Vaseline has many uses… in sport. From the UFC having cut men apply it to the faces of fighters to protect from cuts, to footballers putting it on their chests to help them to breathe better, it’s a useful ointment to apply.
But after Man United’s recent game with Liverpool, many people were left wondering why Andre Onana put Vaseline on his goalkeeper gloves. Here’s your definitive answer, including whether or not Vaseline helps goalkeepers in football.
Why Did Andre Onana Put Vaseline on his Gloves?
Maybe his lips are just chipped
Let me take you back. It’s a Saturday afternoon on the beautiful Bournemouth south coast. As ever, Manchester United are struggling against a team that in the Fergie days, they would have laughed at and comfortable beat. But we’re not in the Fergie days, and my wife has left me (what).
Bournemouth have just won a corner and United keeper Onana is grinning away as he reaches for something in his goal. No, it definitely wasn’t a clean sheet, but instead a small tub of Vaseline. He proceeded to rub it vigorously (the Vaseline) onto his gloves and looked set to go again, and he did the same against Liverpool weeks earlier. But why did he do it?
Basically, Onana rubbed Vaseline on his gloves to improve his grip on the ball.
Why Do Goalkeepers Put Vaseline on their Gloves?
For the same reason as Onana, goalkeepers put Vaseline on their gloves to improve the grip their gloves give them.
This hack is not just unique to the Cameroon keeper. Many around the footballing world do the same. In wet conditions when the ball can easily slip off the surface, the extra grip the Vaseline provides is a crucial element to negate the impact of the wet surface.
Does Vaseline Actually Give Goalkeeper Gloves More Grip?
Yes, several studies and testimonies from actual keepers attest to the fact that Vaseline does give goalkeeper gloves more grip.
Why Does Vaseline Give Goalkeeper Gloves More Grip?
Okay, onto the science stuff now. Vaseline gives goalkeeper gloves more grip because it’s an occlusive product – meaning it traps moisture and keeps skin (or in this case materials) hydrated.
This moisture helps to create a stickier surface, so when the ball is fired into the gloves, there is less resistance and the energy from the shot subsides more easily. This makes it a lot less difficult to catch and take in the ball.
The Best Vaseline Product to Buy for Football
Vaseline is your new BFF
So, we’ve well and truly established that Vaseline is great for improving goalkeepers’ grip in football. If you now want to try this keeping hack for yourself, here is the best Vaseline product to buy for football.
All Vaseline products do the same job, so here is the cheapest pick. At just £1.79 for a 50ml tub, keeping clean sheets is even cheaper than you’d expect. For less than the price of a tube of pringles you can have extra-sticky, extra-grippy gloves!
- 100% pure petroleum jelly
- 3x purity guarantee
- Dermatologically tested
- Non-irritating
50ml Vaseline Tub – £1.79
(2x) 50ml Vaseline Tub – £3.58
(3x) 50ml Vaseline Tub – £5.37
Is Vaseline Bad for Goalkeeper Gloves?
Some sources do say that Vaseline is actually bad for goalkeeper gloves. While most agree that it can make gloves more grippy, some argue that Vaseline has a negative long-term effect on gloves.
Bare with us because we’re about to get way more scientific than our C in Chemistry GCSE warrants. Vaseline is an oligomer – a molecular group of chemicals that consists of only a few monomer unites. Whereas, the foam latex that most keeper gloves are made from is a polymer – which is a molecule that consists of an unlimited amount of monomer units. In essence, this means that the main molecules of keeper gloves and Vaseline are at entirely opposite ends of the spectrum.
Why Does this Matter?
So, why is this a problem? The polymer molecules in the latex ‘accommodate’ the monomer molecules of the Vaseline, effectively absorbing them. This changes the molecular composition (this is officially the most technical and clever-sounding phrase you’ll find on this site) of the gloves, literally changing the material they’re made from as the two different groups of molecules combine.
All in all, this results in the foam latex material of the gloves becoming drier and harder. So, yes Vaseline does make keeper gloves sticker, but it can cause a detrimental impact to the glove’s performance in the long run.
Do Goalkeeper Gloves Matter in Football?
Goalkeeper gloves fear this guy
Yep, keeper gloves definitely do matter! The question isn’t whether or not you should wear keeper gloves – of course you should. With Erling Haaland out there launching missiles on the pitch, you don’t want to go bareback and have only your hands to protect the goal. But the question here might be rather, do goalkeeper gloves make a difference and is it worth buying expensive gloves over cheaper ones?
Is it Worth Buying Expensive Goalkeeper Gloves?
Keeperking Goalkeeper Gloves
The answer is… it depends. If you’re serious about football or play a lot, then yes, it is worth buying expensive goalkeeper gloves. Like most things in life, the more expensive the better.
The best goalkeeper gloves come at a more premium price. However, comfort, grip and effectiveness on the pitch is going to be a lot better than with cheaper gloves. But, if you’re playing a lot or take keeping seriously, this is a worthwhile investment that will definitely help you on the pitch.
That’s not to say cheaper gloves can’t do a job. We recently searched for the cheapest goalkeeper gloves under £10 and came up with a list of high-quality, effective gloves that you could find at a cheap cost. These aren’t as good as some of the top models on the market, but damn when we tested them they were still very effective. What was great as well was that as someone who isn’t a keeper, I wasn’t breaking the bank. I had more money to spend on the best football boots, and yet, was still buying a great product.
Other Uses for Vaseline in Football
Back to Vaseline. What other uses are there for Vaseline in football? We’ve covered the use for keepers, but there are other ways footballers can use Vaseline.
- For cut and graze protection
- For warmth
- For blister care
- To be slippery
- (NOT) Breathing
For cut and graze protection
Keepers might apply Vaseline to their elbows or knees to help stop grazing. We’ve all played in the summer where the pitches may as well be concrete. One slide tackle and you’re going home with the biggest, bloodiest gashes known to man. Vaseline applied on the skin acts as a protective layer to help prevent cuts and grazing.
For warmth
The protective layering qualities of Vaseline are great for insulation. It helps to trap the heat in the body and thus can be effective in keeping players warm on the pitch. As a result, some players playing in particularly cold conditions will apply Vaseline to their exposed arms and/or legs.
For blister care
If your boots are rubbing, it will often lead to blisters. Sure, there are a few things you can do to make your football boots more comfortable, but if you already have blisters Vaseline is a good solution. Once again, that protective layer will help prevent further rubbing and can keep irritation down to a minimum. It will also help to reduce the friction from your feet. This brings up another topic of should football boots should be tight? We also looked into this topic, so feel free to take a look at what we thought.
To be slippery
Adama Traore applying baby oil to his skin
Players like Adama Traore are notoriously for ‘oiling up’ before (and sometimes even during) games. Traore’s game is explosive and based on pace. He frequently runs past defenders who in turn, are left with no other option but to grab and pull him back. Lubricating the skin with products like baby oil and Vaseline will help the skin be more slippery, making it harder for opponents to stunt your progress while you’re mid-sprint.
NOT for breathing
It’s a common misconception that Vaseline is rubbed onto the shirts of footballers to help breathing. This is NOT TRUE. While footballers like Patrick Viera did (and still do) apply creams to their shirts to aid breathing, it is NOT Vaseline. Footballers apply VapoRub to their shirts for this effect. This is thanks to components in the VapoRub such as Eucalyptus Oil, that finds its way into your mucus membranes and breaks up phlegm and mucus in your noes.
