Why Footballers Wear Tiny Shin Pads

Originally posted on GiveMeSport | By Daniel Mawson | Last updated Nov 7, 2026 3:00 AM ET

Watch any professional football match closely, and you may notice something odd about some players' legs: socks rolled down to the calf, with holes cut out of the back and, tucked inside them, a shin-pad barely bigger than a credit card. Jack Grealish made the look famous, but the trend has since spread from the elite game down to Sunday league and junior pitches.

Shin-pads are compulsory under football's laws, so how are players getting away with protecting so little of their shins? And why would they want to flout a rule made to protect them and their most prized asset?

What are the rules?

Shin-pads became mandatory in 1990 due to the increasing physical brutality and injury rates seen in Europe's elite leagues.

According to Law 4 of IFAB's (International Football Association Board) Laws of the Game, shin pads must be made of a 'suitable material' and must be 'of an appropriate size to provide reasonable protection'. However, it also states that players are responsible for the 'size and suitability' of their shin-pads, meaning that, ultimately, the decision is up to the individual.

IFAB told BBC Sport that referees are only required to check that some form of shin pads are being worn, meaning that even match officials are not able to force a player to change into bigger, more protective equipment.

Why are players wearing them?

The majority of professionals who have been quizzed on their shin-guards cite comfort and freedom of movement as the main factor in opting for micro-pads. Given the speed and intensity that the modern game is played at, every gram less that their equipment weighs gives a minute boost to their range of motion and explosiveness.

Another reason is the recent trend of low socks that sit around the calf. According to Law 4, the shin pads must be covered by the players' socks. Therefore, if they were to use the more traditional, bigger shin-pads, players would have to wear longer socks.

Are they safe?

Whilst there has not yet been an in-depth study into the effectiveness of mini-shin-pads compared to traditional ones, guidance written by the FA, and the actions of various amateur and semi-professional clubs, offer a damning verdict.

FA guidance written in 2024 states that "any part of the shin that is not covered is not as well protected", before adding that micro shin pads may "increase the risk of injury due to the smaller amount of shin covered." The statement continues by advising that "safety is prioritised by ensuring a good proportion of the shin area is covered and therefore protected."

Various amateur and non-league clubs have been keen to ban mini-shin-pads, including Ilfracombe Town, who prohibited the use of such equipment across all age groups and squads after forward Riley Malin suffered a double-leg break (tibia and fibula) in a 50/50 challenge.

According to the BBC, in August 2024, Penistone Church took similar action after teenager Alfie Collins also suffered a double-leg break, having switched his bigger shin-pads at halftime for a pair that were "no bigger than a credit card."