According to The Athletic, an increasing number of Premier League players are opting for extremely small shin guards, with comfort and rule compliance being the main reasons.

Calling them shin guards is almost a misnomer. Some of the protective equipment worn today by Premier League players is surprisingly small, making it difficult to imagine what protection they could possibly provide.

This season, these tiny plastic pieces, inserted into the front of elite players' socks, are sometimes no larger than a credit card—or even smaller—far removed from the bulky versions worn by previous generations of players.

Today, some shin guards are worn primarily just to meet football's regulatory requirements.

Wayne Rooney has also spoken publicly about this. On the "Stick to United" podcast, he mentioned that Manchester United forward Sesko wears "these ridiculous little shin guards." Sesko is currently sidelined with a shin injury.

Luke Shaw, Sesko's teammate at Manchester United, suffered a shin laceration in a recent match against Everton, roughly in the area where a traditional-sized shin guard would have provided protection—but he is not the only player to experience this.

Young players in particular prefer these often-minimal alternatives. Jack Hinshelwood of Brighton & Hove Albion has even partnered with a manufacturer to promote a range of mini shin guards measuring just 8 cm by 5 cm (3 inches by 2 inches).

Is this a trend, a risk, or simply about comfort? The Athletic explored the question.

Is it a trend?

Like chocolate bars and chip packages, shin guards in 2024 are getting smaller. Not all players are embracing the shift, but there is sufficient evidence to suggest a move away from traditional-sized shin guards that once covered more than six inches below the knee. For some, safety is no longer the primary consideration.

Premier League media surveyed several players about micro shin guards 12 months ago. Alex Iwobi and Hannibal Mejbri were in favor, but some older players were less convinced. Dan Burn of Newcastle United said: "I wear cricket leg guards, so my teammates are always teasing me about their size"—the 201 cm (6 foot 7 inch) defender was likely joking.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk also seemed somewhat concerned. He said: "If someone kicks you on the shin and your shin guard is the size of an AirPods case, then that's obviously a big problem."

But supporters of these smaller alternatives argue that this misses the point. Many players would prefer not to wear shin guards at all if they could, as they find them restrictive and uncomfortable. Players often train all week without them, then put them on for match day, which is naturally cumbersome.

So the smaller, the better—especially for players who like to roll their socks down.

Jack Grealish, a player who cost £100 million a few years ago, has long been an advocate for this practice. In a 2021 interview with GQ, he said he wore shin guards in "children's size, size seven or eight." The same applies to Hull City and Scotland forward Oli McBurnie, who revealed in a 2019 interview with The Guardian that he wore shin guards in "toddler size."

The size of Hinshelwood's shin guards is clearly visible during Premier League matches, especially when he adjusts his equipment on the pitch. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich and France forward Mathys Tel makes no secret of the fact that he would prefer not to wear them at all.

What are the rules on shin guards?

Shin guards have always been mandatory equipment for football players. According to the Laws of the Game from the International Football Association Board (IFAB), in addition to long-sleeved shirts, shorts, socks, and appropriate footwear, shin guards of "appropriate size" are also required equipment for every player. This has been the case since 1990, when football lawmakers sought to better protect players, but this stance has loosened in recent years.

March 2024 became a turning point for reconsidering this issue.

The IFAB, which oversees the laws of football, held its annual general assembly at a hotel on the banks of Loch Lomond in Scotland at that time and discussed the need to revise the rules. Law 4, which addresses player equipment, had always stipulated that shin guards "must be made of appropriate material, provide reasonable protection, and be covered by socks," but the board felt it was necessary to add clearer guidance to this rule before the next season.

The final wording was refined and this sentence was added: "Players are responsible for the size and fit of their shin guards."

David Elleray, former FIFA referee and current IFAB technical director, explained this change at the annual general assembly in Wales in February this year.

Elleray told journalists at a press conference: "The reason we changed the law is that it's impossible to legislate for a specific size."

"Two years ago, we placed the responsibility on players to wear equipment they felt protected them. The legal difficulty is that if we leave it to the referee, and the referee says 'these shin guards are fine,' and then the player gets injured, the player could decide to sue us."

"So we firmly put this on the players, the coaches, and for young players, the parents. We hoped, and we even expected, that they would act responsibly."

Elleray's use of the word "hoped" suggests some disappointment.

He added: "There was a recent situation where it looked like just a plaster. The pressure must remain on individual players, coaches, and clubs to ensure their players are protected, because this is something that simply cannot be entirely legislated for."

Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee and one of football's most recognizable refereeing figures, expressed similar views at the same press conference. He said: "This is about their own safety, so they should care about what actually suits them."

But for many players, it is not just about safety; comfort and habit are essential.

A physiotherapist at an English Football League club, who wished to remain anonymous to protect his working relationships, suspects that some players are not wearing truly effective shin guards and knows of people who cut foam pads as substitutes. The English Football League consists of three divisions below the Premier League in the English football system, comprising 72 clubs. The physiotherapist said: "Referees don't seriously check; they just look for the outline of a shin guard under the sock."

He also believes that medical teams, even if they oppose the practice, may encounter player resistance. "For some players, comfort is more important than safety," he said.

How do officials handle this?

The approach is very lenient. The reason for wanting to change the rules in 2024 was that it was becoming increasingly difficult for refereeing teams to determine what constitutes a shin guard, and more and more players preferred these small plastic pieces. If a player believes it is sufficient to protect them, why should a referee or assistant referee say otherwise?

Equipment checks are still conducted. At Premier League matches, five minutes before kickoff, an assistant referee stands at the door of each dressing room, and starting players pass through, undergoing routine checks. Today, these checks focus primarily on jewelry, with players pulling down the front of their shirt to show they are not wearing necklaces.

Shin guards are still part of the check, and substitute players are also subject to the same inspection by the fourth official when they enter the pitch. In theory, if a player is not wearing shin guards, they could be prevented from taking the field.

Graham Scott, former Premier League referee and arbitration expert for The Athletic, said: "Regarding shin guards, the key is whether they provide adequate protection, and that is the player's own responsibility."

"As long as there is something. Players can wear things the size of a postage stamp, and I would joke: 'Are you really wearing shin guards?' They would show me, and almost everyone would joke about whether it could really protect anyone."

"Eventually, we reached a point where we could do nothing about it. The clubs and we were at an impasse over whether a player had sufficient shin protection, but by that point, the argument was not worth pursuing. They were wearing shin guards, and the player insisted it was sufficient. Why would the referee say it wasn't?"

Traduit par IA.

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