Football boots have come a long, long way in 25 years.
While those who aren't all that bothered with boots will tell you that it's nonsense, they clearly have never experience the magical powers that adidas’s coveted Dribbletex technology and the "curly bits" on Predators can give you.
Whereas today, players can choose from several different brands, with several different variations in any colour they could imagine, back at Italia 90 you wore a pair of black boots from the following brands:
Adidas Copa Mundial
Paul McGrath rocking them in match against Italy, and Ruud Guillt on the promo advert, the Copa Mundials are seen as the true iconic World Cup boot. A timless design that is still used today, this was without a doubt the number one selection for players at Italia 90, and the Germans romped home to victory in their efficient German boots.
Nike
John Aldrige was a fan of the Nikes, but the US sportswear giant had not yet become the name in football that it is today back in 1990. A standard black boot that would later go on to become the Tiempo was the footwear of choice for those who went with Nike.
Puma King
Stan the man loving his Puma Kings.
Another boot that still has a fiercly loyal following to this day are the Puma Kings. A timeless boot that was incredibly popular back in 1990, you can see why, it's as no-nonsense as no-nonsense gets, and famously comfortable.
Diadora
Roberto Baggio takes a dive in the Diadoras, which typically were not seen on the feet of players who played outside of Italy. This was before Roy Keane made them a global sporting powerhouse, remember.
Lotto Stadio
Using the same picture as the Pumas above because it's bloody hard to find good pics from Italia 90, the Italian players were also big fans of Lotto, who you should vividly remember from watching Football Italia on Channel 4 in the 90s.
Hi Tec
Believe it or not, but Hi Tec weren't just the brand that your Mum bought in Dunne Stores because they were cheap and you needed something for PE, but as you can see above, Alan McLaughlin liked them and Steve McMahon would tell anyone who would listen about how great they were.
Kelme
We've no pictures of players actually wearing them, but Spanish players in particular were fond of their Kelmes. They also made Real Madrid's kit for a while, so they were a pretty big deal before Nike and Adidas became unstoppable juggernauts.
Asics
Take a bow Andy Townsend for playing at a World Cup in a pair of Asics. Now famous for making ridiculously comfortable running shoes, Asics used to make boots too, and pros actually wore them. Mad.
