As the name implies, soft ground cleats are designed for soft natural turf. If you often play on wet, muddy fields or live in an area where it rains frequently – then you should have a pair of soft ground cleats in your collection. So what should you look for when picking the best soft ground soccer cleats?
In a hurry? Jump straight to our reviews of the best soft ground soccer cleats.
What are soft ground soccer cleats?
Soft ground shoes – which you’ll see notated with an “sg” in the boot name – feature longer, more pointed studs for maximum grip.
Often, soft ground boots will have six or more removable studs made of metal or injection molded plastic that can be swapped out for longer or shorter studs – which is optimal if you’re playing on both wet ground and natural grass on different game days. If you enjoy the idea of customizing your stud selection, then you should own a pair of SG cleats.
In addition, sg cleats are more durable on slippery grass and cushions and will prevent slippage. Their thick, metal studs can penetrate the ground better. This ensures better traction, guaranteeing you the best performance on the move.
As a general rule, sg football boots are the most expensive soccer cleats on the market. So if you’re going to make a significant investment, then you want the cream of the crop.
For more details on soft ground cleats, check out my Soccer Cleats 101 Guide.
Why are soft ground soccer cleats important?
Technologists are continuously upgrading the playing surfaces and playing characteristics of football footwear. While many sports have athletes play on the same surface for every game, soccer has varying terrain types.
For soccer, having the right shoes for the right pitch is critical. The right shoes are important to performance and safety.
For example, if you play on artificial turf, then you’ll want shorter studs on your soccer shoes. If you’re a futsal player or play indoor soccer, you’ll want soccer shoes with no studs at all.
Conversely, soft-ground soccer shoes are essentially required for maintaining agility and speeds on tough surfaces. Soft ground football boots are designed to give you the comfort you require while you are playing.
Whether traction control is your priority or ball control is the most important, you’ll appreciate having a pair of quality sg boots from one of the most reputable brands.
The Best Soft Ground Soccer Cleats
At a Glance: The 4 Best
Our Pick
adidas Men's World Cup Soccer Cleat
The Adidas World Cup soft ground cleats are perfect for natural, wet, or very soft ground conditions.
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The Adidas World Cup soft ground cleats are perfect for natural, wet, or very soft ground conditions.
A classic in the line of Adidas’ kangaroo leather soccer cleats, the Adidas World Cup has been a preferred soft ground cleat for more than twenty years.
Adidas markets the World Cup SG as the high end of their Copa line. Actually, the World Cup and the Copa Mundial are almost the same shoe with the main difference being the soft ground version has six removable, screw in studs.
The metal studs are screw-in, so you can choose the length of your studs when you change them out.
As with its cousins the Copa, Mundial Goal, and Team Mundial Turf, the Adidas World Cup features a soft kangaroo leather upper that gives you protection while offering a responsive touch on the ball. At 10.1 oz the World Cup offers a lot of protection and soft touch as a trade-off for being heavier than some of the other soft ground synthetics. A synthetic lining, EVA insert, and extended heel counter provide extra comfort and stability to this classic shoe.
Pros:
- Similar to the much-beloved Copa Mundial (The Copa Mundials are one of our all-time favorites for playing on firm ground, players with wide feet, and midfielders.)
- Soft upper provides protection and a responsive touch
Cons:
- Heavier boot than some of our other favorites
- Kangaroo leather makes them hard to come by in California
New Balance Tekela V3+ SG
With a great strike zone for knuckleballs and control, these boots are stylish and durable.
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With a great strike zone for knuckleballs and control, these boots are stylish and durable.
The New Balance Tekela V3+ features a revamped Kinetic Stitch for a better foot lockdown. A re-engineered stretch knit upper provides superior performance and full nylon injected chassis provides both lightness and stability.
The specially designed SG soleplate is designed exclusively for use on soft natural fields.
This is the best option for soft ground football boots for players with wide feet, as it comes in both regular and wide widths.
Pros:
- Wide width makes this a great option for players with wide feet
- Lightweight
Cons:
- Can be hard to find in all sizes
PUMA Men's Future Z 1.1 Football Shoe
Inspired by Neymar, one of Brazil's best football players, this one is truly a boot of the future.
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Inspired by Neymar, one of Brazil's best football players, this one is truly a boot of the future.
With a soft upper, the PUMA Future Z 1.1 provides an exceptional feel. A GripControl Pro skin enhances the player’s touch and feel on the ball.
The sockliner is molded and comes with a NanoGrip technology that provides outstanding cushioning and a design that prevents slippage.
The interior of the shoe has a FuzionFit+ midfoot compression band that wraps around your foot and provides an exceptional fit and outstanding lockdown. The outsole is designed with speed, power, and explosivity in mind.
The shoes come with a combination of bladed and conical screw-in studs.
Pros:
- Extremely lightweight
- An interior compression band provides a snug and exceptional fit
Cons:
- Buying from Amazon can be challenging for cleats – you’ll want to make sure you get the SG version after purchase, as other versions of this cleat are sold and easily mixed up by vendors
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Featuring the classic black and white colorway, the upper is made of authentic kangaroo leather, aka k-leather.
The interior lining on the heel features Puma’s griptex material which helps lock down the ankle preventing chafing and blisters. Indeed – many players report the King as one of the most comfortable cleats available.
The King SG doesn’t disappoint in that category with many users reporting the shoe feeling broken in after the first playing session.
The sole features 6 diamond tapered studs for maximum grip and acceleration in softer ground and/or wet conditions. Puma’s duoflex technology gives the sole extra flexibility.
You can often find these on sale for under $75 – this is a steal for k-leather boots of this quality!
Pros:
- A great pick for soft ground soccer shoes for players with wide feet
- Good size range. You can often find this shoe in both youth and adult sizes
- Great price point for k-leather
Cons:
- Be sure the studs are tightened before you hit the pitch
- Stiffer material takes some getting used to
- Kangaroo leather makes it hard to order for California-based athletes
Final Thoughts on the Best Soccer Cleats for Soft Ground
So what’s the bottom line? If you don’t want to shop around and just want us to tell you our view of the boot you should buy before your next game on a muddy pitch, here you go:
Our pick for the best soft ground soccer cleats is the Adidas World Cup soft ground soccer shoes.
Adidas is truly one of the powerhouse brands in the sport, and their attention to detail shines in every version of their quality footwear – whatever weather you’re playing in.
