This guide recommends soccer shoes that can best fit the demands from someone who wants minimalist footwear. Currently, there is no brands that has produced a true minimalist soccer shoes so I can only work with what is available.

The best minimalist soccer shoe is the Puma evospeed 1.2. Its has the most flexible sole that any minimalist shoes require, so as to enable the shoe to contour with the natural movement of our feet. This shoe is also comfortable and lightweight. Best of all, it has a lower price that makes it my top choice.

Puma evoSpeed 1.2 minimalist soccer shoe

The Puma evospeed 1.2 duoflex has one of the most flexible soccer sole plate. It is no way near that of a minimalist running shoe but relative to other soccer cleats, it is clearly one of the best. 

What I like:

• Flexible sole

• Lightweight and comfortable

• Stable: The shoe provides good stability in all sorts of soccer movement including stopping, passing and shooting

What can be improved:

• Needs breaking in: Shoe is tight when first worn. It is advisable to stretch it in your home before wearing for full matches.

• Toe box: The shoe can do with a bit more space at the toe area to satisfy minimalist lovers.

If you have wide feet, you might need to order 1/2 size bigger than your usual shoe size.

Adidas Men’s Adizero

The Adidas Adizero has been a popular soccer shoe for quite some time. It is good to know they also have some flexibility in their sole, allowing the shoes to contour more to your feet’s movement.

One thing to note is that Adidas has been marking this shoe as a football shoe. However, it is clearly a soccer shoe so don’t be mislead by the adtisement.

What I like:

• Lightweight and comfortable

• Soft leather that allow for outsole bending and flexibility

• Color choices: The Adizero has more than 30 color combinations for you to choose from. I am sure you will find one that suits your personal preference.

What can be improved:

• Narrow toe box: If you are looking for roomy toe box, this shoe is not it. In fact, they can be a bit narrow.

Sizing wise these soccer shoes are true sizing for most but a few might it a bit tight.

Guide to buying minimalist soccer shoes

The good news about soccer cleats or shoes is that they are almost zero drop. Most of them have heel lift that is no more than 3-5mm. In contrast, most running shoes have 12-10mm heel drop.

However, despite this zero drop, they are still not minimalist shoes because of one factor: their sole. Specifically, most soccer shoes have stiff soles that do not conform to the natural movement of your feet. Instead, they force them to move in ways that can cause distortions to your leg movements.

In addition, they also need to be wider toe box area for our toes to stretch and do more forefoot strike. As we all know, that is one of the main aim of zero drop running. We want to do more forefoot strike, instead of heel strike, to reduce the impact on our knees and ankles.

So, in summaryWhil, here is what you need to look for when buying a minimalist pair of soccer shoes or cleats:

• Flexible sole: Not easy as most soccer shoes are stiff. Only a few models like the Puma Men’s Evospeed 1 K are more flexible sole.

• Roomy toe box

• Low toe to heel drop: less than 3 to 0 mm will be ideal

• Flexibility in outsole: This is to allow you to bending forward or stop for striking the ball

How about using minimalist running shoes for soccer?

While a regular zero drop or minimalist running shoe can be used, it has 3 drawbacks you need to be aware of:

• Lack of protection from other players: The biggest danger is your lack of defense against other players’ tackle. Most minimalist running shoes have very thin upper. These might tear easily against the cleats of the regular soccer shoes.

• Slippery: Due a lack of cleats, the grip is not as strong when the grass is wet. As such, your movement will likely be less sharp or more clumsy. If you are playing defense, be prepared to get twisted in and out by the opposing team’s attackers.

• Hitting the ball: Minimalists running shoes is not that ideal for striking a ball. This is due to the upper having thicker material that will interfere with your judgement on what hard and the angle to hit the soccer ball.
  

If you are using minimalist running shoes as soccer boots, they might be ok for indoor games or friendly practices. For actual matches, it is definitely advisable to use proper soccer cleats with the right protection and gripping power,

Conclusion

Finding a minimalist soccer shoe is almost impossible as most soccer shoes lack the flexible sole that zero drop shoes require. The most you can do is to find soccer cleats with the most flexibility. This is what I did with the two recommendations above.