News came out recently that some football clubs are banning mini shin pads, but are they actually allowed for football? Here’s everything you need to know about an increasingly popular trend of wearing tiny shin pads.
Are Mini Shin Pads Legal and Allowed in Football?
The answer is a resounding YES, mini shin pads are legal and allowed in football. There is nothing in the laws of football that state anything about the size requirements for shin pads. Therefore, mini shin pads, as long as they can be considered shin pads, are sufficient and legal in football.
What are Mini Shin Pads?
Mini shin pads are, as the name suggests, tiny shin pads that barely cover the surface area of one leg hair, let alone the entire shin. They’ve been popularised recently by the likes of Jack Grealish, who wears the smallest shin pads available for football.
Are Mini Shin Pads Good for Football?
Mini shin pads are not only adorable but they’re also protective. Is there anything mini shin pads can’t do <3
Mini shin pads are good for football in a sense that they allow for a more free-movement of the leg. They’re unrestrictive and are not noticeable when you’re on the pitch. In terms of protection, mini shin pads are not good for football.
The point of a shin pad is to protect the vulnerable part of the lower leg. The shin is particularly sensitive as there is not much fat between the outer layer of the skin and the shin bone. Therefore, any contact on the shin is felt at full force. The impact is not absorbed by body fat and it’s extremely painful. Some of the best shin pads for football also come with ankle protection.
This is another crucial aspect of a shin pad that the mini models don’t have. A challenge on the ankle can be extremely painful for the same reason as the shin issue – no fat on the ankle. What’s more, a challenge on the ankle can cause sprains, twists or breaks that will be more serious than a knock on the shin. A proper shin pad with a ankle protection will help to prevent this.
The Best Mini Shin Pads to Buy for Football
Given their popularity, it’s no surprise that there are several options for mini shin pads that you can buy. We’ve done the leg work for you, though, and scoured the internet for the very best option.
Leogony (2 Pairs) Mini Football Shin Pads
The best mini shin pads for football
Drumroll please…. and here they are! The Leogony Mini Football Shin Pads are the best option if you want to buy your own pair of tiny shin pads for football. Not only are they small, but they’re also super lightweight and so cheap! There are lighter shin pads available on the market, but you will not find smaller shin pads AND at this price you’re getting a steal. Save money on shin pads so you can spend more on buying the best football boots! So why not buy your own pair of mini shin pads and see what the hype is all about?
Here are some more details about exactly what you get with the Leogony Mini Shin Pads:
- 5cm x 8cm size
- 2x pairs
- 59g weight
- Polypropylene material
Why Do Footballers Wear Small Shin Pads?
Footballers wear mini shin pads to ensure their movement is not inhibited. The point of shin pads is to protect the leg, but often a big piece of plastic being wrapped around your leg can feel uncomfortable and even hinder movement. Mini shin pads are lightweight and cover little surface area. This means they’re barely even noticeable when you’re on the pitch and you can fully concentrate on your game.
Why Does Jack Grealish Wear Mini Shin Pads?
Jack Grealish wears mini shin pads because he finds larger ones restrictive to his movement. There’s a little more to it than that as well. He’s said that when he was around 15, his football socks shrank, meaning he had to wear them below his calves. That season, he played exceptionally well and choose to keep the low socks-small shin pads combo for the rest of his career. This, incidentally, is also why he liked to wear low socks.
What are the IFAB Laws Around Shin Pads?
Judge Haaland rules that mini shin pads are allowed
IFAB (International Football Association Board) are the big guys in suits who make all the laws we know and love (or hate) about today’s game. IFAB’s Law 4 relates to Players’ Equipment. Here is exactly what is says is required from ‘shinguards’ in section 4.2 – Compulsory Equipment.
According to IFAB, shinguards must be:
- Made of suitable material
- Covered by the socks
- Provide reasonable protection
While the purpose of laws is to define practices and leave no grey area, IFAB have slightly missed the mark on this one. ‘Suitable material’ is not exactly defined, but common sense will dictate what material constitutes as suitable. The ‘Covered by the socks’ one is pretty clear. However, we then come onto the last stipulation – ‘Provide reasonable protection.’
What sort of protection is reasonable? Jack Grealish is getting away with wearing his micro shin pads, so clearly IFAB, the FA and referees have no issue that his shins are being suitably protected, but this then begs the question – what shin pads don’t provide suitable protection? If shin pads get smaller? If shin pads are made from paper? Clearly they either don’t care enough to enforce the rule (as tiny shin pads cannot provide much protection) or they consider the protection given by the microscopic shin pads to be reasonable enough.
Do Shin Pads Have to be a Certain Size?
No – shin pads do not have to be a certain size. While some teams might enforce their own players wearing a certain quality and size of shin pad, by law they don’t have to be a certain size.
