All products featured on our site are independently chosen by us. When you purchase something through the links provided, we may earn a commission.
If you've started 2022 with the resolution to get back on the pitch - or you're just looking to pick up a ball for the first time - you're going to need to make sure that whatever bit of kit you get is just right for you.
But with the notoriously changeable UK weather, not every surface you play on is going to be a top-quality pitch, meaning you'll need to pick up some soft ground boots if you hope to make the most of matchdays.
We’ve rounded up the best soft ground boots you can get on the market today, depending on what you want out of your game – alongside answering the most commonly asked questions by players looking to get the most out of their purchase.
The football boots included in this article
- Best overall boots: Adidas Predator Freak.1 SG
- Best boots for comfort: New Balance Tekela Pro SG
- Best boots for control: Adidas Copa Sense.1 SG
- Best boots for customisation: Nike Mercurial Superfly 8 Elite
- Best boots for sticky terrain: Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 Elite SG
- Best budget boots: Umbro Velocita 5 Pro SG
- Best boots for old school vibes: Puma King Platinum SG
- Best boots for acceleration: Adidas X Ghosted.1 SG
What are soft ground (SG) boots?
Soft ground boots, typically shortened to the speedy acronym SG, are shoes specifically crafted to provide the optimum experience for players upon heavy-duty grass surfaces with marshy textures underfoot.
Arguably the second-most common type of boot to be found on the market after firm ground boots (FG), they tend to be constructed with mixed stud configurations across the soleplate, designed specifically to offer additional traction over turf that otherwise could prove tough to traverse.
Soft ground boots remain a vital tool for many top-flight athletes when the weather calls for it, from the Premier League to Serie A and beyond.
What surfaces can soft ground boots be used on?
Soft ground boots are specifically built for use only upon soft ground surfaces, though they will likely prove functional over different terrain, such as firm ground and artificial grass.
However, players are unlikely to reap the full benefits on these surfaces and it is therefore recommended that they are kept exclusively to soft ground, if possible.
If you're looking for football boots suitable on other surfaces, read GOAL's comprehensive round-up of the best football boots in 2022.
What is the difference between soft ground boots and others?
There are several differences – some large, some subtle – between soft ground boots and boots designed for different surfaces. Studded soles, for example, are no good on indoor courts, while you’ll need a different type of boot altogether to perform well on astro turf.
Soft ground boots also tend to be built with traction-oriented control in mind to reduce slippage over less resistant terrain – a vital part of the job when it comes to ensuring players can reach their full potential.
With that in mind, here are the best soft ground (SG) football boots that you can get right now.
Best overall soft ground boots: Adidas Predator Freak.1 SG
Get that superior edge over your rivals on the field with one of the best soft ground options out there now, in the form of the Predator Freak.1. There are lots of clever facets across the full Adidas range, but this model brings together the best elements across the pitch.
With a Demoncut body matched to a laceless structure, complete with a raised upper hued in gorgeously deep red shades, its aggressive rubber combination helps to deliver all-round mastery on and off the ball, whether you're in the box or on the wing. It’s a fantastic option to have in your arsenal.
Get them from Adidas for £144.00 (was £180.00)
Best soft ground boots for comfort: New Balance Tekela Pro SG
You only have to look at the Tekela Pro to just feel the warmth it radiates. With a knitted ankle support, it's a boot that suggests the ability to play the game in your slippers, such are the levels of comfort it offers.
Its textured design looks and feels unique, even among so many other designs that stand out from the crowd in this day and age - and with a laceless style beneath its padded collar, it will ensure that there is a tight fit for any player, no matter their position and workload.
Get them from Sports Direct for £129.99 (was £179.99)
Best soft ground boots for control: Adidas Copa Sense.1 SG
Everyone knows how dangerous a misplaced touch can be - but the Copa Sense.1 works to help you in making sure the ball won't get away from you too easily, accentuating your overall command on the pitch.
A Fusionskin leather upper married to a foam padded heel helps players to pivot at short notice and its well-honed construction allows it to deliver an almost sensual display of action, whether looking to rob possession or drive the game back downfield.
Get them from Adidas for £135.00 (was £180.00)
Best soft ground boots for customisation: Nike Mercurial Superfly 8 Elite
Hasn't everyone always dreamed of designing their own boots? Well, now you can put your own spin on a top-of-the-line soft ground shoe, with the Mercurial Superfly 8 Elite, available as part of Nike's Design Your Own range.
With a stretchy collar to help provide additional support, and innovative plate design on the outsole to help create multi-directional traction and lift-off, it will deliver on the pitch - but come on, you'll want these just so you can decide how awesome they'll look.
Get them from Nike for £174.97 (was £249.95)
Best soft ground boots for sticky terrain: Nike Mercurial Vapor 14 Elite SG
Soft ground boots are made to cover plenty of surfaces that offer a different kind of resistance, but mud-caked turf is one of the worst for getting you bogged down - quite literally, in fact.
Enter the Mercurial Vapor 14 Elite. Not only will it provide a burst of pace, its anti-clog design means that it will cut through surfaces without trailing those clumps after you to slow you down - and it'll prove easier to clean than many of its rivals too.
Get them from Nike for £234.95
Best budget soft ground boots: Umbro Velocita 5 Pro SG
Want to deliver a sharp finish at a sweet cost? The Velocita 5 Pro - in an electrifying two-tone colour combination of blue sapphire and lime punch, no less - is the kind of boot that delivers great results at a more affordable price.
A seamless neoprene layer tops off a Memory Flex upper to help craft the shoe to the body of your foot, while a laser-cut design allows maximum stretch, in order to ensure comfort and flexibility no matter what you do on the pitch.
Get them from Umbro for £77.50 (was £155.00)
Best soft ground boots for old school vibes: Puma King Platinum SG
There’s something greatly enjoyable about bringing back the old-fashioned black boot – and the King Platinum earns the reception, casting it all back to the early days of classic boot design with a top-drawer Puma package.
A premium K-leather upper works itself into a knitted tongue, to help keep a smooth, classical finish intact, yet those yesteryear vibes won't come at the expense of control, thanks to its 3D texture, which helps command first touch success.
Get them from Sports Direct for £145.00 (was £179.99)
Best soft ground boots for acceleration: Adidas X Ghosted.1 SG
There’s no mistaking the pace you can gain from a stationary start with these on your feet – the X Ghosted.1 will help you spook your opponents in more than one way, allowing firm lift-off from wherever you are on the pitch.
A Speedmesh upper helps streamline progress as you cut forward and backwards, with a slight spring around the toe section helping to maintain propulsion with every step you take across the field.
Get them from Adidas for £135.00 (was £180.00)