Mexico is currently undefeated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the energy around the team is impossible to ignore. Jersey sales are booming, the country is rallying behind the team, and Mexico’s support feels louder than ever.
That influence has always carried over into sneaker culture. Whether it’s a shoe simply dressed in Mexico’s colors, a pair telling a story through Día de los Muertos, or something inspired by food, music, or lucha libre, Mexico has helped shape some of the most coveted and creative colorways in sneakers.
In honor of the 2026 World Cup run, we ranked the best Mexico sneakers of all time.
Adidas Samba ‘Dia de los Muertos’
Year: 2024
The “Dia de los Muertos” Adidas Sambas from 2024 are the only Adidas styles on this list of the best Mexico sneakers, and they’re ranked last, but not because they’re not good—only because they're facing stiff competition. They do stand out compared to a lot of the pairs on this list that opt to use the tri-colors from the Mexican flag. Instead, they use subtle styling highlighted by Dia de los Muertos graphics, which are executed well on the Samba. —Victor Deng
Jarritos x Nike SB Dunk Low
Year: 2023
It’s safe to say it was unexpected when Mexico City-bred soft drink company Jarritos collaborated on the SB Dunk Low. The project arrived during a shift in Nike SB’s release strategy of actually partnering with brands instead of dropping sneakers that just had implied mainstream ties. The shoe paid tribute to Jarritos' history and Mexican heritage, inspired by the canvas bags used to harvest fruits that make up their unique soda flavors. —Victor Deng
Nike Dunk High ‘Lucha Libre’
Year: 2005
Lucha libre is an exciting genre of professional wrestling, but it’s so much more than that in Mexico. The sport is filled with cultural heritage, and this Nike Dunk from 2005 pays tribute to its importance in an unexpected way. Rather than utilizing a more typical mask-based theme, this Dunk features a graphic depicting vintage-style promotional event posters. That deeper level of storytelling stands out, making it one of the best Mexico sneakers of all time. It doesn’t hurt that the graphic and color blocking are reminiscent of the legendary “FLOM” Dunk, either. —Zac Dubasik
Nike Air Max 95 ‘Mexico’
Year: 2026
It came as no surprise that Nike prepared sneakers inspired by different countries for the 2026 FIFA World Cup this year. One of them included an Air Max 95 as part of the brand’s Tercer Tiempo F.C. collection, celebrating football culture in Mexico. The shoe’s green and red accents representing the country are unmistakable, and are paired with a pixelated flame graphic across the sides. It’s worth mentioning that sizes for the shoe are still available on Complex. —Victor Deng
Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Dia de los Muertos’
Year: 2006
The Nike SB Dunk Low “Dia de los Muertos,” aka “Day of the Dead” Dunks, released in 2006 in the heart of the original Dunk SB craze. The design featured the Aztec God of the Underworld, Mictlantecuhtli, and was wild even by Nike SB standards of the time, with graphics covering the upper’s overlays and even the outsole. A snakeskin Swoosh added to the theme, as did the multiple materials. Despite being 20 years old now, the sneaker still resells for big money on the secondary market, with prices deep into the four figures. —Zac Dubasik
Mr. Cartoon x Nike Air Force 1
Year: 2005
In celebration of Cinco de Mayo in 2005—in addition to the SB Dunk Low on this list—Nike also enlisted the help of legendary tattoo artist Mr. Cartoon to create an Air Force 1 Low to commemorate the holiday. The sneaker paid homage to Mr. Cartoon’s Mexican heritage and LA origins with a patent leather-covered green and red Air Force 1 Low representing Mexico and “LA” embroidery on the heel for his hometown. —Victor Deng
Air Jordan 3 ‘El Vuelo’
Year: 2025
A lucha libre mask-themed Air Jordan 3 that could actually be described as “clean” and “wearable?” That may seem like an impossible task, but 2025’s “El Vuelo” AJ3, released in celebration of Mexican Independence Day, did just that. The upper features an array of textures representing the masks’ detailing, with hits of red and green to honor the Mexican flag. The back of the tongue reads “más vale maña que fuerza,” or “brains over brawn,” as a nod to the ethos celebrated by fans of the sport. —Zac Dubasik
Nike SB P-Rod 1 ‘Mexican Blanket’
Year: 2005
There were multiple options of the Nike SB P-Rod 1 (not to mention multiple options of P-Rod’s Nike SB Dunks) we could have picked for this list of the best Mexico sneakers, but the “Mexican Blanket” pair stands out as particularly unique. Not only was its theming unique at the time, but each shoe was unique, with its own individual color and pattern based on the specific cut of fabric that was used. So while many of Paul Rodriguez Jr’s Nike SB sneakers could have made the list, this one represented his Mexican heritage in an unexpected way and still looks exciting over 20 years later. —Zac Dubasik
Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Cinco de Mayo’
Year: 2005
The “Cinco de Mayo” SB Dunk Low represents the early days of Nike SB very well. It features an easily recognizable color scheme much like the bulk of the SB Dunk releases from the 2000s, donning hues pulled from the Mexican flag. Not only that, the release was tied to the celebration of Cinco de Mayo in 2005. It wasn’t necessarily a flashy sneaker, but everything about this design and release just made sense. —Victor Deng
Nike Air Force 1 ‘Mexico’ (World Cup 2006)
Year: 2006
With Mexico’s current run during the 2026 World Cup, there was no question as to where this sneaker would land on our list of the best Mexico sneakers. The Air Force 1 is one of those silhouettes that has stood the test of time, and when it’s done in Mexico colors in a way that actually tells a story, it feels untouchable. The sneaker originally dropped for the 2006 World Cup alongside several country-themed pairs, which is a pack many still consider one of the best Air Force 1 collections ever. I appreciate Nike’s new Cryoshot collection too—it was innovative and cool, but this year felt like the perfect moment to bring this Mexico Air Force 1 back along with the others to celebrate its anniversary. You can still find this colorway on the aftermarket, but finding a wearable pair is tough. That rarity is another reason why it lands at number one. —Douglas Jase
