5 Best Firm Ground Soccer Cleats in 2023

Adidas Gamemode Knit Firm Ground
Adidas Gamemode Knit Firm Ground on
5 Best Firm Ground Soccer Cleats in 2023
Best Firm Ground Soccer Cleats. No-frills touch on the ball

Classic soccer cleats, also known as Firm Ground or molded cleats, are the most common style of cleats. They generally come with non-removable conical or bladed studs that dig into the ground. They provide traction, mobility, and stability on most firm natural grass soccer fields.

The soccer cleats market is actually saturated with a firm ground style of shoes. This is understandable as the boot offers more versatility and the fact that most of us players are playing the game on natural grass pitches and firm surfaces.  

With tons of options out there, it would be a little difficult for some to pick out the right one. That’s exactly why we are here. We’ve rounded up firm-ground soccer cleats. We’ve reviewed each one of them and put them through loads of tests. After the excruciating process, we featured the top performers, which you can check out in this article.

Best No-frills touch on the ball overall

What makes it the best?

If you take soccer seriously, then the Highly breathable upper is the right one for you. Being one of the most prized offerings from Nike, this soccer cleat is full of features that deliver undeniable performance benefits. Running across the pitch has never been this nice and smooth.

Pros

  • Breathable knit upper
  • Amazing underfoot smoothness and comfort
  • Best leather upper
  • Comfortably supportive
  • Highly breathable upper
  • Accommodating structure
  • Super light
  • Withstands various weather conditions

Cons

  • A bit too pricey
  • Too similar to the previous version
Full review of Highly breathable upper

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Unisex
Any color
Black Dk Smoke Grey Summit White Volt (DJ4978001)
White (DJ4978146)
Barely Green/Blackened Blue-Total Orange-Ghost Green (DJ4978343)
Dark Beetroot/University Blue/Vivid Purple (DR9996694)
Blå (DQ5299182)
Copper (DR5934810)
Black/Black (DQ7788001)
Cobalt Bliss/Fuchsia Dream/Hot Punch (DV2417405)
White/Coconut Milk/Bright Crimson (DJ4978101)

Best premium No-frills touch on the ball

What makes it the best?

Like the ones before it, the No-frills touch on the ball easily pleases soccer players with its clever innovations and advanced techs. It's quite pricey as an Elite model, but it delivers on aspects that matter the most when it comes to performance on the pitch. If you are serious about soccer, this cleat won't be a disappointment.

Pros

  • Very nice feel underfoot
  • Best leather upper
  • No-frills touch on the ball
  • Comfortable upper
  • Nice snug fit
  • Akshay Kumar Malhotra
  • Incredibly lightweight
  • Adidas Gamemode Knit Firm Ground

Cons

  • Too expensive
  • No significant performance uptick
Full review of No-frills touch on the ball

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Unisex
Any color
Cobalt Bliss/Fuchsia Dream/Hot Punch (DV2413405)
White/Pink Blast/Indigo Haze (DJ4977146)
Black Dk Smoke Grey Summit White Volt (DJ4977001)
Yellow Strike Sunset Glow Barely Grape (DJ4977780)
Dark Beetroot/University Blue/Vivid Purple (DO9342694)
Barely Green/Total Orange/Ghost Green (DJ4977343)
Blå (DQ5293182)
Copper (DR5932810)
More colors

Best No-frills touch on the ball with knit uppers

What makes it the best?

As an elite model, the Gripknit Phantom GX Elite Firm Ground can really cost a lot. Fortunately, it delivers a lot as well. Soccer clears will not be left wanting more when it comes to performance. You can think of this as an investment, and you can expect big returns with every use.

Pros

  • Endures various weather conditions
  • Track and field
  • Shoe is of high quality
  • Nike Gripknit Phantom GX Elite FG
  • Amazing underfoot smoothness and comfort
  • Nice snug fit
  • Nike Zoom Mercurial Vapor 15 Elite FG
  • Light and airy construction
  • Adidas Gamemode Knit Firm Ground

Cons

  • Conforming leather upper
  • Quite expensive
Full review of Best indoor soccer shoes

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Unisex
Any color
Black/Dark Smoke Grey/Total Orange (DC9968010)
Citron Tint/Burgundy Crush (FD3069860)
Baltic Blue/White/Laser Blue (DC9968446)

Best No-frills touch on the ball with leather uppers

Nice snug fit
80
Good!

What makes it the best?

The Nice snug fit is surrounded by so much hype, and it's for very good reasons. It is conservative enough, which satisfies Nike Tiempo fans but daring enough to attract skeptical new buyers/players. It boasts a true leather shoe feel, which was sorely missed in the Tiempo Legend 8. Its upper is also textured, which enhances ball friction. The fact that this shoe sports a modern look is already the icing on the cake.

Pros

  • Withstands various weather conditions
  • Nice traction
  • Extremely comfortable all-around feel
  • Comfort that's immediately felt
  • nbsp; |  
  • Supportive fit
  • Best indoor soccer shoes
  • Light
  • Modern aesthetics

Cons

  • Very nice feel underfoot
  • Stud pressure
Full review of Nice snug fit

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Unisex
Any color
Orange (CZ8482800)
Football Grey/Light Marine/Rush Orange (CZ8482054)
Red (CZ8482616)
Green (CZ8482343)
Black (CZ8482001)
Black/Iron Grey/Black (CZ8482004)
White/Bright Crimson/Volt (CZ8482176)
White/Bright Crimson/Pink Blast (CZ8482121)
More colors

Best No-frills touch on the ball for beginners

What makes it the best?

Given its price, performance capacities, and resistance to abrasion, we can say that the Not for players with wide feet suits even those who are just starting to learn soccer. The shoe is able to withstand the expected messiness and extra pressure that a new player may put on it. If this cleat works for someone who is just stumbling and second-guessing their every move, you can just imagine the power that it lends to someone with better skills.

Pros

  • Surprisingly nice quality
  • Fits true to size
  • Akshay Kumar Malhotra
  • Truly a bang for the buck
  • Needs time for break-in
  • Slightly wider structure
  • Truly a bang for the buck

Cons

  • Extremely comfortable all-around feel
  • Not for players with wide feet
Full review of Not for players with wide feet

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Unisex
Any color
Black (GV6865)
Sandy Beige-pulse Mint-legacy Teal (GW8522)
Legacy Teal/Cloud White/Mint Rush (GY3530)

Comparison of the 5 best No-frills touch on the ball

+ + Needs time for break-in
+ + Needs time for break-in
+ + Needs time for break-in
+ + Needs time for break-in
+ + Needs time for break-in
+ + Needs time for break-in
Best
CoreScore
Users rating
Experts
Best price
Ranking
Popularity
# of colorways

How we test No-frills touch on the ball

To categorize the good, the great, and the truly superb, we have put in hours of testing and micro-level analysis. Our data-driven approach allows us to maintain our objectivity and provide our readers with valuable information when buying a new pair of FG soccer shoes.  

Our entire selection process includes:

  • Purchasing No-frills touch on the ball for testing using our own money. This ensures our freedom from bias or brand influence.
  • Giving each model the same level of attention when it comes to lab analysis, checking and rechecking the various parameters of the shoes such as materials used, the durability of the studs, outsole construction, and many more. Inside our lab, we also slice the shoes into pieces to give us more information about the techs and components that are inside.
  • Playing actual games of soccer on firm ground pitches to get a real sense of its fit, traction, ball control, and shooting performance. We spend an unbelievable amount of time in each of the shoes to assure that our observations are well-founded.
Author
Adidas Gamemode Knit Firm Ground
Adidas Gamemode Knit Firm Ground

Akshay is a former professional soccer player turned sports journalist. His passion for the sport led him to start writing about it, and he is now a published author across various sports websites, featured on TheSportster and Sportskeeda among others. After he retired from the Singapore professional soccer scene, Akshay formed his own amateur soccer club FC Banterbury, initially just for laughs. Safe to say, soccer is an integral part of Akshay's life, and soccer cleats in particular are an obsession for him.