Nike Kobe 10 Elite 'Mambacurial' Release Date, Pics and Retail Price

Kobe Bryant has never been shy about professing his love for the beautiful game, and that passion is demonstrated by the Kobe 10 "Mambacurial," which combines Nike's Mercurial soccer range with Bryant's signature sneaker.

The Jordan Release Date app posted a few different photos of the shoe on Twitter, giving fans a taste of what to expect from the "Mambacurial":

According to Brendan Dunne of SoleCollector.com, the Kobe 10 "Mambacurial" will drop on Sept. 12 and retail for $200.

This isn't the first time Nike has melded Bryant's affection for both basketball and soccer. In 2013, the company released the Kobe 8 "Mambacurial," which more strongly resembled the Mercurial cleat. Given its "Fireberry" colorway, the shoe looked like it was built more for indoor soccer than for basketball.

This time around, Nike opted for a more understated inspiration from the Mercurial, which helps differentiate between the two versions of the "Mambacurial." You wouldn't want Nike trotting out the same exact design a few years later.

The "Black/Black-Wolf Grey-Pink Flash" colorway, as described on the Nike website, will help this sneaker stand out from the rest of Kobe's collection.

The "Mambacurial" collection also includes a soccer-style shirt reminiscent of FC Barcelona's kit this season, boasting black and purple hoops, a spin on the blue and garnet color combination that is synonymous with the Spanish league giants.

Bryant has been a passionate Barca supporter for years. He took in one of the club's training sessions when it stopped in Los Angeles this summer, per Barcelona's Twitter account:

The club also posted a video of Bryant interacting with members of the Barcelona squad and swapping jerseys with Barca club captain Andres Iniesta:

Maybe Kobe's support for Barca can influence the next version of the "Mambacurial" shoe. With the continued growth of soccer in the United States, you have to expect Nike will bring back the Mercurial-Kobe collaboration at some point in the future.

The Kobe 10 "Mercurial" should appeal to basketball and soccer fans who love trying to keep up with the best products on the market.