Like Jude Bellingham, who faces Spain with England in the final of Euro 2024, some players make holes in their socks.
The most attentive viewers will probably have noticed it: since the start of this Euro 2024, some footballers have played with holes in their socks. The practice is not new, but it is more and more widespread. Within the England team, opponent of Spain in the competition final on Sunday evening in Berlin, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka, stars of Three Lions, have become the habit of cutting their stockings.
But why do they massacre their shots with scissors? The reason would be medical. The players would actually be convinced that they can avoid certain calf injuries. Each match, new socks are systematically made available to them and the fabric is too tense to their taste. This lack of flexibility could cause muscle problems, blood circulation or cramps. At least in theory.
“More psychological help”
In reality, no study would prove the interest of this funny fashion. From 2012, the Spanish sports daily AS had questioned sports doctors, who had all made doubts about the real impact of the supposed compression of the socks at the level of the players’ calves. According to them, “Taking the socks is more psychological help to prevent injuries”. This did not prevent some from continuing to do so.
