Quick Summary
Nike is revisiting the Joga Bonito name for 2026, channeling the spirit of Ronaldo Nazario's legendary 1998 Mercurial R9 boots into a lifestyle hybrid built on Sergio Lozano's Air Max 95 sole unit. The timing is deliberate, with the shoe set to arrive alongside the 2026 World Cup and tap into the same football energy that made the original Mercurial R9 one of the most recognizable boots in the sport's history.
The colorway, surfaced via @brandon1an on X, lands in Metallic Silver, Varsity Maize, Varsity Royal, and Black, a palette that maps closely to R9's celebrated boots and will read immediately to dedicated football fans. The upper carries the bold, assertive character of early Nike Football design while the Air Max 95 tooling grounds the build in sneaker culture, giving the hybrid a wearable everyday dimension that goes beyond a pure football reference. The name itself, "Joga Bonito," translates from Portuguese as "play beautifully," a phrase Nike made famous through its mid-2000s football campaign featuring Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry, and the Brazil national team. That campaign remains one of the most celebrated chapters in Nike Football history, and this release leans directly into that legacy.
The Nike Air Max Joga Bonito "R9" is set to release on July 2nd, 2026 via Nike and select retailers for a retail price of $180. Additional colorways of the silhouette are expected to follow later in the year. To stay informed on all things Nike and to stay up to date with the latest releases, connect with us on Instagram and Twitter.
Retail: $180
Style Code: IX8646-001
Colorway: Metallic Silver/Varsity Maize/Varsity Royal/Black
Release: Jul 2, 2026
Quick Summary
Nike is revisiting the Joga Bonito name for 2026, channeling the spirit of Ronaldo Nazario's legendary 1998 Mercurial R9 boots into a lifestyle hybrid built on Sergio Lozano's Air Max 95 sole unit. The timing is deliberate, with the shoe set to arrive alongside the 2026 World Cup and tap into the same football energy that made the original Mercurial R9 one of the most recognizable boots in the sport's history.
The colorway, surfaced via @brandon1an on X, lands in Metallic Silver, Varsity Maize, Varsity Royal, and Black, a palette that maps closely to R9's celebrated boots and will read immediately to dedicated football fans. The upper carries the bold, assertive character of early Nike Football design while the Air Max 95 tooling grounds the build in sneaker culture, giving the hybrid a wearable everyday dimension that goes beyond a pure football reference. The name itself, "Joga Bonito," translates from Portuguese as "play beautifully," a phrase Nike made famous through its mid-2000s football campaign featuring Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry, and the Brazil national team. That campaign remains one of the most celebrated chapters in Nike Football history, and this release leans directly into that legacy.
The Nike Air Max Joga Bonito "R9" is set to release on July 2nd, 2026 via Nike and select retailers for a retail price of $180. Additional colorways of the silhouette are expected to follow later in the year. To stay informed on all things Nike and to stay up to date with the latest releases, connect with us on Instagram and Twitter.
Retail: $180
Style Code: IX8646-001
Colorway: Metallic Silver/Varsity Maize/Varsity Royal/Black
Release: Jul 2, 2026
