It’s here! The one evening you keep free, no matter what, because you’d rather walk over hot coals than miss your sacred five-a-side get-together. It’s what keeps you sane during the working week.
But are your boots past their sell-by date? Are they holding you back from scoring that wonder goal you’ve been dreaming about? Probably. With that in mind, we’ve put together a roll call of the best five-a-side boots out there.
For the most part we’ve chosen the very best boot in each individual line, so if you’re working to a tighter budget you’ll be able to find a cheaper version of the boot that will have fewer features but will probably serve you just as well. That’s especially the case with the Nike Phantom and Adidas Predator boots. We’ve listed the surfaces the boots are available for too, so you can skip over pairs that won’t suit your regular pitch.
Models available for: Artificial grass and indoor
If you have to have the latest, most exciting football boot going, splash out on the Nike Phantom Vision 2 Pro. It has Nike’s React cushioning – which the company uses in its running shoes to provide a comfortable, bouncy feel – in the midsole, while the textured upper and laceless design help you to keep the ball under control at all times.
Buy from Nike | £104.95
Models available for: Artificial grass and indoor
What to do when you’ve released so many Predator boots over the years that the word doesn’t strike enough fear any more? Add the word Mutator to the name! And then add a load of tiny spikes to the front of the boot. The spikes on the upper of the latest in Adidas’s beloved Predator line of boots are purportedly there to put precise amounts of swerve on your shots and passes, but we reckon they’re mainly there to look boss.
Buy from Adidas | £129.95
Models available for: Indoor
As you have no doubt noticed, five-a-side boots don’t come cheap these days, so why not get a pair that you can also wear when not playing? The Audazo v4 Pro is designed for futsal and other indoor football, with extra ankle support and a cushioned midsole to provide more comfort on hard courts.
Buy from New Balance | £80
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Models available for: Artificial grass and indoor
Ah, the Umbro Speciali. The boot worn by Alan Shearer at Euro 96, Roberto Carlos when he was whanging in those outrageous free kicks and Michael Owen when he scored the greatest World Cup goal of all time versus Argentina (we’ll heed no dissent on that). An absolute classic, and a reasonably priced option for your five-a-side outings too.
Buy from Umbro | £60
Models available for: Hard ground
You’re a footballing maestro – you don’t need expensive boots to show that! Prove it by playing in these very budget-friendly indoor boots from Decathlon, which also work well as an emergency office pair to stash in your desk for the days when you forget your £100 boots.
Buy from Decathlon | £12.99
Models available for: Artificial grass
If you’re forever frustrated by the fit of your boots then check out the Puma Future 5.4, which offers a customisable fit thanks to the netted upper, which you can use to set up your laces just so. Don’t worry that this will lead to gaffes when it comes to ball control, though: the soft, thin upper gives you all the feel for the ball you’ll need to shine on the pitch.
Buy from Sports Direct | £36.99
Good for: Astro turf and hard ground
Ah, a comforting dose of nostalgia. For 20 years the Mundial has been Adidas’s most popular football boot, and you’d need studs in your eyes to not see why. There are no hi-tech performance-enhancing claims here: you’re getting a leather upper, a rubber sole, a quick-drying lining, and a healthy kick of retro goodness that’ll help channel the past greats of the beautiful game (back when diving was something that only happened in a swimming pool).
Buy from Adidas | £109.95
