Novel football-like nanostructures of metallic nickel with surfaces covered by hexagonal nanoplatelets were fabricated through a simple chemical reduction route with 2-hydroxy-4(1-methylheptyloxy)benzophenone oxime in anti form (N530) was complexing agent. Formation of the unique nanostructures was reasonably ascribed to the special complex precursor and variation of the reaction rate at different stages. Magnetic properties of the nickel nanostructures were compared with other shaped counterparts.