While cleats all serve the same purpose in giving a player stability and grip as they run, not all cleats are made equal. Functionally speaking, the structure is different: Football cleats have a toe cleat, meant to help them move straight forward, and soccer cleats have removable aluminum cleat caps to improve traction and are created with a raised pattern on the bottom for the same reason. Football cleats come in three cuts: high-, middle-, and low-top shoes. Depending on which position they run, players prefer different cuts for different reasons. Soccer cleats only come in low-cut due to soccer’s high demand for both agility and versatility. Even the materials utilized are different, with football cleats typically produced with weightier, steadier materials while soccer cleats are lighter. You can technically cross-pollinate between the two if you don’t have another option, but we’d advise buying the cleat most specifically suited for your sport to avoid injury and allow you to play at optimum performance levels. Crossing baseball and football cleats is an even riskier offense, with the material on football cleats being rubbery and malleable. Baseball cleats, meanwhile, are comprised of tiny solid metal spikes on the bottom of the athletic shoe.