The Nike Mercurial Miracle II is the third tier from the top in the Mercurial line of lightweight soccer shoes, and is there as a cheaper alternative to the Vapor. When you slide this boot on your foot for the first time and tie them up, you will notice that the Miracle does not hug the instep of your foot like the Vapors do. Those of you that have worn Vapors in the past will know what I am talking about. This makes for a slightly wider fitting boot than the Vapor, giving this shoe a slightly different feel. I do have to say that from the first time wearing these boots, they were certainly more comfortable, and much less stiff than the Vapors are, making the break-in time much easier.
The upper is still made of Teijin synthetic leather as the Vapors, but has a thin layer of mesh-like lining that makes the boot much more comfortable from right out of the box. The heel liner and insole are the exact same as the Vapors and will provide a solid amount of comfort. The boot is not too wide, so if you have very wide feet, this will not be your best option. Another difference from the Vapor, is the lack of the fiberglass sole plate. Instead you get only the heel area that has a fiberglass sole, with the rest of the boot simply being the standard plastic bottom. I didn’t find this boot to fit as tightly and as close to the foot as the Vapors do, but I did find the fit of this boot slightly more comfortable. I wore my usual size 9US for review and would recommend ordering your normal size.
Weight
The Nike Mercurial Miracle II has a listed weight of 8.6oz, which is on the heavier side, as far as lightweight soccer shoes go. When I weighed this boot with my own scale it only weighed in at 8.2oz, very close to the weight of the Vapors. This shoe feels very light on your feet. It will not give you that barefoot sensation that you will get from the adizero line or Puma’s V-speed line, but will still feel nice and light on your feet.
Traction
Although the soleplate is not the same as the Vapor, the stud pattern still remains to be the same. The stud pattern consists of all blades that are brought together to form triangle like patterns on the bottom of the boot that make for very good multi-directional traction. Because the studs are a little bit shorter, they will not be ideal if the ground is on the soft side, but they will still do the job. The one thing that I can say about all of the Mercurial line of stud patterns is that they all seem to give you that feeling of always being on your toes. I don’t get this feeling with any other boots, so that’s one thing that I have always admired about the Mercurials.
Touch
The upper of this boot is definitely thin, but not as thin as a higher end speed boot would be. Although the upper is listed as the same material as the Vapors, which it is, it is not constructed in the same way. On the Vapors, the upper feels like one thin layer, but on the Miracles, the upper feels more made up of layers, especially since they included the mesh lining in the boot. That being said, this is still a thin boot, and the quality of the synthetic is still very good. Like I have always said with all of the Mercurial line, dribbling feels very natural. I would say the feeling is like playing barefoot, but with some padding on your feet. I didn’t find the upper quality to be as good as the Vapors, but it is not far off.
Shooting
This is a bare bones upper with no shooting elements. The feeling of shooting bare foot, with some minimal padding of course, is the feeling that you get when striking the ball. For whatever reason, I have always felt like bending the ball always seemed easier when using a boot with a thin upper. Perhaps this is because with a thin boot you can feel exactly where on your foot you are striking the ball, allowing for more precise shots.
Durability
The Mercurial line has always been one of the most durable lines of shoes that you can get. Nike always makes very high quality synthetics that hold up incredibly well. If you need a cheap pair of boots that are going to last, The Miracles are certainly a good option.
Protection
This is not going to the most protective boot. The upper, although not as thin as most speed boots, is still thin and will not cushion much of the blow should you get stepped on. That being said, this is designed to be a lightweight boot and is not intended to be safe. The goal with a lightweight soccer shoe is never to protect your foot, but rather to get your foot as close to the ball as possible.
The Verdict
The Nike Mercurial Miracle is the little brother of the Vapor. The fit is a little more generous, and the upper is not quite as thin. The break-in time is minimal and this boot will last for a long time. If you are not on a large budget or would simply like to give the Mercurial line a try, the Miracle is a fairly small investment for a very solid boot.
| Comfort/Fit | 7 out of 10 |
| Weight | 8 out of 10 |
| Traction | 8 out of 10 |
| Touch | 7 out of 10 |
| Shooting | 7 out of 10 |
| Protection | 6 out of 10 |
| Durability | 9 out of 10 |
| FINAL SCORE | 52 out of 70 or 74% |
