Inside Nike’s Montebelluna Factory

It’s time for a look inside the factory where Nike makes the boots you’re not good enough to get.

As much as they may want you to think that it’s true, when you go online and buy the same boots as your favorite player, you’re not getting the same boots. They may be pretty close (and they better be for 200+ doll hairs), but they’re just not the same. The reason: their boots are made at a different place. A very special place where only the best cobblers craft the glass slippers for the world’s fairy-tale footballers. Well, that and Nike doesn’t care about you as much as they care about Gerard Pique (or whoever you like).

I know that must be hard to hear, but someone had to tell you. The place these football superstars who are lucky enough to be sponsored by Nike get their boots made: Montebelluna.

The town of Montebelluna sits approximately 67 kilometers northwest of Venice in Northern Italy and is home to only Nike’s most skilled craftsman. Just think about this: the dudes who work here have to follow a 128 step process in order to create these lush new Nike Tiempo Legend IV Elites. Absurd.

Check out photos from the behind the scenes adventure with some technological insight from the guys at Footy-Boots:

The upper is shaped to the last using these two machines to apply heat and pressure to ‘mould’ the premium K-Leather upper of the Tiempo Legend IV. Notice the pair of football boots that have crashed through the wall – whilst most players would love SG versions of the new Legend Elites, not only are Nike not selling them – they’re using them as wall decorations just to rub it in!

Before the sole can be applied to any pair of football boots, any leftover material from the upper must be sheared off to ensure a flush fit. Easily one of the most important steps in the process, this will prolong the life of the boot, increase the comfort and really goes to show the attention to detail that Nike’s craftsmen dedicate to each pair of their signature soccer cleats.

Tiempo Legend IV poster-boy Gerard Pique is the lucky recipient of these hot-off-the-press football boots, and we can see that he’s requested an SG sole (suola) and the Barca Centre back likely has a special insole or insert in his boots (‘inserire’ in the ‘Note’) section.

Ruud Van Nistelrooy prefers a size 10.5 boot, Flywire Elite upper with a non-elite sole on his Tiempo Legend IV! Amazing!

I want some wall decorations like that. Hit up the Nike Football Facebook page for the full shtick.