Football boot

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Football boots, also known as cleats or soccer shoes in North American English,^[1] are a type of shoe worn when playing association football (soccer), most of its variations, and some games that are played on the same surface. Those designed for grass pitches have studs on the outsole to aid grip. Since their first use, the design of football boots has been influenced by research, development, sponsorship, and marketing. Modern "boots" are no longer truly traditional boots in that they do not cover the ankle — like most other types of athletic footwear, their basic design and appearance have converged with that of sneakers since the 1960s.

A variation of the boots are worn for rugby football featuring several key design differences specific to that sport and are therefore known as rugby boots in that context; although boots designed for soccer are often used by rugby players in certain positions.

Although most associated with football and rugby, the shoe is often used in other sports that are played on grass surfaces, such as touch, lacrosse, hurling, shinty, and even tug of war.