Andrew Rizzo The creation of Nike Cryoshot, a collection of archival Nike football boots reimagined for lifestyle wear with encased soles, has pushed Nike to explore other hybrid territory. Most have blurred the line between Air Max and soccer, nodding to the long history of soccer legends repping iconic Air Max models on the world’s biggest stages. Following an extremely well-executed Air Max 90 pack comes a new hybrid inspired by one of the greatest cleats ever made.
Nike is dropping a new model called the Air Max Joga Bonito R9, combining the upper of Ronaldo Nazário’s iconic Mercurial R9 with the sole unit of the Air Max 95. The Mercurial R9 debuted in 1998 as the first-ever Mercurial shoe, cementing an unmatched place in Nike football history. Its original colorway returns as a Nike Cryoshot release during the 2026 FIFA World Cup and serves as the launch colorway for this new hybrid. It also forms the base of Patta’s Cryoshot collab, though that style opts for a black, silver, and orange colorway. Some might remember the short-lived Air Max Mercurial R9 from the mid-2010s, but we wouldn’t blame you if you’d deleted that from your memory.
The Nike Air Max Joga Bonito R9 releases July 2nd, 2026 for $180, timed to the Round of 32 World Cup matches.
WHERE TO BUY
Mens Nike Air Max 95 Joga Bonito R9
US 07/05/2026 Sunday
Powered By:
| Retailer | Release type | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Nikestore | Standard | Check Site |
