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

Calling them shin guards seems almost a misnomer. The protective equipment worn by some Premier League players today is so small that it's hard to imagine what it could actually protect.

This season, these small plastic pieces, inserted into the front of top players' socks, are sometimes no bigger than a credit card, or even smaller, a far cry from the thick versions worn by previous generations of players.

Currently, some shin guards exist merely to meet football regulations requirements.

Wayne Rooney has also spoken openly about this. In the podcast 'Stick to United,' he referred to Manchester United striker Benjamin Šeško as wearing "those silly little shin guards." Šeško is currently sidelined with a shin injury.

Šeško's Manchester United teammate Luke Shaw suffered a shin injury in a recent match against Everton, roughly in the area that should be protected by traditional-sized shin guards, but he is not the only player experiencing this.

Younger players in particular prefer these often extremely small alternatives. Jack Hinshelwood of Brighton has even partnered with a manufacturer to promote various mini shin guards measuring just 8cm by 5cm (3 inches by 2 inches).

Is this a trend, a risk, or simply for comfort? The Athletic digs into the issue.

Is this a trend?

Like chocolate bars and chip bags, shin guards in 2024 are getting smaller. Not all players are willing to follow this trend, but there is sufficient evidence showing an increase in deviations from traditional-sized shin guards, which typically cover six inches or more below the knee. For some, safety is no longer a primary concern.

The official Premier League media interviewed several players about micro shin guards 12 months ago. Alex Iwobi and Hannibal Mejbri both expressed support, but some older players were less convinced. Dan Burn from Newcastle United said: "I wear cricket pads (the 201cm-tall defender was likely joking!), so my teammates always tease me about the size."

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

However, supporters of these smaller alternatives would argue this is a misunderstanding. Many players would prefer not to wear shin guards at all if they could, because they find them restrictive and uncomfortable. Players train all week without them, and then putting them on match day naturally feels awkward.

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

Jack Grealish, a player valued at 100 million pounds a few years ago, has long been a vocal supporter of this practice. In a 2021 interview with GQ magazine, he said he wears shin guards in "children's sizes, size seven to eight." Hull City and Scotland striker Oli McBurnie is similar; he revealed in a 2019 interview with The Guardian that he wears "toddler" shin guards.

Hinshelwood's shin guard size is clearly visible in Premier League matches, particularly when he adjusts his equipment on the pitch. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich and France forward Michael Olise makes no secret of his preference for not wearing shin guards at all.

What are the rules regarding shin guards?

Shin guards have always been mandatory equipment for football players. According to the Laws of the Game by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), in addition to long sleeves, shorts, socks, and appropriate footwear, shin guards of "suitable size" are also among the items that must be worn by all participants. This has been in effect since 1990, when football legislators sought to better protect players, though this stance has softened in recent years.

March 2024 became a turning point for revisiting this issue.

The IFAB, which oversees football regulations, held its annual general meeting at a hotel near Loch Lomond in Scotland at that time to discuss whether the rules needed to be changed. Law 4, which covers player equipment, had always stated that shin guards "must be made of suitable material, provide reasonable protection, be covered by socks and be of suitable size," but the Board felt the need to add clearer guidance to the rule before the next season.

The final wording was changed to include the phrase: "Players are responsible for the size and suitability of their shin guards."

David Elleray, former FIFA referee and current IFAB Technical Director, explained this change at the last annual general meeting in South Wales in February this year.

"The reason we changed the Law is because it's impossible to legislate for a fixed size," Elleray told reporters at a press conference.

"We gave responsibility to players two years ago to wear what they believed would protect them. The difficulty we faced, partly from a legal standpoint, is if we leave it to the referee and the referee says, 'This shin guard is fine,' and the player gets injured, the player might decide to take action."

"So we explicitly placed that responsibility on the players, on the coaches, and for young players, on the parents. We hope, and we expect, that they will act responsibly."

Elleray's use of the word "expect" seems to suggest some disappointment.

He added: "We recently had one incident that looked like a sticker. Pressure must remain on each player, coach, and club to ensure their players are protected, because this is something that cannot be entirely resolved by law."

Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee and one of football's most recognizable referee faces, voiced similar sentiment at the same press conference. He said: "It's about their safety, so they should be interested in what actually works for them."

However, for many players, this is not just about safety; comfort and familiarity are key.

A physiotherapist at an English Football League club, who wished to remain anonymous to protect professional relationships, suspects that some players do not wear properly effective shin guards at all, and knows of instances where players cut foam padding as a substitute. The English Football League consists of three divisions below the Premier League in the English football system, with 72 clubs. The physiotherapist said: "Referees don't really check thoroughly; they just look to see if there's a shin guard outline under the socks."

He also believes that although medical teams oppose this practice, they may face resistance from players. "For some players, comfort trumps safety," he said.

How do officials manage this?

Very loosely. The reason for the rule change in 2024 was that it became increasingly difficult for refereeing teams to determine what constitutes a shin guard, and more players favored these small plastic pieces. If a player feels this provides sufficient protection for themselves, who are the referee or assistant referee to say otherwise?

Equipment checks are still conducted. In Premier League matches, five minutes before kick-off, assistant referees stand at the door of each dressing room, and starting players pass through for a routine inspection. Currently, these checks focus primarily on jewelry, with players pulling the front of their shirts to show they are not wearing necklaces.

Shin guards remain part of the inspection, and substitute players also undergo the same check by the fourth official when they enter the pitch during the match. In theory, if a player is not wearing shin guards, they could be prevented from entering the game.

Graham Scott, former Premier League referee and The Athletic's refereeing expert, said: "The key with shin guards is whether they offer sufficient protection, and that is the player's responsibility."

"As long as there is something there. A player might wear something the size of a postage stamp, and I would joke, 'Are you really wearing a shin guard?' They would show me, and pretty much everyone would make a joke about whether it could actually protect them."

"Ultimately, it reaches a point where we can't do anything about it. There will be disputes between clubs and us about whether a player has sufficient shin guard protection, but by that point, the argument is not worth continuing. They are wearing a shin guard, and the player insists it is sufficient. Who is the referee to say it is not?"

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

Situs web AF kini hadir! Lihat berita lengkap, komentar, detail pertandingan, dan statistik di komputer Anda. Kunjungi: www.allfootballapp.com