seemed shaky at times for Chelsea in 08-09. The monstrous 6’6” Mertesacker is chosen at the back to dominate in the air. Lahm, a promising (and already world-class) wingback, and Bosingwa, who had a great season with Chelsea, are also chosen along with the experienced Demichelis.

DMF: Xavi (Predator PowerSwerve)
CMF: Steven Gerrard (Predator PowerSwerve)
LMF: Robin van Persie (Predator PowerSwerve)
RMF: Lionel Messi (F50i)*
AMF/SS: Kaka (adiPure II)
CF: David Villa (F50.i)
* Messi has opted for a pair of F30’s over the F50’s.

David Villa

Mid/Attack: A passing based offence is coordinated by maestros Xavi and Gerrard, the latter of which can add a lot to the attack in the final third as well. Van Persie plays best when surrounded by other talented individuals, and will provide a strong left-footed cross while Messi terrorizes the right side with his dribbling abilities. Kaka’s crafty touch and Villa’s merciless finish round out a deadly and tactical attack.

Notable Exclusions: Frank Lampard, Daniele De Rossi, David Silva, David Beckham, Petr Cech, Michael Ballack, Dimitar Berbatov, Marcos Senna, Gabriel Milito, Ashley Cole, Gonzalo Higuain

Why? Lampard is excluded, as he can’t seem to find the right rhythm with Gerrard when they play together. Ballack too is left out, as I don’t feel he’d fit in as well with this passing-based flow. I chose Villa over Higuain, as I think Villa is a little more accomplished.
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Sharp-eyed Footy Boots eaders will undoubtedly have noticed that, despite the build up surrounding the new Reebok Instante boots, being launched at the Uefa Champions League final - only half the players that were supposed to be wearing them actually were.

Giggs wore the blue pair, Henry was due to wear the black and yellow version

Whilst Ryan Giggs and Thierry Henry both pledged their support in the viral video to promote the newest boot from the Bolton-based company, Mr Henry opted not to debut the Instante in Rome, and to add further insult to injury, didn’t even wear the second newest model (the Valde Pro), opting for the Sprintfit Lite Pro in white and red.

Unfortunately, Thierry’s management company haven’t been back in touch (though the chances of them ever replying to my ‘@hotmail.com’ email address were always minimal!) so we can only hazard a few guesses as to why the Barcelona superstar felt the Instante’s were lacking in a little Va-va-voom.

I can understand Henry preferring the Sprintfit Lite’s over the Valde Pro’s, they’re sort of the Mercurial Vapor to the Total 90, speed rather than power, and opting to have Henry model them in their explosive advert was probably just Reebok exploiting (arguably) their most recognisable player.

Henry recently starred in a video for the Valde Pro

The Instante, however, looks like it’s cut from the same cloth as the Sprintfit series; i.e. Ultra-light synthetic upper, no lace cover, emphasis on technology – so it would have to be something pretty fundamental, like the fit of the boot, that would stop Henry wearing it - and after reading comments from Footy Boots community members like ‘ollie’ who mentioned different fits between the adiPure I’s and II’s it’s not a stretch to think it could be something like that.

However, given that this was such a big event for Reebok, should Henry have honoured his agreement with his sponsors? After all the effort that went in to the videos of Giggs & Henry; has Reebok been left with egg on their face after the boot was only good enough for one of the players (and, sorry to bring it up Reds fans – the player on the losing team)?

Or does this send a different message to you? Like the idea that brands constantly tout the idea of ‘working closely’ and ‘developing’ products with the biggest players in the game, when this time it seems it wasn’t the case.

Henry’s relationship with Reebok won’t go up in flames, will it?

I’d like to give both parties the benefit of the doubt. As Henry was coming back from a slight injury, it’s understandable that he’d want to be as comfortable as possible, and playing in the boots he’s played in for most of the season would probably be the best thing to do for his mindset on the biggest stage for club football.

I’d also like to think that Reebok understood any concerns about the fit/performance of the boot and wanted the best for their relationship with their player – despite the cost it might have to their reputation…and to think - some people think I’m naive and idealistic!

It promises to be a great game in Rome tonight as Manchester United take on Barcelona in the Champions League final.

And for the football boot enthusiast, it could be the pinnacle of the season with a host of new boots on show.

Lionel Messi - adidas F50i football boots

Much has been made of this boot of late with adidas coming out all guns blazing in a big-time marketing launch including posters, videos and of course, an on-pitch debut by the Argentine magician.

adidas will hope that the Barcelona player enjoys more freedom than he did against Chelsea in the semi final and that the biggest club stage of all provides an effective back drop to their most important launch for some time.

Footy Boots Final Factor

A very handy 8.5 / 10

Most Interesting Bet 

Messi to miss a penalty - 16 / 1

Michael Carrick - Puma King XL

Not exactly new boots, but new to Carrick as he’s had them personalised for the big game.

The United player has had the words “UCL Final Rome 2009″ stitched to the outside of each boot and “MC 16″, his initials and squad number, added to the tongue.

Big job tonight to keep the multi talenet Barca midfield quiet.

Footy Boots Final Factor

Could go either way - 5.5 / 10

Most Interesting Bet 

To be substituted - 11/ 4

.
Ryan Giggs / Thierry Henry - Reebok Instante

It’s been a soft launch from Reebok as they try and repeat their success of last year when Giggs turned out in a unique pair of KFS Sprintfit Pro II’s.

But they have come up with a nice video which you can see here.

Footy Boots Final Factor 

Two quality players so a quality 7.5 / 10

Most Interesting Bet

Thierry Henry to score in any minute with 8 in it - 8 / 1

(And if we’d have found a picture of these two training together, now that would have been a story!)

Cristiano Ronaldo - Nike Vapor Superfly

Not new boots of course, but after his performances against Porto and Arsenal in the quarter-final and semi-final respectively, far too important to leave out of the equation. Plus, we found this excellent image of him training last night.

Footy Boots Final Factor

Potential match winner - 9 / 10

Most Interesting Bet 

To score opening goal 3 / 1

Introducing Reebok’s Instante, worn for the first time during the Champions League final by Thierry Henry and Ryan Giggs.

The Reebok Instante is not due for retail release just yet (July 2009), but will be showcased in the Champions League final by Thierry Henry and Ryan Giggs, assuming they both play of course.

Thierry Henry will be wearing the Reebok Instante in a Black and Neon Yellow colourway.

Meanwhile Ryan Giggs will be wearing the Blue and Neon Red version.

The Instante football boot, combines Reebok’s Power Unit technology and optimised lightweight design to provide added power and speed. The Instante will be available in with either screw in or moulded studs and will cost £100.

Reebok Instante Video - Champions League Mind Games

Thierry Henry and Ryan Giggs can also be seen vying to outdo each other in a series of competitive jokes and pranks in Reebok’s to support the Instante launch.

In the video, Henry and Giggs, can be seen playing a series of jokes delivered via text message, e-mail and even international courier. The film captures the competitive spirit and healthy camaraderie that exists between the two.

The opening scene depicts the footballing legends poking fun at each other via picture message. Each of them first receives an embarrassing old picture of themselves from when they were first making their mark in the game. The teasing builds, culminating in Henry receiving a cardboard cut out of the Champions League trophy with the words, ‘To Thierry, 2009? From Ryan.’

Thierry Henry:

It was good fun making the ad, as you can see Ryan and I don’t take ourselves too seriously, however that will be very different in Rome on Wednesday!

Ryan Giggs:

Thierry and I have known each other for years and always enjoyed a bit of banter and joking around but all of that is put on hold in Rome on Wednesday!

Competition is inherent in football - the game itself is based on it, and off the pitch there’s always talk of boardroom battles, bidding wars and mind games.

Away from the clubs themselves, the competition has been equally fierce between the sports brands; sponsorship deals on players, clubs, tournaments and even leagues are all opportunities for product placement by companies with unfathomable sums of money at their command.

Adias marketing at Euro 08

Competitions however have an candid characteristic: they have winners. I’ve grown up on the Nike Vs. Adidas competition, always assuming that both would always be there - but what if one of them achieved the impossible - what if one of them had complete market domination?

In one corner Adidas has an excellent reputation, their heritage is unrivalled (even involving a family feud with Puma!) and shows it in boots like the Copa Mundial and Samba, but they’re no slackers when it comes to research and development either, with their Predator range being arguably the most continuously innovative pair of boots on the market.

The Adidas Copa Mundial

However Adidas has always been something of the underdogs in this battle as Nike has always been (in terms of yearly profit) the ‘bigger company’. As such, Adidas seem to have developed a very defensive strategy; for example it’s not enough to have sponsorship rights to every World Cup since 1994 and through to 2014, but very recently have begun to pay extra to have no Nike adverts played whatsoever during the 64 games broadcast in the English language.

That’s not to say Adidas aren’t capable of taking the initiative, they’ve taken the fight to Nike on their own turf by becoming the official supplier to the MLS, providing all team kits, balls, referee uniforms and equipment. Also, in August 2005, Adidas bought Reebok, meaning that at the time, they were able to bring their business sales figures the closest to Nike’s that they’d ever been.

Adidas designed MLS shirts for Red Bull New York

In the other corner Nike; in the last decade or so have enjoyed a great share of the football boots and equipment market. Thanks to some excellent individual player sponsorship, the public in general are confident of the quality of Nike’s boots. However, the Nike name isn’t as ‘in your face’ as the Adidas brand, with Nike sponsoring far less of Europe’s major tournaments. Only match ball sponsorship in the English Premier League and the UEFA Cup/Europa League springing to mind - so how have they managed a majority share?

Nike has really shone with clever marketing schemes; I’d be willing to bet that 90% of this site’s readership have watched Christiano Ronaldo race a Bugatti Veyron in his Mercurial Vapors or seen Ronaldinho rattle the Nou Camp crossbar with impossible precision thanks to his signature boots; and that’s the reason why Nike don’t necessarily need the sponsorship clout that Adidas flaunt whenever possible.

Very expensive and totally ostentatious - the other one’s a Bugatti!

Not limited to the viral video plane, Nike have also matched Adidas in terms of growth - with Nike’s recent acquisition of Umbro (interestingly enough another Northern-English sports company) is an exciting statement of intent from the American company.

Realistically, both brands will continue in a long and prosperous fashion, but if you had to pick one - who do you think would come out on top - and why?

For once I’m going to come off the fence and say Nike - Adidas have had their financial pitfalls before (See: Bernard Tapie 1989 - 1993) which demonstrates they’re perhaps not as solid as they should be. In terms of products, Adidas are no longer the sole leaders in boot development like they were in 1990’s - Nike have stepped up their innovation recently with boots like the Superfly. Finally they’ve shown incredible creativity in the face of Adidas blocking a number of the conventional routes for advertising.

Coming soon, the Black / Yellow Superfly

But what do you think? Are you impressed by Adidas’ strong-arm sponsorship policies? Or should we be looking at some of the smaller companies who still survive every year thanks to their business models? Drop us a comment and let us know your thoughts!

Two games played and both Champions League semi finals are on a knife edge.

Chelsea’s brave defensive display earned them a draw at Barcelona but they’ll have to be careful at Stamford Bridge as an away goal for the Spanish side will see Chelsea needing to score twice.

By the same token, Arsenal will have to overturn Manchester United’s 1 goal advantage at the Emirates, whilst a goal there for Sir Alex Ferguson’s  team means the Gunners will have to find the net 3 times.

That aside, what we witnessed this week were 4 very good sides, all with collective and individual brilliance.

Which got us thinking – what would be our Champions League, semi final fantasy XI?

After much debate, argument and shouting, the Footy Boots office was split. The boss had his choice:

Alumina - Nike Total 90 Laser II

O’Shea - Adidas adiPure II  Ferdinand - NikeT90 Laser II  Terry - Umbro SX Valor II  Evra - Nike T90 Laser II

Yaya Toure - Nike Tiempo Legend II  Anderson - Adidas Predator Powerswerve   Fabregas - Nike Tiempo legend II

Messi - Adidas F50.9 TUNiT  Ronaldo - Nike Mercurial Superfly

Drogba - Nike Mercurial Superfly

The rest of the office came up with this:

Cech- Adidas Predator Powerserve Rome

Alves - Nike Mercurial Superfly  Terry - Umbro SX Valor II  Ferdinand - Nike T90 Laser II  Evra - Nike T90 Laser II

Iniesta - Nike T90 Laser II  Yaya Toure - Nike Tiempo Legend II  Giggs - Reebok Sprintfit Lite Pro

Messi - Adidas F50.9 TUNiT  Rooney - Nike T90 Laser II  Ronaldo - Nike Mercurial Superfly

So, do you agree or have your own opinion?

Use the comments section below to let us know how your fantasy side shapes up and we’ll poll the votes for each individual player and publish the definitive XI on Tuesday.

Even for the non-committed, it doesn’t get much tastier than Barcelona v Chelsea in the Champions League, semi final, first leg.

While supporters of Manchester United and Arsenal will doubtless argue that the ‘really important game’ doesn’t take place until Wednesday, the clash between the Spanish and English giants represents all that is good about Europe’s premier club competition.

Many experts are predicting that the game could be all over after the initial match up. And judging by the way that Barcelona sauntered past Bayern Munich in the last round they could be right. Chelsea, of course, were magnificent against Liverpool at Anfield but nearly blew it at home in the return leg.

So, just what will be the deciding factor in tonight’s game. The Footy Boots view is that it’s very much how Barcelona’s forward line will profit against Chelsea’s re-jigged defence.

And, as well as promising to be a gargantuan battle between individuals, it also offers a fascinating battle between football boot brands.

Barcelona’s Front Line

Lionel Messi – Adidas F50.9 TUNiT (Signature Line)

What superlatives haven’t already been used about Barca’s outrageously talented Argentinian international? The simple facts are that he’s the leading scorer in the CL this season with 8 goals from 9 matches.

Thierry Henry – Reebok Sprintfit Lite Pro

Still with a soft spot for Arsenal, Thierry Henry will relish the chance of taking on one of their closest rivals. His sticky start at Barcelona is now but a distant memory and he is an integral part of the Catalan side.

Samuel Eto’o – Puma v1.08

Puma clad Samuel Eto’o completes the Barcelona spear head. He recently scored his 100th league goal for the club and has 30 this season. Is in Barcelona’s all-time top ten list of goalscorers.

Chelsea’s last line

John Terry – Umbro SX Valor II / England Speciali

The England captain was suspended for the second leg of the quarter final against Liverpool and was sorely missed. Knows all about the threat of Henry after some famous duels in the EPL. Will need to be at his obdurate best to blunt the rapier attacks of the home side.

Alex – Nike Total 90 Laser II

Boy, can he hit them in his Nike footwear! It was Alex’s ferocious free kick that settled the nerves against Liverpool 2 weeks ago. With Carvalho suspended, Alex can expect a stern examination at the heart of the visitors defence.

Jose Bosingwa – Adidas adiPure II

Expected to move from right back to left back to cover the suspended Ashley Cole. Won’t have much to do tonight…..apart from mark Lionel Messi. So, no pressure then. His speed could just get him out of a few problems.

Branislav Ivanovic – Nike Total 90 Laser II

The unlikely hero from the Liverpool tie with 2 headed goals from the first leg. Unlikely to be given as much freedom in the Barcelona penalty box. That is, if he’s brave enough to venture over the half way line.

Reebok has revealed the first in a series of three new advertisements entitled ‘Play Responsibly’ to celebrate their most powerful ever football boot - the Reebok Valde. 

In the ads, Barcelona and France striker Thierry Henry is sensationally shown destroying everything from cars to buildings with a series of explosive strikes!

The dramatic ads, shot in Spain, show France’s all-time greatest goal scorer filmed using cutting-edge Hollywood special effects to vividly bring to life the power of the Valde boot.

Watch the video in the Footy Boots Video section.

Henry obviously had a laugh in front of the camera’s saying:

I had a great time making the ad – I’ve done many things with a football on the pitch but this is the first time I’ve used one to explode cars – a bit like being on the set of an action film!  It was a really fun, and an interesting way of showing the real benefits of this Power Unit boot technology.

Joining him on the set were the Reebok Ambassadors, a team of young amateur footballers who won Reebok Valde boot deals via a European-wide competition. They were given exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the Valde shoot, as well as being officially presented with their first pair of Reebok Valde boots by Thierry Henry.

Roy Gardner, VP Marketing Reebok Europe said:

The Valde is the most powerful boot Reebok has ever made, so we’re urging players to play responsibly when wearing them!

You can order the Reebok Valde Pro football boot by clicking here

Football is audacious. Cruyff’s turn, ‘The Ronaldinho’, Messi’s irresistible dribbling, Van Basten’s finishing, Xavi’s passing, Beckham’s crossing and Bill Shankly’s quotes are but a few factors that enable me to safely say, football is audacious.

Above even these points, it’s a safe bet to say footballers are audacious too. Whether it’s crashing cars, fighting in bars or completely insane hair do’s, the men we watch week in week out are in many cases, completely bonkers!

Over the years their choice in football boots has heightened the assumption of craziness, and in some cases complete lunacy. This week I look into five memorable football boot moments over the years.

1. “To run where the brave dare not go”

First up we have the late great Alan Ball. The early seventies were probably a time of lost identity and pointless acts of “character” if Alan Ball is anything to go by. After painting his football boots white and deciding he was to become the first man to play in white football boots, his dreams were all but flushed (excuse the pun) into the mud when the inevitable rain came. A few minutes and abusive fans later, Alan surely decided once you go black, you never go back! Little did he know at the time, he was a revolutionary!

2. “You can never get enough of what you don’t need to make you happy”

Quite possibly the most idiotic and simple act ever to grace the football boot world was one plundered by a certain Stanley Bowles. After cementing his reputation as the rock n roll star of seventies English football, Bowles decided he was such a hero that he could command two football boot sponsorships at once.  So when England played Holland in 1978 Bowles took to the pitch with one Gola and one Adidas boot.  Aside from looking like a plank with odd boots, the plan failed and Bowles continued his maverick career.

3. “When the itch is inside the boot, scratching outside provides little consolation”

Maybe I’m on my own here but I thought Lee Dixon was an excellent full back. He had the ability to defend his lines with ease and competency and got forward like many buccaneering full backs do in today’s relentlessly fast game. However one day in Dixon’s life will always be remembered above many others, for a stunning 30 yard goal in his new Brook’s boots. The boot had been ridiculed as Brook’s Builders Boot or Brook’s Wellies due to its enormous size and weight. Dixon looked embarrassingly immobile in the boot even though it was evident he could punt it a long way. It’s just a shame he punted it 30 yards over David Seaman and into his own goal!

4. “You may have a heart of gold, but so does a hardboiled egg”

Zinedine Zidane came into the 2006 World Cup safe in the knowledge his reputation as the modern days greatest player was intact. Surely nothing could ruin his swansong. His performances were sublime, a blast from the past and his golden shimmering boots were a delight on the eye. Made especially for the great man and never sold on the open market, his Adidas Predators were arguably the most popular in the brands long line. However much like a hardboiled egg, his gold on the inside was replaced by white light on the outside as his phenomenal career, and boots, saw a premature and trophyless end.

5. “What is character but the determination of an incident?”

David Beckham is the world’s most recognizable footballer. His face is the model for numerous Adidas football campaigns across the globe and his ability to pass, cross and assist has never been in question. However what remains a mystery is the infamous boot in the face incident. After apparently requiring two stitches and sporting a lovely cut above the left eye, Beckham’s relationship with Ferguson reached the point of no return. My question is this, what boot hit Beckham? Was it Adidas, Umbro, Reebok? Surely it would be a real kick in the face if it was a Nike? Either way, I wonder if that boot still lives on today, as someone could make a mint selling that on eBay!

And there you have it, five memories that will live long in the mind ranging from incredible stupidity to hardboiled eggs! Please know these are merely my opinionated five, get involved in the comments section and let us know your top football boot memories!

Ever since the first Premiership stars strolled out onto the pitch with their names and numbers stitched onto their football boots, having a pair of football boots that sets you apart has become a massive draw.

From the San Siro to Hackney Marshes, thousands of footballers are willing to pay a little bit more to have something that makes the pieces of synthetic super-material/crafted cow-hide on your feet into something a little less production-line and a little more unique chic has reached lucrative new levels. Adidas’ MiAdidas and Nike’s NikeiD services have allowed even the most unspectacular players to own a football boot that’s completely unique to them.

One off Nike football boots designed by fans for Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott

So, with the general public being just a few mouse-clicks away from creating the most appealing football boot to their tastes, how does a designer set our tongues wagging?

Make some football boots that money simply can’t buy!

For the special occasions and special players, designers can’t help but pull out the stops and offer something special:

Going back to the most recent World Cup final, after scoring possibly the most audacious penalty ever seen in a final, Zizou’s gold boots became the talking point of the next hour of football. Whilst they were eventually overshadowed by what was on his head (Marco Materazzi’s abdomen) Zinedine Zidane’s all gold Predator Absolute+’s and the captain’s armband were the ultimate send off for a national hero and an international icon.

In a similar vein, Adidas crafted some Golden Predator Powerswerve’s for their eternal poster-boy; David Beckham.

Designed to commemorate his 100th appearance in an England shirt, only 2 pairs of this striking colourway were made, one for field use and the other pair presumably going into some David Beckham Museum, sponsored by Adidas.

Never ones to be outdone, Nike have given American posterboy Clint Dempsey his own custom colourway MV SL’s, to compliment it’s new ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ initiative; a bold campaign that not only aims to get Americans to pay attention to the fact that they have a national footy team, but to get the rest of the world to take their team seriously – no mean feat considering that as the face of ‘serious’ American soccer, they’ve chosen Dempsey, who doubles as a rapper. ‘Nuff said.

(In all seriousness, I think Dempsey’s become a great player in his time at Fulham, and a fantastic representative of the progress the US National Team has made recently)

If ever there was a player who deserved their own football boot, Ryan Giggs would be pretty high on the shortlist. Clearly a man with strong commitment, Reebok-Sponsored Giggs must’ve shot down plenty of offers from other brands every time his endorsement with the Bolton based manufacturers came up for discussion. His fidelity was rewarded on the night of the Champions League Final 2008 via the Reebok Sprintfit Lite Pro II with a colour scheme deigned to match his Manchester United kit and a gold embroidery to celebrate his historic 759th appearance in the Red Devil’s strip, officially making him the most capped player in the club’s history.

This is obviously just a brief collection of some of my most memorable, and favourite one-off football boots, if there’s any you feel deserve a mention, leave me a comment below as I’d love to do a follow-up article and put the spotlight on some of your favourites.

Like-wise are there any players you’d love to see saluted with some custom cleats?

Multi-coloured Mercurial’s for Craig Bellamy – to match whatever colour shirt he ends up playing in next season?

Michael Owen with an NHS-blue Umbro X-Boots for going a month without injuries?

Cristiano Ronaldo hooked up with some Vapor SL Flippers for going a season without diving?