TLSS TIPS | EP.14: A Piece of Equipment Nobody Wants ? (English Version)

When it comes to football gear, what are the first things that come to mind? For most people, the answer would probably be football boots, socks, a jersey, and shorts. These four essentials are the basics that almost everyone would agree on.
Football may also be one of the few sports where the official playing kit worn by professional athletes differs from what people typically wear when playing recreationally.

Take a look at other sports around us. Runners and casual joggers, for example, tend to wear pretty much the same types of essential gear. The same goes for badminton, basketball, tennis, and golf.
In these sports, the equipment players use tends to vary mainly in terms of specifications as their skill levels increase. In other words, professionals and recreational players often use the same types of equipment and clothing, with the main differences being their quality and performance.

But football is different.
There is one piece of equipment that you will rarely see people wearing when playing casually. Most players only bother putting it on when they are playing seriously or taking part in a competition, even though this piece of equipment plays an important role in protecting them from potentially serious injuries.

Yes, we are talking about shin guards.
To be completely honest, I have to admit that I was just like many other players. I usually put on shin guards only when I am required to wear them for a match. Outside of that, I rarely even consider wearing them when playing football.

And there are plenty of reasons why.
They take time to put on. They can be difficult to position. They are inconvenient to carry around. Sometimes, we are simply too lazy to wear them. They can feel bulky, interfere with movement, shift around during play, and add extra weight.
And that is before we even get to the fact that many players do not wear long football socks anymore. Instead, they prefer mid-calf socks, which often leave nothing to hold their shin guards securely in place.
In short, there seem to be plenty of downsides. Why bother adding another piece of equipment when all we want to do is enjoy a casual game of football?

According to historical accounts, the first shin guard used in the context of football dates back to 1874. However, it was not until 1990 that FIFA formally made shin guards compulsory under its rules.
Yes, shin guards have existed for more than 150 years, yet it took approximately 116 years before their use became mandatory under the rules of the game.
If it took an organization at the highest level of world football that long to make them compulsory, it is hardly surprising that their importance is still overlooked in casual football settings around the world.

The purpose of shin guards is straightforward, to protect your shins.
Football is a sport where it is sometimes difficult to tell whether you are simply getting healthier or putting yourself through an intense, physical battle. Either way, shin guards are certainly not as unnecessary as their reputation might suggest.

In their early designs, shin guards were relatively large, covering almost the entire shin. If you look back at photographs of footballers from the 2000s, you will notice that shin guards were often much larger and covered more of the leg than the compact designs many players prefer today.
And that makes perfect sense. If the primary purpose is protection, then coverage and impact resistance should be the main priorities.

The fact that shin guards have been compulsory for players since 1990 may have come relatively late, but it reinforces their importance in the game.
Football involves physical contact throughout a match, particularly around the legs. Scrapes, painful knocks, and even fractures are risks that players can face repeatedly. Having equipment designed to help protect against these impacts is therefore an important part of playing the game.

Despite all of this, shin guards have never quite received the attention they deserve, even today, when they are part of the required playing kit under the rules of the game.
When it comes to recreational players, there is hardly much to discuss. Many simply do not wear them unless the rules require it.
Professional players, on the other hand, have to wear shin guards to comply with the rules. Fortunately, they have plenty of options to choose from, including products designed specifically for players who dislike wearing traditional shin guards.

Today, shin guards come in a wide variety of designs. Some prioritize a high level of protection, using premium impact-absorbing materials. Others are made from strong carbon-fiber materials. And then there are the increasingly popular mini shin guards that have become something of a trend in recent years.
Football brands of all sizes are constantly looking for ways to appeal to more players by offering a wider range of products to suit different needs and preferences.
For example, if maximum protection is your priority, you can opt for carbon-fiber models or larger shin guards that cover more of your legs.
But if you only need something to wear to comply with the rules, you can choose a much smaller pair. You might even enjoy the added fashion appeal that comes with their compact design.

However, this does not mean that we encourage players to ignore their safety or compromise on protection.
The reality is that no matter how strongly we advocate for safer football, there will always be plenty of players who are reluctant to wear shin guards or who simply have no intention of wearing them at all.
What brands can do is design products and provide enough options to accommodate as many different needs as possible.
After all, whether you prefer a large, protective pair or a compact design, wearing shin guards still offers a different level of protection from wearing nothing at all.

And we believe there must also be plenty of players who have avoided injuries, both minor and serious, because their shin guards were there to protect them when it mattered.
So, in the end, we could never confidently tell anyone, “You don't need to wear shin guards. They're not necessary.”