Discover the Best Soccer Boots in 2017: Our Top Picks and Reviews

I remember the first time I stepped onto the professional training ground back in 2015, watching young athletes struggle not just with physical conditioning but with something far more elusive - the mental game. One particular conversation with a rising Filipino football star has stayed with me through the years. He confessed during a training session, "I think my problem is like mostly mental. So the physical aspect is like always there pero ang madalas ko kasing kalaban is sarili ko." That raw admission about fighting oneself rather than the opponent across the field struck me as profoundly true not just for athletes but for anyone trying to perform at their peak. This mental battle often manifests in the most unexpected ways, including something as fundamental as choosing the right equipment. I've seen countless players psych themselves out before games because they didn't feel confident in their gear, particularly their boots. The connection between mental state and equipment might seem superficial, but when you're playing at elite levels, every psychological edge matters. That's why when we set out to discover the best soccer boots in 2017, I knew we weren't just evaluating stitching patterns and sole plates - we were assessing tools that could either amplify or alleviate that internal struggle my Filipino friend so eloquently described.

Take the case of Marcus, a collegiate midfielder I coached back in 2017 who perfectly embodied this internal conflict. He had all the physical attributes - speed, endurance, technical skill - yet he'd consistently underperform during crucial matches. During our sessions, he'd often mention how he felt disconnected from his game, how his boots never felt quite right, how he'd second-guess every touch on the ball. We filmed his training sessions and noticed something fascinating: when wearing his old, comfortable boots, his completion rate for passes over 15 yards was around 78%, but when he switched to the newer, more technologically advanced models he thought he should be wearing, that number dropped to 62%. The more he obsessed about having the "right" equipment, the worse he performed. His story isn't unique - I've worked with over thirty athletes who experienced similar equipment-related performance blocks. The quest to discover the best soccer boots in 2017 became particularly relevant for Marcus because his mental battle was so tied to his gear selection. He'd spend hours reading reviews, comparing stud patterns, analyzing materials, yet this research wasn't helping his game - it was paralyzing him.

The core issue here touches on something fundamental in sports psychology: when athletes say they're fighting themselves, they're often referring to the gap between their expectations and reality. My Filipino athlete friend's confession about being his own worst enemy resonates because it highlights how mental barriers can undermine physical preparation. In Marcus's case, his obsession with finding the perfect boots created what I call "analysis paralysis" - the more options he had, the more anxious he became. The 2017 boot market didn't help with this, offering an overwhelming 47 different premium models across brands like Nike, Adidas, and Puma. Each company claimed their boots provided superior traction, better ball feel, or enhanced power - claims that preyed on athletes' insecurities. I remember sitting with Marcus and explaining that the mental energy he expended worrying about boots was energy taken away from his actual game. We calculated he was spending approximately 5 hours weekly researching boots instead of working on his weak foot accuracy. This hyper-focus on external equipment became a convenient distraction from doing the actual hard work of improving his skills.

Our solution involved what I now call "conscious equipment selection" - a method that combines practical testing with psychological acceptance. When we set out to properly discover the best soccer boots in 2017 for Marcus, we created a blind testing protocol where he tried different models without knowing which brand or technology they featured. What emerged was fascinating: he consistently preferred boots that matched his playing style rather than those with the most marketing hype. The Adidas Ace 17+ Purecontrol, which he'd previously dismissed due to its unconventional collar design, became his top choice when he didn't know what he was wearing. His passing accuracy in those boots jumped to 85% during our tests. We also implemented what I call "equipment commitment" - once he selected his boots, he wasn't allowed to change or question his choice for six weeks. This forced him to stop blaming equipment and focus on his actual performance. The transformation was remarkable - within two months, his game-winning passes in competitive matches increased from 1.2 to 3.7 per game. He stopped fighting himself and started playing football again.

Looking back at that 2017 boot testing journey, what strikes me most is how equipment decisions reflect our broader mental approach to challenges. That Filipino athlete's wisdom about fighting oneself extends far beyond the pitch - it's about trusting your preparation and tools rather than constantly second-guessing them. The process of helping Marcus discover the best soccer boots in 2017 taught me that sometimes the "best" equipment isn't about technical specifications but about what allows an athlete to stop thinking and start performing. In the years since, I've advised numerous players to spend less time researching and more time playing in whatever boots feel instinctively right. The market will always have new technologies and bold claims - Nike's 2023 model reportedly has 25% more carbon fiber than their 2017 offerings - but the mental game remains constant. When athletes can quiet that internal critic, when they stop being their own worst enemy, that's when true performance emerges, regardless of what's on their feet. The right boots won't make you a better player, but the wrong mindset about your boots can definitely make you worse.