A viral video reveals the surprising truth about the ‘Pokémon card’ shin pads players are using today.
Players like Jack Grealish, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Bukayo Saka are well-known for using really small shin pads, but now some players are taking it even further. In a new viral video, a player was spotted wearing tiny ‘Pokemon’ shin pads, which look like little pieces of foam.
Fans have been amazed and confused, wondering why any team would let their players wear so little protection on the field.
It’s become trendy in recent years for footballers to wear smaller and smaller shin pads. Jack Grealish is often seen as the leader of this style, but now some players are pushing the limits. A video shared by former goalkeeper Ashley Harrison shows a player peeling off a wrapper and sticking on what looks like a very small, temporary shin pad.
Many fans reacted strongly to the video, commenting on the risks players are taking by wearing such minimal protection. One fan said, “It’s totally crazy. I once met Sir Alex Ferguson when he visited a school, and he told young players: ‘You are one tackle away from your career ending, so protect yourself.’”
The Football Association (FA) says players must wear shin pads, but the size and protection level is up to the player. Their rules say the shin pads should be made from a suitable material, be big enough to offer good protection, and must be covered by the socks.
Last year, Brighton & Hove Albion shared a post about 17-year-old Harry Howell wearing tiny shin pads, which also got a lot of criticism.
A study published in 2015 looked at injury data over 25 years and found that lower-leg injuries dropped by about 20% after shin pads became mandatory, including serious fractures.
Still, the small shin pad trend seems to be growing. Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka said, “I’m a fan of them; I don’t like big shin pads.” On the other hand, Liverpool’s captain Virgil van Dijk prefers to be more careful, saying, “If you get kicked on the shin and your shin pad is as small as an AirPod, that’s a big problem.”