How do Soccer Shoe Designs Influence Performance on the Field

When we go through some of the most detailed research works, we find that soccer shoes are certainly huge influencers of one's game on the Field. However, fully in-depth research has not been published yet. Soccer has grown at a high rate, the same is not the case with research in soccer cleats and their influence. 

The only comfort is not the reason behind choosing a pair of women’s or men’s soccer cleats. There's a lot more to analyze for a brand to be desirable for an individual player. The features include injury protection, agility, accuracy and build quality. Any of the above-mentioned cannot be neglected in any case. It's just that the priority of these can differ from player to player. 

The Evolution of Soccer Cleats Design and Material

With the popularity of soccer increasing day by day, the sport has started generating a lot of revenue. The same was the case when it was just in its introduction stage. With many people competing in the game, it led to extensive research in the quickness and acceleration of players. It was to find room for improvement on the Field.  

Then came the brand called Adidas that introduced its first high-end shoe. Men’s Adidas soccer cleats caught the attention instantly, and the brand has been in the titles since then. The competition arose as there were no soccer cleats below 500 grams until Adidas achieved the milestone. 

Then came the synthetic material that brought the weight of soccer cleats for the down to 200 grams. These breakthroughs kept on coming and it led to drastic changes in the on-field performance. 

The real question is "To what extent?". 

The Influence of Soccer Cleat Design

• The Distance Covered on the Field

Many studies have been carried out regarding the distance covered by a player in a match wearing different soccer cleats. There's no surprise in the results as there was a significant difference when the player changed the cleats in the second half. After all, unlike the traditional types, lighter cleats do not ask for too much. 

Every player on the Field has to run a lot and get close to the opponent's goal. Lack of running ability also influences long and short passes that, in turn, can change the outcome of a match. 

• Comfort Level

As mentioned above, comfort is one of the most desirable properties of a soccer shoe. One cannot just exert himself physically until the body and equipment allow. The research was conducted regarding the time to reach the extent of a player's comfort zone. And as expected, the time gap was huge. 

• Accuracy

The most essential skill of any player is the accuracy to pass and shoot. Other than agility and speed, one must be able to judge the strength, direction, and area needed to kick the ball. Here, the pressure distribution, friction, spin production, shoe mass, etc. everything comes into play. 

• Stability and Traction

After comfort, stability and traction on the Field is the topmost priority. However, the research that identified the traction and stability of cleats was tricky to carry out. Still, we found that if there's a uniform distribution of weight throughout the soccer cleats, traction and stability is better. There is still a lot of research needed to find it out objectively. 

• Kicking Speed

Having a shot on the goal post is undoubtedly one of the crucial aspects of playing soccer. The soccer shoe design can affect the kicking speed as well. However, it was the least influenced factor once we changed the design and weight of the soccer cleats. It's because of the heavier boot that produces more mass along with the pressure applied by the player. 

Factors Involved in the Design of a Soccer Cleat

The following list shows the various factors that different soccer cleats have. 

• Shoe geometry
• Scattering of studs beneath the soul
• Width of the studs
• Pressure distribution throughout the foot
• Outsole construction
• Stiffness of the shoe plate
• Internal padding
• Length and width of a soccer cleats

To analyze the design of women or men's soccer cleats, when it has to be from a different perspective. Preferences regarding design, wait, material and the best quality are different for every subject.