There's a Real Reason Gareth Bale Cuts His Socks... and It's Not for Fashion
What is your favorite soccer tradition, and why is it the scissors that players take to their socks?
Jun. 22 2024, Published 7:00 a.m. ET
There are some sports traditions that you just stop questioning as a fan. However, when you watch soccer for too long, you might realize that the players oddly cut their socks.
No, it's not just some sort of fashion statement or superstition. Cutting your socks, apparently, serves some real purpose when it comes to playing the game itself.
Why do soccer players cut their socks?
Soccer socks can be pretty tight, so adding some slits helps let them breathe. This can be for a few different reasons, but one of the biggest is for blood flow purposes.
Wearing socks leisurely is one thing, but when you're an athlete and your blood is pumping, it's not good to block it. If your socks are too tight, adding those splices in will help make sure your body is able to self-regulate.
If not, you can expect some potential cramping. Plus, if you have an injury, restricting that blood flow is a terrible plan. That's why, according to Wales Online, Gareth Bale cut up his socks following three calf injuries.
Sometimes it isn't quite that medically serious, too. Even if you're not fearful of injury, you'll definitely want to be nice and comfy while playing the game, so you can give it your best.
If socks are too large, it's easy to slip and slide around in your show, so it can be better to opt for some extra tight ones, otherwise it would be totally uncomfortable during the game.
However, that adds in the issue of discomfort from the compression. Luckily, some strategic snips totally resolves that concern, too. If they don't sell the perfect sock, surely the players can make their own.
Do soccer players really fake injuries?
There's a long-held belief that soccer players are lying when they fall to the ground in pain. In fact, athletes often diss their soccer peers for being too dramatic when it comes to injuries.
There apparently is a strategy behind the show. Sometimes, there could be a genuine injury, but other times, players will truly try to ham up the incident in order to secure a penalty in their favor.
It's not just a free penalty shot that they're hoping to score, either. In soccer, players can get handed yellow cards for a penalty. Of course, that's bad, but what would truly help a team out is if their opponent had a red card.
If a player knows that they're going head-to-head with someone who already has a yellow card, faking an injury can help get that leveled up to red and really throw a wrench in the opposing team's game.
Another advantage comes down purely to the clock. Depending on the score, it can be good to just waste some time, even if it's only a few second here or there. An injury can surely cause a hold up.
On the other hand, it can also put a pause on the game and allow their team to regroup. Without using any sort of timeout, they'll have a chance to catch up with coaches while the fake-injuree is getting looked at by medical staff.
