Over the past two decades, the football boot market has enjoyed some serious growth. Whereas before a pair of black studded boots were all you needed to take to the pitch, there is now a wealth of choice like we've never known before.

Nike, Adidas, Puma and New Ballance are all leading the market with a plethora of designs that come with more colours than a rainbow and all claim to help enhance aspects of your game depending on which model you choose.

And part of their big appeal is who they can get to market the boots. Nike in, particular has gone to some enormous expense in recent years by producing a series of impressive adverts every two years to tie in with a major tournament.

However, Nike may have a problem that they'll need to contend with after Spanish publication Sport highlighted a problem that one of their poster boys was having with his boots.

Up until recently, Neymar had been in sparkling form for both club and country, but since returning from the most recent international break he has visibly struggled to reach the same heights.

During his past three league games before last weekend's surprise defeat to Malaga, the Brazilian had been forced to change his boots, and then against Malaga, one of the yellow cards he earned that contributed toward his eventual dismissal was because he was fiddling with his laces.

Neymar has used the Nike Mercurial Vapor 11 Motion Blur Pack since early 2017 in an eye-catching pink and white colour scheme.

When they were released, Nike explained that the boots were made with the 25-year-old's characteristics in mind and designed to enhance all the things that make him who he is.

The boots have been labeled as the "quickest and lightest" in Nike's cannon, as the structure and material favour his speed, while the traction pattern favours the stability, support, and comfort of the foot thanks to a 3D nylon plate contour (via Sport). 

Neymar has other Mercurial boots at his disposal, but it is with these particular boots that he has had the majority of the problems with.

He changed them within the first ten minutes of the games with Granada and Sevilla after he was visibly unsteady on his feet, which could suggest that there are still a few tweaks that still need to be made for them to help him perform.

Luis Enrique was quizzed about his player's boot situation, to which he responded: "I think he's been bothered by something in the boots he's been wearing and he's had to change them. There is a risk (when he's off the pitch).

"But I would prefer him to be off the pitch for one minute than on it for 90 feeling uncomfortable -- he doesn't change them just to change them. But it's true we are one minute with one less player."

No doubt, Neymar is likely to be obligated to wear the boots for games as part of the deal that exists between himself and the brand, but if they are giving him more problems than solutions, then surely he will be well within his right to demand that they do something about them.