At first glance, it seems like Nike's direct competitor to Adidas' Copa Mundial....but is it?
Well, yes and no. Spoken like a true politician.
Generally there's a like for like matchup between Nike and Adidas when it comes to boots. Adidas have the Predator, Copa, Nemeziz, Ghost & Copa Mundial. Nike have the Phantom GT, Tiempo, Mercurial & Premier 2s. If you're eagle-eyed you may notice a silo missing from the Nike line-up which was because of the Venoms and Visions being streamlined into the Phantom GT. We still don't know if Nike are going to surprise us with a completely new model in 2021, I doubt it. I suspect one reason is because the Premier 2s, do such a great job of competing with the Copa Mundial as a heritage boot and versus the Adidas Copa Sense series too.
A behemoth indeed. But can it take on 2 challengers?
Well in my opinion, it does admirably. I feel it competes blow for blow with the Mundial and does a good job duking it out against the Copa, though eventually does tire out and fall in the tech matchup.
Nonetheless, Nike have done an outstanding job with this cleat.
Primarily, the Premier II is the alternative to the Mundial. So I'll try a comparison in terms of the review going forward. We will try to come back and throw in the Puma King as a 3rd heritage competitor in due course.
Comfort wise, it was a little tight, straight out of the box. The upper is completely k-leather (kangaroo) so supple and so soft on touch, but I was surprised by the rigidity of the tighter fit. Confused? Well, leather boots, you always want to size down at least 0.5. Not so that you get fresh out of the boot good fit like modern synthetics, but so you can stretch into the leather over time. Leather is a bit like plasticine, it suffocates your foot initially but moulds to it. Getting the boots on wasn't a struggle but afterwards, it felt a little tight along the upper. I felt it had give if I flexed my foot, and my natural first impression is that this will widen sweetly.
If there's any trainer fans out there, this boot reminds me of the Nike Cortez, of Forrest Gump fame. They look really nice, have the Nike DNA, and are probably what most people would call the classic Nike look. Unlike the Cortez trainers (how many people have twisted their ankle with those soles!) the sole plate stabilises everything nicely and offers your ankle ample support.
This is what I really like about the Premier II, at it's heart it is the same boot from the 70s, but it HAS been modernised, there's tighter lockdown which sticks around longer because Nike have given strength to the shape of the boot, the tongue tweaked, the sole plate modified. You can be a fan of the Mundial, but there are improvements, though minor, that can and probably should be made.
FIT: True to Size. I went true to size, and though a little tight, I didn't feel restrictive or painful. Some people did suggest sizing up a half, but I felt personally, this was for short term gain. You get minimally better comfort out of box but because it's premium leather it will stretch, so will wear in better for the long term. I'd play it safe and stick true to size.
The price of these boots is where it slaps the Copa Mundial in the face. Coming in at approx £80-90, they are roughly 20% cheaper than Mundials as a minimum. Shop around though, as you can get them for as cheap as £50 brand new off eBay, so the price variance is greater than the Mundial too.
Tech wise, its a bit more modern looking than the Mundial but still retains that heritage vibe. It's similar to the Tiempo in some ways. A mix of old and new. This is where it steps out of the shadow of the Mundial and carves a niche out for its own. If the Tiempo is a modern boot with nods to the past. The Premier II is a heritage boot with nods to the now.
Many say the Mundial doesn't need to change, but I've said before, there's tweaks that can be made, for the brave of course. Adidas have made a rod for their own back because their lack of modernisation loses younger players. Any veering from their blueprint however, will have the traditionalists up in arms. Nike don't have that issue as they have always stayed loyal to the spirit of the Premier rather than sticking blindly to a rigid blueprint, it gives them freedom. It comes down to common sense, they make very slight changes, not enough to upset the purists, but enough to bring younger ages to the party. Do the modernisations work though?
Yes.
The Premier delivers a modern take on the classic. I can't quite say if they are better than the Mundial though. They are cheaper, but the material on the Copa Mundial looks and feels better. The fit isn't quite instant as the Copa Mundial but it's lighter, and takes on less water on rainy days. The studs are shallower and smaller too, so are perfect for AG surfaces, more so than Adidas' champion. The tongue is also better, it has that retro look but is rigid and has Velcro to keep it pinned down. It's a nice look, which doesn't get in the way of your 5-a-side game.
I love the Copa Mundial but the Premier 2 is it's equal. The comfort isn't as good, but your saving massively on the cost, so the only way you can truly separate these boots, is through personal choice. I'll come back, after several months to see if I've come to a judges decision on points, or whether it's dead heat. All you need to know is that these boots are top dollar, one of the best out there. Don't be fooled by the price and don't be swayed by Adidas fan boys. I can't separate them.
Quick mention, that the Premier comes in several colourways, blackout, white, beetroot, gold, blue, red....whereas there is only 1 Copa Mundial in black.
I like the variety of colours, but that doesn't mean I can't like the purity of there being just 1 black Mundial colourway. You really can't separate these 2.
Overall for the casual gamer, both the Premier II and Mundial offer great value for money. They are heritage boots, do the job, and there's nothing wrong with that.
But you also have to accept that times have moved on. Straight up, against modern competitors, they don't always stack up. But if you like leather (editor: calm down Frodo) cleats for the feel and don't think (or your too old to change your ways) synthetic is ever gonna win you round, then its a choice between 2 great boots......they just miss some of the modern features, that you can't deny make footballs boots better.
Price: £50-80
Fit: True-to-size
Tech: Leather upper, tongue covering lacing with velcro
Comfort: Cushioned, moulds to foot over time, poor lockdown, but still comfortable due to a nice AG/FG sole plate and studs
Look: The Premier is Nike. Traditional looking but with multiple colourways, you can spice it up
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