Monaco Journal - Argentine Startup NITA Launches Specialized Football Boots for Women

Argentine startup NITA has announced the launch of a new line of football boots designed specifically for women’s feet, marking a direct response to the rapid expansion of women’s football and the persistent lack of specialized equipment for female players. The company aims to address historical gaps in fit and safety that have forced many women to wear ill-fitting men’s or children’s footwear.

The announcement comes as women’s football is recognized as one of the world’s fastest-growing sports. A 2025 study by Nielsen Sports projected the sport would become a top-five global activity by 2030. In Argentina, a 2026 report by WINN Sports and Voices! found that one in four women had played football at least once in the previous year.

Despite this growth, the market for female-specific sporting goods has lagged. NITA founder Felipe Manuk Devecyan stated that the project originated during the 2023 World Cup, when the lack of appropriate gear for women became a focal point. "What grabbed my attention was it wasn’t a problem just in Argentina," he said.

Historically, female footballers have been required to play in men’s boots or unisex models. Carolina Vázquez, NITA’s Partnership and Content Lead, noted that the struggle to find proper gear is universal among women players. "All women have experienced this," she told the Herald. "Going out to play and struggling to find the right gear."

The issue often forces women into children’s boots due to size availability or leads them to repair existing pairs rather than purchase new ones. Vázquez described the common experience of wearing boots that do not fit, paired with shorts and t-shirts that are "way too big," a problem she said has existed for a long time.

To develop a solution, Manuk Devecyan began by taking a shoe-making course to understand the design process from start to finish. He then consulted with players, physiotherapists, and sports medicine specialists from Argentina and abroad to identify the specific needs of women’s footballers.

The development process involved working with a company specializing in 3D scanning to analyze the anatomical differences between men’s and women’s feet. Manuk Devecyan identified that key differences extend beyond length to include width, arch height, and ankle width. He explained that while men’s feet are often still growing when they wear smaller sizes, women’s feet are typically fully developed, resulting in different structural needs.

The team scanned the feet of over 100 Argentine footballers to determine sizing and established a new scale based on these findings. A critical component of the design was addressing traction, or the force with which boots grip the soil during play.

Medical data indicates that women are up to three times more likely to suffer anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears than men. While factors such as physical preparation and pitch quality contribute to this disparity, footwear plays a significant role. Manuk Devecyan noted that women do not exert the same amount of force as male players, meaning their feet can grip the grass harder than necessary, leading to injury.

Working with designers and physiotherapists, the team analyzed various sole configurations in a laboratory setting, measuring rotation force. They selected traditional conical cleats for stability and created two boot types: one with long metal cleats for full grass or mixed pitches, and another with shorter rubber cleats for synthetic fields.

Vázquez, who has worked in women’s football communication since 2018, described the community as open and welcoming to the project. She noted that players and clubs are receptive to conversation and have not yet developed some of the negative habits found in men’s football. Even players with no prior connection to the brand were eager to test prototypes and provide feedback.

"They hear ‘we’re developing football boots for women’, and something about it really speaks to them," Vázquez said. "It’s the idea that someone is finally thinking about female players or about women’s football."

NITA’s goal extends beyond product development to promoting the growth of the sport. The company aims to bridge professional and amateur women’s football, encouraging more girls to play, watch, and engage with the game. Vázquez stated they want to position themselves as a brand that supports player growth rather than just sponsoring athletes.

To this end, NITA has partnered with academies and high-performance training centers to provide athletic development opportunities. The company also engages in holistic support for players. For example, Boca Juniors goalkeeper Sabrina Artín, who studies fashion design, collaborated with NITA on a runway show presentation. When Artín needed football-inspired outfits for her end-of-year project, the company provided boots and attended the event.

"There’s something about supporting the player that way that adds significant value for me," Vázquez said, emphasizing the importance of understanding needs beyond simple contracts.

Looking ahead, Vázquez is scheduled to host a debate panel at FutCon, Argentina’s largest football culture expo, on November 15. The event will feature key figures discussing the state of women’s football, player challenges, and growth opportunities.

The official launch of the boots is planned for next year. Manuk Devecyan acknowledged that the process would be "full of challenges and all kinds and sorts of new problems." He noted that the upcoming 2027 Brazil World Cup, the first to be hosted in South America, will set a new benchmark for sustaining growth in women’s football. Developments like NITA’s position Argentina at the forefront of the pursuit of equal opportunities in the sport.

E.Rizzo--MJ