How to Wear Soccer Socks Like a Professional: 7 Steps
If you have ever watched a professional soccer game, you may have noticed that a lot of professional players cut their team socks so that they can wear specialized socks underneath- usually in the form of grip socks. Most players choose to wear a reliable pair of grip socks under their team socks because they offer greater comfort, grip, and traction, which can lead to better performance on the field.
High-performance grip socks—like those from Lux Sports—have become a go-to choice for players at all levels. Known for their superior traction, comfort, and snug fit, these socks help prevent slipping inside the cleat and can improve stability during quick movements. In this blog post, I’ll break down exactly how to wear your soccer socks like the pros and why this small detail can make a big difference in your game.
Image by Nathan Rogers
How do you wear soccer socks like a professional?
Wearing soccer socks properly is important because they cover and hold your shin guards in place, protecting you from potential kicks to the shins. They are also an important part of your soccer bag checklist if you want to play competitively or in official matches, since you will have to wear shin guards and matching socks with the rest of your team.
The right pair of socks also offers support, helps prevent blisters, and limits how much your feet slide inside the cleats, giving your cleats a more responsive feel. Socks can also help provide slight ankle support and protection, although, of course, they will not do too much against a strong hit.
With that being said, I would rather get hit on the ankle or shin bone while wearing cushioned socks than without any socks at all. Wearing soccer socks is very simple: just slide them on your feet, make sure they cover your shin guards, and make sure they stay secure and don’t slide around.
However, if you are looking to wear your socks like the professionals you see on TV, you will need to take some extra steps. Before we start, these are the materials you will need:
- Team socks that you are allowed to cut, or a pair of pre-cut socks
- Scissors
- High-quality crew-length socks or grip socks
- Soccer cleats
- Shin guards
- Shin guard sleeves
Step 1: Cut your Team Socks:
Grab your scissors and cut your team socks at the ankle so you are left with the foot and the long shin, which will act like a sleeve. If you don’t want to cut any socks or deal with loose threads, you can purchase pre-cut soccer socks to skip this step.
Step 2: Put on Your Grip Socks:
Now, grab your pair of grip socks or another high-quality pair, slide them on, and pull them up to your shins.
Step 3: Insert the Shin Guards:
Once your grip socks are in place, put your shin guards under them, so they are between your shins and the grip socks.
Step 4: Put on your cut-up team soccer socks or pre-cut socks:
Now that you have your grip socks and your shin guards on, you can put on the long shin part of the cut sock, or the pre-cut socks. Slide this on both legs, then pull it up either past or just below your knees.
Step 5: Secure your socks and shin guards
Now that you have your grip socks, shin guards, and pre-cut socks on, you can use shin guard sleeves, straps, or athletic tape to help hold everything in place. This step depends on how tight and secure you want everything to feel.
Step 6: Put on your soccer cleats
Once everything is secure, you can put on your soccer cleats and move on to the final step.
Step 7: Final Check:
For this final step, make sure everything is comfortable and secure so that nothing slides or falls off while you are playing. If you need to, this is the step where you can add extra tape or shin guard straps.
Summary
To summarize, knowing how to wear shin guards and match socks properly is very important for any player who wants the most comfort and security from their protective gear. Younger players, especially, have to make sure they wear everything properly to avoid injuries and stay safe during gameplay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do football socks go over or under shin guards?
Shin guards are meant to go under your socks, not above them.
Do soccer socks go above or below the knees?
When it comes to soccer socks, the most important rule is that they must cover your shin guards. This means that it is up to you whether you want the remainder of the sock above or below your knee.
There is no right or wrong, and you can see professional soccer players wearing their socks either way, about two inches below or above the knee.
