Swiftly following Adidas' launch of knitted football boots, rival sports brand Nike has released its own soccer footwear that incorporates the company's Flyknit technology.

Developing the Flyknit knitted material it has used on running shoes for two years, Nike has adapted the technology to specialise it for football.

The entirely knitted uppers of the Magista boots extend over the ankle, to fit like socks.

The material is designed to give better flexibility for the wearer's foot when running, dribbling and kicking.

"With Magista, we've designed a shoe that feels like an extension of the player's body," said Phil McCartney, vice president of Sport Performance Footwear at Nike.

Better friction with the ball is created by the texture of the knitted fabric, which is waterproofed by melting a thin sheet of a material called Nikeskin over the top.

A Dynamic Fit Collar wraps tightly around the lower leg, providing additional support and encouraging natural movement.

"It's like wearing a glove," said McCartney. "A glove starts at the wrist, not halfway up the hand. You need that transition so you don't disrupt your body's natural movement."

Nike unveiled the Magista football boot at an event in Barcelona last week, only seven days after Adidas debuted its Primeknit boot that the company claimed was the world's first knitted football boot.

Nike launched its Flyknit technology ahead of the London 2012 Olympics and has been using the knitted material for running shoes ever since.