Mizuno has made a significant breakthrough in its attempts to become a bigger player in the English market.
The Japanese manufacturer has just announced that Roque Santa Cruz has joined the company on a two year deal as a global ambassador.
Not only will the Paraguay and Manchester City striker represent the company around the world, but he’ll also play a central role in the research and development of Mizuno Wave Ignitus, a revolutionary new football boot to be launched in May 2010.
Indeed, the 28 year old scored twice wearing a development sample of the boot in City’s 4 – 3 win over Sunderland at the weekend.
Santa Cruz wore PUMA in his Blackburn and Bayern Munich days
Mizuno have certainly got themselves a great name – Santa Cruz, who grew up wearing the Morelia, made his senior international debut at the age of just 17 and now has over 60 caps and 24 goals for his country. At club level he has a Champions League winner’s medal from his days at Bayern Munich and he scored 23 goals in 57 appearances for Blackburn Rovers before his £18 million transfer to Eastlands.
Upon signing his contract, Santa Cruz said:
I have to be comfortable and confident in front of goal. When I choose my boot, it needs to be able to cope with the pace of the game, handle my sharp movements and give me total control in the box.
Mizuno understands this better than anyone and I’m excited about helping them lead the way in 2010 and beyond.
Aside from trying to help City gain an all important top 4 spot in the EPL, Santa Cruz is hoping to play a major part at next summer’s World Cup finals.
Having been drawn alongside Italy, New Zealand and Slovakia in Group F, in what will be his third World Cup, the striker is desperate to get amongst the goals and reach the knockout stages and possibly, a tie against England. Looking ahead to South Africa, he said:
England have a great chance and I can see for myself what a World Cup would mean to the people here. It would be a dream tie.
nice swoop by mizuno. i really like they’re wave ghost at the moment and am really looking forward to this new release
Nice job by your headline writer. LOL.
Nice start Mizuno. To make a real go of it you need a couple more top drawer players though.
Santa Cruz is coming to Town !!!!!
Any other terrible headline puns out there?
Indeed Mizuno will need more top flight players if they want to make a presence in the EPL. Mizuno had a nice exposure during the 90’s, former Fifa World Player Rivaldo use to wear them, then they vanished and now it seems they are making a come back.
Little correction. During his Bayern Munich days he wore Adidas boots. Never seen him wearing Puma.
You may well be be right Adidas Fan but he certainly wore Puma when on international duty, even while still at Bayern.
Have any of you guys seen the new Mizuno’s that are gonna come out?? They look absolute killed although they might have some resemblance to Powerswerves
You guys have no idea about mizuno-footballers relations. Let me tell you this: Santa Cruz is not the first ‘famous’ footballer wearing mizuno, so you can’t say ”bravo mizuno, good start”. Really? Yes!Hulk of Porto wears mizuno too, cafu was wearing mizuno and Rivaldo had always been wearing mizuno boots. (some examples)