Reviving Discontinued Football Boots with a New Sole

Some football boots are never made again. The model is retired, the shops move on, and the pair that has moulded to your feet over years of games becomes the only one you have. When the studs wear down or the sole comes away, that can feel like the end. Often it is not. If the upper is still sound, a new sole can put an old pair back on the pitch. Here is what we check on discontinued boots, four classic Nikes from our workshop, and what a resole cannot give back.

The short answer

• The upper decides. If the leather still bends without cracking through, an old pair is usually worth a look, whatever its age.
• The sole will not be the original. We fit one of our own replacement soles, chosen for where you play now.
• Boots that sat in storage need a closer look. Parts of the sole and heel can break down with age, even on a pair that was hardly worn.
• Collectors should think twice. A new sole makes a pair playable again, but an untouched pair keeps its original parts.

See 3,900+ before-and-after repair photos by brand and repair type

What we check on an old pair

A resole replaces everything under the upper, so the upper is where the decision is made. On a discontinued pair we look at a few things in particular.

• The leather. It should still bend without cracking. Leather that has dried hard, split along the creases or comes apart at the touch will not hold a new sole for long. Our leather boot care guide explains how to keep it supple.
• The finish. Many older boots have a coated surface, and with age it can crack and flake. That is mostly about looks, but restoring it is extra work on top of the resole.
• The heel and the lining. The stiff heel counter and the lining inside the heel take a lot of wear. Both can be replaced, but it adds to the job, so we want to see them before we quote.
• The stitching. Open seams can usually be stitched, as long as the leather around them is still strong.
• The fit. Feet change over the years. Try the boots on with your match socks before you send them. Because a resole takes the boot apart, we can usually adjust the size by about 5mm during the work, but not more than that.

Boots that have spent years in a cupboard need extra care. Many boots use polyurethane in parts of the sole or heel, and over several years moisture in the air can break it down. This is called hydrolysis. Warmth and humidity speed it up, and boot makers point to long storage without use as a common cause. A pair can look fine in the box and still crumble or come apart in its first game back. One Total 90 that came to us had a heel counter that had broken down this way, and we replaced it. If your boots have been stored for a long time, send us photos before you play in them.

Classic Nikes from our workshop

Nike ended the Total 90 line in 2012, and the Hypervenom took its place. Total 90s still turn up on our bench, along with other retired models such as the CTR360. A few examples from our before-and-after gallery:

• Black leather Total 90 III, 2023. The original firm ground studs were worn down. We switched it to STUD-15, an artificial turf (AG) sole with many short studs in a Tiempo-style layout. This is the pair in the photo at the top of the page.
• Silver Total 90 III, 2020. This pair arrived with the old sole gone, down to the board underneath. We fitted STUD-03, a grass (FG) sole with triangular studs.
• Total 90 III indoor shoe, 2025. The flat indoor sole came off and a clear cushioned futsal sole, STUD-10-1, went on.
• CTR360, 2021. The original AG sole was replaced with the same clear cushioned futsal sole.

Choosing a sole for an old pair

We do not copy original soleplates. You choose from our 19 numbered replacement soles, so the question is not what the boot had when it was new but where you play today.

• Natural grass: an FG sole such as STUD-03 with triangular studs, or the light one-piece STUD-08.
• Artificial turf: an AG sole such as STUD-15, with many short studs for a stable feel.
• Turf and dirt: an MG sole such as STUD-14, with studs about 5mm shorter than FG.
• Futsal on turf: a cushioned futsal sole such as STUD-10-1 or STUD-13.
• Indoor wooden floors: STUD-07, a flat natural rubber sole with low studs.

Each sole has its own size range, from 220mm to 300mm for adult sizes depending on the sole, so send us the size and we will confirm what fits. All 19 are in our replacement sole catalog, with photos and weights. We also replace the midsole, the layer between the sole and the insole, in almost every resole, because the original in most boots is a thin layer that does not bond well to a new sole.

What a new sole cannot bring back

• The original look underneath. The new plate will not match the original design, colour or stud pattern. From the side the boot looks much the same, but turn it over and it is clearly resoled.
• Collector value. For a rare or unworn pair, the original parts are part of the value. If you plan to keep a pair on a shelf rather than wear it, leave it as it is.
• Exactly the same feel. Some boots got part of their firmness from the original plate. Once that plate is off, the boot can feel softer, so we may suggest reinforcing the midsole. We will tell you when the boots arrive.
• The years on the upper. Creases, faded colour and a cracked finish stay. A resole fixes what is under your foot, not what is on top of it.

If the upper is the real problem, our guide to resoling or replacing boots goes through the decision part by part.

Getting a quote

Every old pair is different, so the price depends on the boots and the work they need. Send photos on WhatsApp: a side view of each boot, the bottom of the sole, a close look at any cracks in the leather, and the inside of the heel. Tell us the model if you know it and where you play now. We usually reply with a quote within 2 to 4 hours. On older boots the finish on the upper sometimes needs restoring too, and we include that in the quote. If the upper is too far gone, we will say so before any work starts.

The work usually takes 2 to 3 weeks, up to a month in busy periods. Our workshop is in Goyang, next to Seoul. You can visit by appointment, open daily from 10:00 to 19:00, or send the boots by courier, and we will send you the Korean address on WhatsApp. If you live abroad, message us before sending anything, because shipping both ways adds to the cost.

You can also reach us on WhatsApp at +82 10 3547 7744, on KakaoTalk (ID 21apro) or by email at 21apro@naver.com.

Watch the work