A soccer player’s uniform consists of their team’s jersey, shorts, cleats, and a pair of long socks. When you’re just getting into the sport, it can be difficult to work out how you best prefer to wear your uniform.
Some players prefer a jersey with long sleeves while others prefer short sleeves. When it comes to socks, soccer players have a variety of options for how they want to wear them.
The correct way to wear soccer socks is to have them high enough up your legs to cover your shins and, most importantly, your shin guards.
In this guide, we’ll be going over everything you need to know about wearing soccer socks to help you decide what’s right for you.
How To Put On Soccer Socks
Let’s start by taking a look at the step-by-step process required for putting on a pair of soccer socks before a match.
Step 1: Shin Guards
First of all, you need to make sure your shin guards are properly secured. If your shin guards have velcro straps, this means securing them first. If you have slip-in shin guards, you simply have to hold them in place on your shin while you put the socks on.
Step 2: Pull On Your Socks
Now, simply pull your socks up your legs as you would normally. Hold your shin guards in place if they don’t have any velcro or elastic straps to hold them in place.
Step 3: Adjust
Finally, adjust your shin guards to make them feel more comfortable and to suit your own style. If you prefer to roll your socks down at the top, do it. If you prefer to have them stretched up all the way over the knee, feel free to.
Why Do Soccer Players Wear Long Socks?
The first thing you need to know about soccer socks is that their main purpose is to hold the player’s shin guards in place. In fact, it’s a requirement for a player’s uniform that their socks cover their shin guards.
During a game, tackles can fly in and players can accidentally (or not!) kick each other’s shins. This is why shin guards are a required part of a player’s uniform. Some shin guards have velcro straps that help to keep them in place during a game, while others simply slip into a player’s socks.
Therefore, soccer players need to have long socks to help hold their shin guards in place and cover them so they don’t have to constantly adjust them during the game.
How Do Soccer Players Wear Their Socks?
As we mentioned earlier, different soccer players like to wear their socks in different styles. Most of this is down to personal preference and what makes the player feel most comfortable but there are a few practical considerations that go with it too.
Over The Knee
Wearing your soccer socks over the knee is a simple and practical solution to the common issue of your socks falling down during the match. This can also help protect any abrasions on the knee.
It also provides a pretty elegant aesthetic which some players prefer. There are no awkward folds or layers in the socks that would spoil their appearance. Not to mention, if the weather is particularly cold, wearing their socks over the knee will keep players a little bit warmer out on the field.
Below The Knee
This is probably the more common way to wear soccer socks. Players will often pull their socks up over the knee and then fold the top back down so it sits just below their knee bone.
While this does mean that the socks might slip down the player’s leg a little more often, it does offer them more freedom of movement around their knee joint.
Low Socks
It is a requirement for a player’s socks to cover the whole of their shin guards but some players like to keep their socks as low as possible. This means wearing their shin guards as low as possible, while still using them safely.
If the referee sees the top of a player’s shin guards poking out the top of their socks, they’ll often ask them to pull their socks up enough to cover them fully. However, some players prefer this style because it frees up their range of movement even more in their legs, making it easier to maintain a high level of athleticism.
Soccer Sock Accessories
As well as the simple fabric of the socks themselves, many players prefer to wear some kind of accessory as well. These accessories can be used to hold the socks and shin guards in place or simply as a stylish enhancement.
Athletic Tape
One of the most common accessories for soccer socks is some kind of sports or electrical tape that holds them and the shin guards in place. One band of tape around the top of the socks will help to prevent them from slipping down during the game.
Similarly, the second band of tape around the bottom of the shin guards can help to prevent them from slipping down inside the sock. This can also double as a fashion statement.
Players can obviously choose from a variety of different colors and styles of tape so can make their uniform a little more stylish.
Shin Guard Holders
Another popular soccer sock accessory is a shin guard holder. This is essentially a velcro strap that wraps around the outside of the player’s socks to keep their shin guards in place.
However, these holders can also take the form of a simple, stylish elastic band that provides the same functionality.
Final Thoughts
As you can tell, there are multiple ways you can wear soccer socks and there’s no perfect way to do it. For most players, the way they wear their socks is largely down to comfort and their own sense of style.
As long as you follow the tips and advice we’ve outlined in this guide, you’ll be looking sharp on the soccer field!
