Women's soccer is booming and becoming increasingly popular by the day around the world. More matches are being broadcasted, funding is slowly increasing, and the women's game is starting to be treated on par with the men's - although there is still some progress to be made.
If you've been inspired by the growth of women's football, watching some of your favorite stars on television, there's no time like the present to get yourself out onto the pitch to play. Picking out the perfect soccer cleats isn't something you can leave to chance. These are precision-made boots made by some of the most popular manufacturers in the world.
It's only fitting that you put plenty of thought into your new footwear, from where you're going to play to what you're going to do with it – and luckily, you don't have to break the bank to discover the perfect pair.
Click here to skip ahead to our round-up of the best women's soccer cleats.
Our top three:
Best overall women's soccer cleats: PUMA Future Ultimate Brilliance
Best budget women's soccer cleats: PUMA Future Match Brilliance
Best Firm Ground soccer cleats: Ida Classica 22
FAQs:
What are the best soccer cleats?
There's no singular "best" type of soccer cleats – with so many ways to play the game these days, the best footwear is all down to the player's individual needs.
That said, several brands have emerged over the past half-century as leaders in the industry – Nike, adidas, Umbro, and more. While there are many manufacturers to choose from, these headline names have built their brands into global success stories because they know how to deliver the goods.
What type of soccer cleats do I need?
The individual type of cleats will depend on what you hope to achieve with your game and where you will play. Soccer pitches can be split into roughly half-a-dozen different categories. Depending on which one you play on, you'll want to purchase a cleat that best enhances your performance on those particular surfaces.
What kind of surfaces are there?
You can buy soccer cleats for five different surfaces – firm ground, soft ground, artificial grass, astroturf, and indoor courts – while in addition, you can purchase a sixth type, multi-ground, which covers varied combinations of the above. On tougher grass that's frozen in the winter? You'll want firm ground. On grass that's soaked in the rain overnight? Soft ground is your best bet. Five-a-side at the local sports hall? Indoor courts are the way to go. Knowing what you'll be playing on is sometimes half the battle. For a more detailed guide of each surface type, scroll down to the bottom of this article.