Not the best of all time, but probably the Top 1

It can be argued that we are in one of the best ever periods of time when it comes to football boots. There are boots for pretty much everyone and all sorts of types of boots to suit almost any playstyle. What is even better is that a lot of boots on the market trend towards being really good and we are seemingly spoiled for choice. In this case, one would not think that a remake of a twenty-two-year-old boot should stand out much, if at all.

However, as good as many boots on the market are, from the first wear immediately becomes obvious that the Mizuno Wave Cup SS Japan stands out above the rest. In a year that saw the modernization of much-loved favourites, Mizuno dropped a remake that is not only an exact remake of the original (barring a different last) but is a remake that shows that Mizuno has always been one of the best. I personally have a long history with the Wave Cup series and while I am definitely biased, once you play in the boots you will be too.

Fit and Feel

As is the case with most Mizuno Made in Japan products, when getting the boots out of the box for the first time the excellent quality of the leather and the overall product is immediately obvious. What is even more absurd is the fact that you have to remind yourself that the design of this boot was conceived before the 2002 World Cup. The leather is ridiculously soft out of the box as one would expect from a Mizuno product.

You would think that as many times as I have worn the Wave Cup, putting a new pair on feet is not anything special. But you would be wrong. That first time getting them on is always special. It almost feels like they have taken an exact mold of my feet to make the boots. And the thing is, almost everyone I have talked to has worn the Wave Cup has said something similar. It is one of the few boots that approaches perfection when it comes to the overall fit. Everything about the fit seems thoroughly thought out. The lacing system is deep and wide, so it allows for a lot of adjustability. The leather is very soft and very quickly takes to the shape of the foot.

Not everything is perfect though. The one spot that could be improved is the heel. The comfort in the heel is excellent, and the Wave system does an excellent job of taking pressure off the bottom of the heel. But, the heel shape itself is just a bit too wide for me. Most of the time there are no issues with the heels on Mizuno boots, and most of them have a great fit in the heel but the overall shape is probably the one part of the boot that needs to be changed. It is not super noticeable on most surfaces, but it becomes a bit more obvious when playing on artificial surfaces. It does not cause rubbing or blisters, it just allows the heel to slip around a little bit.

Apart from the heel though, the Mizuno Wave Cup SS Japan is a masterclass on how an absolute top tier leather boot should be. Everything from the stitching to the double stitching seems to line up perfectly to enhance the overall fit and feeling of the boot. Adding to the overall quality of the boot is the fact that the soleplate is riveted to the upper of the boot and from experience this greatly enhances the overall durability of the boot.

It is a simply unbelievable boot to the point that you run out of superlatives for it. But I will definitely try my best to get my points across. For example, the phrase “fits like a glove” is still often used for something that fits ridiculously well. Maybe we should start saying “fits like a Wave Cup”. Well, maybe that is a bit too far, but you can understand the overall point. They really fit that well and once you play in them, you immediately understand why these are considered one of the greatest boots of all time, especially among Mizuno fans.

For sizing, while many Mizuno boots these days do run longer, the Mizuno Wave Cup SS Japan runs true to size. So, stick with your normal size.

Touch

Unreal. There is this sensation to the touch on the ball that exceeds almost every boot on the market now, or ever. While that is some very strong praise, it is not made lightly. Saying the boot offers a second skin like sensation almost feels like doing it a disservice. It is out of this world good. The upper is the perfect balance between having some cushioning but it is still extremely thin there is little to get in the way of your foot and the ball. But even beyond that, the boot feels like it actively enhances the feel on the ball.

It is so great in fact, that even switching back to other leather boots it becomes obvious that there is a difference between the Wave Cups and other leather boots. This is not supposed to be a slight against other leather boots, of which there are many excellent leather boots on the market, but it just goes to show that the Wave Cup is just that step above everything else. In a market where synthetics are becoming the norm, the Mizuno Wave Cup SS Japan shows why leather has been and still is the best material when it comes to football boots.

Of course, saying the boot enhances your touch might be a bit much. After all, the player makes the boots, not the other way around. But in the Wave Cup it is very easy to believe that the opposite is true. In fact, for me personally, I almost feel like I have to raise my own game to meet the expectations that the boot is setting. And sure, a lot of this is in my own head, but the game is as much, if not more, mental as anything else.

This is not even touching on dribbling in the boot, which as you might expect is phenomenal. There is this otherworldly feeling that makes the boot feel like an extension of your own foot. The spectacular leather really shines here as much as anywhere else. Just perfection.

Passing and Shooting

It is funny because as much as this blog is a massive fan of power boots and the extra grip they provide, for pure feeling on the ball when hitting it nothing beats leather. You could say that the Wave Cup puts out exactly what you put in but even saying that feels like a disservice to the boot. Mentally, it feels like the boot is expecting you to put in a certain amount of technique, skill, etc. so it can produce as top level of an experience as possible.

But yeah, the long and short of it is that the leather and the fit combine to provide this almost unrivaled feeling when hitting the ball with power. Short passes, long passes, crosses, driven balls, all feel close to perfect in the boots. Just the slight bit of cushioning greatly enriches the feel on the ball. Saying it is second skin is definitely appropriate here. It fact, it is not a second skin, it is your skin. Now, as mentioned before the heel does cause a little bit of slippage for me on artificial surfaces but the actual part of the boot that makes contact with the ball is just incredible.

In fact, the soleplate greatly helps when hitting the ball because it helps lock the foot in the ground when hitting the ball. It is very well balanced and all of the back studs being equal length means that there is no weird feeling when hitting a long ball or shot.

Grip

Against most boots that have ever been released on the market or are now on the market the soleplate of the Mizuno Wave Cup SS Japan does look very weird. It does not look like it would provide the right grip, support or balance when playing. And yet, and yet it absolutely does all of these things with no issue. In fact, it goes beyond this. The soleplate has excellent grip on everything but the softest of surfaces and even on the worst artificial or hard ground surfaces you never feel the studs drag. And while the stud layout itself would lead one to think that the boot feels unbalanced underneath the foot, it is in fact one of the most balanced rides I have ever come across.

This is on top of the fact that there is no stud pressure to speak of. The soleplate is very comfortable to play in, and yet never feels clunky or heavy. Actually, it feels very agile and pretty responsive for a plate that is not designed for a speed boot. It is difficult to think of how it could possible be improved and for me it is the best soleplate of all time, no question.

Adding on to all of this is the excellent Wave System in the heel that helps take pressure off of the heel and the joints. Think of something like the stack in a running shoe, except much smaller. The best part is that it does all of this without even feeling any weird bulges in the heel.

It is so wild to think that the soleplate of the Wave Cup was designed about twenty-three years ago and yet still feels so modern even now. It is one of the major reasons why the entire boot stands the test of time.

Conclusion

It is difficult to describe something that I feel is so close to perfection in football boot form. No matter how much I try, it would still be easier to put them on everyone’s feet and go “See! That’s what I mean”. And again, yeah I am biased, but if you have worn the Wave Cup, then you know. I’d argue that much like the Morelia II Japan, Mizuno should always have the Wave Cup available. I personally would love to see more colours offered.

Aside from all of that, it still seems wild that a remake of boot from two decades ago is still so ridiculously good. And not just that, but they are still just as sensational and superb as they have always been. It is difficult to feel that there will ever be another leather boot at this level. There are some others that are very close, and far more that wish could be this close, but the overall package of the Mizuno Wave SS Japan is just something that surpasses everything. It may not be the best leather boot of all time, but it is certainly the Top 1.

What do you think of the Mizuno Wave Cup SS Japan? Make sure to share this with your friends and please follow me on Instagram and Facebook!

Also, please check out my weekly podcast, The Football Boot Hour, that I co-host with Boot Wizard James!

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