Soccer Gear
Now when you think of soccer gear you might think of kit, or you might think of equipment. Well luckily then I go through both in this section. So you can find out all about the equipment and kit you need to play soccer.
In comparison to some sports you don’t need that much kit and equipment to play soccer for fun. But of course the the amount increases the higher the level you play at. So here’s your guide to all the soccer supplies you might need in the coming months and years…
Soccer Kit
You might not think soccer kit is essential to learning how to actually play soccer… and you might be right. BUT- and it is a big but- the right kit is definitely very important to the game once you know just roughly how to play it.
Think about it- look the part and you will be the part. Ok so wearing the right kit won’t automatically make you a Cristiano Ronaldo, of course not, but the right kit does help your performance, confidence and credibility.
Therefore just as with many jobs (AND MOST SPORTS), you need the right uniform (or kit as we call it in soccer). And in this section I take you through all the different articles and soccer accessories you’ll need to get you going!
Soccer Shirts
Soccer shirts are a vital part of your soccer gear- not least because if they weren’t around then everyone would be playing in skins!! Not just an accessory- the soccer shirt must be worn at all times during a match.
Just to give you a brief history of soccer jerseys, in the late 1800s they were normally made from wool and as you can imagine this caused problems when it rained! So in the early 1900s there was a move to cotton with lace up collars. Skipping forward to the present day, most shirts are made from synthetic materials designed to keep you cool through maximum ventilation. Shirts can be short sleeved or long sleeved depending on the player’s preference. And sometimes you may even see sleeveless soccer shirts (worn by the national team of Cameroon for example).
Anyway they’re needed to tell two teams apart during a match and the type of shirt you’ll need will vary according to who you’re playing for: if you play for a team or a school then they will normally provide your kit for you.
But what about when you’re learning or training or even playing with friends? Which soccer shirt do you wear then? Well most soccer fans support a soccer club- perhaps their local team, a top flight club or more often than not a world famous club such as Manchester United. So people often wear replica shirts when they’re playing or watching the game and this lets you look the part and identify with your favorite team.
So hopefully you’re all clued up on the importance of and the history of soccer shirts as a part of your collection of soccer gear. If you want to play soccer seriously then you’ll definitely want to think about getting a soccer shirt or two in the near future (if you don’t have a couple already that is!
Soccer Shorts
Again, soccer shorts are a compulsory part of your soccer gear during a match (although you may be allowed to wear tracksuit bottoms in training).
Once upon a time some amateur players did wear trousers, but nowadays shorts are a must. If you’ve seen footage of old soccer matches then you might have seen all different types of shorts. To begin with shorts were baggy, then they got very tight (’short shorts’) and now they are slightly baggier again…thankfully- just not as large as they once were.
Just as with shirts shorts are now made from synthetic materials and different teams have different colors and designs to differentiate them from other teams. If you want to go out and get yourself replica shorts of your favorite team then that’s great, but if not some sports shops sell ordinary soccer shorts which are fine for training and playing. (In a match your team will give you the right kit to wear though.)
Soccer Socks
Socks used to be made from wool, but are now made from synthetic materials- just the same transformation as with shirts.
Just as with shirts and shorts, socks vary from team to team so as to tell the different sides apart. But the variations are only really in color and pattern for the most part.
What they all have in common is the length: they are long and should come up to just beneath your knees after you have folded over the top of the sock. If you copy Thierry Henry’s model then you’ll pull your socks up over your knees so that you don’t fold the top bit over- but he is a special exception!
If you’re looking to bag yourself some socks then you can either get replica socks or some standard socks from a good sports kit retailer.
Soccer Shin Guards
Soccer shin guards were developed by Samuel Widdowson in 1874 and were initially worn outside the socks and held in place with straps and buckles (which were later replaced with laces). The front was made of leather and the back part of cotton.
Nowadays shin pads are made of lightweight materials and are shaped around the leg, with Velcro to hold them up. One important difference between the new and old style soccer shin guards is that the new ones are worn inside the sock and this also helps to keep them up- whilst this modern piece of soccer gear looks a bit more fashionable too!
Unlike the other compulsory soccer gear, soccer shin guards are not on show and are therefore not differentiated in color from team to team. There are still some different designs out there though.
Whatever these designs are, you need shin pads to play soccer. I personally recommend you get the type of shin pad which also has an ankle support- this ensures maximum protection. This type of shin pad will have an elasticated loop to put your foot through and this sits under your foot once the pad is on.
As you will have guessed, this soccer essential is in the name of safety. If you get kicked in the shins it hurts… a lot… believe me!
Soccer Boots
Soccer boots have always been a key component of players’ soccer gear and were initially studless and made of hard, heavy leather. Since then they’ve become increasingly light- to the great benefit of modern players! But studs have also been added: first leather, then rubber, then metal screw-in studs. Studs are needed for grip and playing without them would make it quite hard to even stay on your feet!
Black is the traditional color of boots for modern day soccer, but they are becoming more personalized with different colors from red, to blue, to white and so on.
In terms of which boots you should get, there are many different makes/brands and it really depends on what fits you and feels comfortable. The price is usually a good indicator of quality though and it depends on the level you’re playing at as to the quality of boots you want!
Soccer Gloves
It has become quite fashionable in some players to wear gloves as part of their soccer gear- YES outfield players!
You’ll normally see them wearing fairly thin, black gloves and these can be worn for both warmth and style. This is not a necessary part of your kit, but if you want to wear gloves then why not?
Soccer T-Shirts
Here’s the scenario: it’s cold- very cold, you’re in the changing room waiting to go out and play a match and you are not looking forward to it one bit! Not because you don’t like soccer- just because of the pure cold- it can be nasty!
So why not wear a t-shirt? This is not a part of your soccer kit, but lots of people still wear them underneath their soccer shirt- for training or matches. It keeps you warm: it’s sensible.
It may seem obvious, but it needs to be in this section on soccer gear for as the saying goes, ‘Out of sight out of mind’.
Soccer Goalie Jerseys
Ahh now we get to the soccer gear specific to the goalkeeper.
Typically the soccer goalie jersey is long sleeved and is padded at the elbow to cushion the keeper when he dives on the ground and to reduce the sting of hard shots.
However, you will now often see keepers wearing short sleeved tops and those who do wear long sleeved often don’t have any padding to protect them. As far as I can see this is a matter of style and fashion, so you choose what’s best for you…though the traditional padding is the most sensible option.
Soccer Goalie Bottoms
Yes believe it or not there are shorts and trousers made just for the goalie.
The shorts and trousers are just like ordinary shorts and trousers, but simply have padding on the thighs (and knees for trousers).
To be honest, the shape of these is a little inconvenient for running around so they’re not good to wear if you’re doing fitness training with the rest of the squad. Neither are they much good in the summer because of the heat. You might also think them a little unstylish…they don’t seem to have too much going for them at the moment do they! And there’s more. You don’t see many top keepers wearing these padded bottoms as part of their soccer gear- so maybe you’ll think, “The why should I?”
Quite! I personally have padded shorts and trousers. But I don’t wear the trousers all that regularly. I’ll tell you when they are useful… when the ground is particularly hard due to frost- you will rip your legs to threads without them. Also, if you’re training largely involves just goalkeeping without all the fitness, then padded bottoms are definitely sensible!
In summary, it is well worth you getting a pair of padded shorts and bottoms as part of your soccer gear. You DO NOT have to wear them on all occasions- just when you think you want or need to wear them. (e.g. shot stopping practice, hard ground.)
Soccer Goalie Gloves
Now unlike the gloves the outfield players wear, the soccer goalie gloves are of substance and of real purpose- besides keeping warm!
Before the 1970s gloves weren’t a part of the keeper’s soccer gear unless it was wet- in which case thin cotton gloves were worn. But nowadays the need for gloves has been discovered.
First and foremost the gloves help goalie’s to grip the ball and hold onto it when a shot is fired at them. Also, the padding helps to reduce the ’sting’ of a hard hit shot so the keeper’s hands don’t hurt for days.
To add to that, some gloves (known as ‘finger savers’) reinforce each finger with flexible ribs to prevent broken fingers. Not all keepers choose to wear ‘finger savers’ but as a soccer goalie myself I definitely do: I don’t want a broken finger. They are a but more expensive than some gloves, but the extra expense is definitely worth it in my view.
Soccer Tracksuits
Right here’s one for you what ever position you play or want to play. You will probably at some point need a good tracksuit.
Some teams have their own tracksuits with special sponsors and logos (even at school level not just the pro’s). But if you don’t play for a team then you might want to look at getting yourself a tracksuit.
You can wear them to keep warm once you’ve come off the pitch, wear them over your kit to a match, wear them for training… and whatever else you can think of wearing them for. They are generally a useful piece of soccer gear if not the most vital.
Try to get some tracksuit bottoms with zips down the sides so you can take them off easily. As for the top, a zip up jacket-style top is perfect. Black is conventional though different teams have different colors.
Soccer Equipment
They say a bad workman blames his tools- and maybe they’re correct. Nevertheless, all workmen still need their tools and the tools of soccer are just as important.
How could a striker score without a goal to shoot at? How could any player play at all without a soccer ball to play with? The answer: they couldn’t! Soccer equipment is a necessary part of your soccer gear even if there is less equipment to be had than in other sports.
So you can see that soccer equipment is a key component of your soccer gear and the more serious about soccer you become, the more equipment you will need.
Soccer Kit Bags
You’ve just been reading all about soccer kit and once you’ve got yourself some kit you’re going to need something to put it all in and carry it in: a kit bag/a sports bag -call it what you will.
You can get small and light rucksacks with string straps, but the heavier and larger bags which you carry over one shoulder are far more common. There’s quite a lot of kit to carry after all and the boots take up quite bit of space… oh and on that note you might want to investigate getting a boot bag as well- otherwise all your other kit will get dirty!
Soccer Balls
When people first started kicking a ball, it was simply an animal bladder. Later on they covered it in animal skin cured to make leather.
Nowadays the soccer balls are made from modern synthetic materials so that animal products do not need to be used. Fortunately this makes them a lot lighter to kick and you will always hear soccer commentators speculating on how much pace and swerve can be gained from the new balls.
So the development of balls makes them lighter and lighter all the time: bad news for keepers (who punch an increasing amount)!
The official balls are size 5, but different age groups can play with sizes 3 or 4. Size 1 and 2 balls can also be useful for doing kick ups- the smaller the ball, the more skill you’ll need and the better you’ll get! You can get all different makes and designs of ball and it just depends what suits you best; why not get a couple?
PS: teams who have loads of balls will also have giant ball bags to carry and store all their soccer balls in.
Soccer Goals
As I said before, no one can score without a goal to score into. So goals are of course a crucial part of your soccer gear.
Now if you play at a school, college, uni or club for example, then they should all have goals anyway. But if you also like to play in your own time then you have a few options;
1) Play at your local park which may have a goal
2) Use cones or jumpers as goalposts
3) Get yourself your own goal if you have space
If you go for the last option then you can get a full size goal (eight yards from post to post) or there are other sizes you might like to consider.
If you play 5 a side for instance, then a smaller goal is advisable. If you want to improve your accuracy at passing or shooting then you might want to get hold of one of those really tiny goals which are just for practicing. Or if you want a good sized goal but don’t have the space for a full size one, then there are plenty of goals around which fit the bill for this as well!
Soccer Cones
Cones are very useful items to add to your soccer gear because they have a number of different purposes. Not all of them will apply to you because they are mostly just used by clubs in training sessions, but individual players can get themselves some cones as well.
So let’s see what you can do with some small, disc-like cones…
- mark the edge of a pitch, a goal and a goal area (when you’re not on a proper pitch)
- mark out zones within a pitch
- use them as markers where different people must stand in a training exercise
- dribble round them with the ball to practice your dribbling skills
- create a small target to pass into to improve the accuracy of your passing
- use them as markers for fitness drills
Ok so I’m guessing you can now see the value of cones. Mostly they will only be used in group training sessions, but you can also use them when you’re practicing by yourself, with friends or with a family member.
Referees’ Equipment
Whilst this isn’t a part of your soccer gear, I though I’d just mention it as a fundamental part of soccer gear in general: after all, every match has a referee and needs the referee’s assistants.
Red and yellow cards, a note book and a whistle are the items you’ll always see a ref carrying. The linesmen will carry flags which they raise for an offside, when the keeper steps off his line at a penalty before the ball is kicked or when there is a foul the ref hasn’t seen.
You don’t need this type of soccer gear at all to play soccer of course, but if you want to try your hand at refereeing then…
