Football: Why are some shin pads so small?

Football fans have noticed a trend of some professional footballers wearing barely-visible shin pads during matches – but why are they used instead of regular-sized pairs?

The simple answer is that players can choose what size shin pads they want to wear.

The International Football Association Board (Ifab), responsible for the laws of the game, say that shin pads are a mandatory piece of equipment players must wear while playing.

Law 4.2 states that shin pads must:

The law does not define what an “appropriate” shin pad size is, but leave that decision to each individual player.

Shin pads provide vital protection for players to prevent serious injuries.

There has been a rising trend in younger footballers, as well as some big stars, wearing small shin pads during matches.

The reason for this could be for more comfort and to allow players to move around with greater ease.

Referees are only required to check that some form of shin guards are being worn, Ifab told BBC Sport.

A recent photograph of 17-year-old Brighton midfielder Harry Howell celebrating with team-mate James Milner went viral after fans noticed the visible difference in the size of their shin pads, with Howell’s barely visible pair contrasting with Milner’s far more traditional-sized guards.

Ifab said players – or the parents or guardians of youth players – must take responsibility for their own safety on the pitch.