Cristiano Ronaldo changed out of a limited edition pair of Nike boots at halftime during Portugal's World Cup group stage match against Colombia. The forward had been gifted the 'Nike Mercurial Superfly 11 Gold Scorpion' boots prior to the game, which marked his achievement of being the first player to score in six World Cup tournaments.
Ronaldo had achieved the milestone by scoring twice in Portugal's previous 2-0 victory over Uzbekistan. Nike planned to release 2,026 pairs of the boots, priced at £242, referencing the year of the current World Cup.
After training in the new footwear, Ronaldo wore the gold scorpion boots during the first half against Colombia. He attempted three shots before the break, with one free-kick saved and two other efforts blocked, as the match remained scoreless at halftime. He returned for the second half wearing a pink pair of boots, which he and many other players have used throughout the tournament.
The substitution of footwear did not alter the match's outcome for Ronaldo, who is 41 years old. He did not register another shot on goal in the second half. Portugal was ultimately held to a goalless draw, securing their advancement to the last-32 as group runners-up.
It is uncertain if Ronaldo will wear the special edition boots again in the knockout stages. Portugal is set to face Croatia in the last-32, with a potential later match against Spain.
Portugal's manager, Roberto Martinez, stated after the match that the team needed the high-intensity game against Colombia to prepare for the upcoming stages. He noted that 22 players have already featured in the tournament, emphasizing the importance of squad rotation and player synchronization. Martinez affirmed that Ronaldo is in good physical condition and performed well throughout the match, having played every minute for Portugal in their three group stage games.