Nike Tiempo Legend 7 Elite 10R
Every few months a new Ronaldinho compilation shows up on social media, and we’re all reminded just how good a player he was. You’d think it’d get repetitive seeing the same clips multiple times, but all it takes is a couple of bits of skill and we’re seduced by the samba man once more.
To be fair, we’ll take any opportunity to indulge in a Ronaldinho love-in we can get, so we’re more than welcoming of a second remake of R10’s White/Gold Air Legend Tiempo, especially when it’s as stunning as this 2018 limited edition. Highly limited edition, this release pays tribute to the man who played with pure joy for the game by reimagining the boots that saw his best matches. Join us by indulging in the glory of these images – this is an absolute beauty of a boot.
The design closely replicates that of the 2005 original – far more so than the 2015 revision – infact as remakes go this is as near perfect of the 2005 upper, with the quintessentially Ronaldinho white and gold K-Leather down to the five stars on the heel for Brazil’s five world cup victories. The only major structural difference being the modern, one-piece soleplate borrowed from the Tiempo Legend VII. Not something you can really argue with; soleplate tech has moved on so much in the last decade that there’s no real case to be made for going retro. And let’s be honest, that shiny chrome effect on the new boot looks “gold” in a way that matte-finish plastic never could.
Also gone is the heavyset external heel counter, which has been replaced on the outside by a leather panel with additional gold line details that mimic the ridges in the plastic on the 13-year-old model. It’s a good compromise, preserving the look of the original but in a sleeker, more refined style. That’s an accurate way to sum up the 2018 boot in general: it has all the best features of the 2005 edition, making subtle but necessary improvements to the design to bring it bang up to date in terms of weight and performance.
Aesthetically, there are only a few changes. The “10” on the tongue has made way for an all-white version of Ronaldinho’s 10R logo, while the cut of the leather around the lacing section is jagged rather than straight – another nod to the Legend VII. You’ll also notice that the toe box is slightly elongated compared to the original, adding to the sleeker appearance, and of course each pair of boots is individually numbered owing to their limited edition status.
We’re a little bit blown away by what Nike have come up with here – literally every single design decision is exactly what we would have done in their shoes. Some people will hold onto the nostalgia of the 2005 original, but for us, taking everything into account, this is the best Ronaldinho boot ever made.
Meanwhile, if you’re a five-a-side monster, yes, there is an indoor version, which boasts an almost identical upper to the FG boot (all the same details, just made from calfskin rather than K-leather) seated instead on a white Lunarlon midsole with a golden lattice of “10”s visible underfoot. Rainbow flicks at the ready, it’s samba time.
The Nike Tiempo Legend VII Elite 10R football boot and Nike Tiempo Lunar Legend VII Elite 10R indoor court shoe are available to buy in strictly limited numbers at prodirectsoccer.com - be quick, click the image below to shop your pair
