Leggings, gloves, snoods - football's fashion trends

When Everton’s Idrissa Gueye strode out for Monday night’s Premier League meeting with Manchester United, television cameras zoomed in on a flash of brilliant white: full-length leggings peeping from beneath his royal-blue shorts. The Senegalese midfielder’s choice was neither a wardrobe malfunction nor a sartorial whim; it was the latest example of how function and fashion continue to collide on the modern football pitch.

Gueye’s leggings—dyed to match his shorts in accordance with competition regulations—are primarily a practical response to plummeting temperatures, offering an extra thermal layer rarely seen on outfield players. Yet they also underline a broader trend in which performance aids morph into talking points. Ryan Giggs pioneered the look in the late-1990s, slipping into black support leggings while protecting a hamstring injury, but two decades on the sight remains unusual enough to trigger social-media debate.

The same could be said for gloves. While outfield players covering their hands is broadly accepted, history shows the accessory can still raise eyebrows. Nicolas Anelka scored twice for France against England in 1999 wearing a pair of goalkeeper gloves, and Nottingham Forest’s John Metgod took to the City Ground turf in brown gardening-style mitts during the 1980s. Purists remain divided on the propriety of gloves paired with short sleeves, but players continue to weigh marginal gains over tradition.

Perhaps the most contemporary hack is the deliberate shredding of socks. Stars across the Premier League now cut holes in the fabric around the calves to release compression and reduce muscle fatigue. The modification, barely visible to spectators, has become as routine for some as lacing boots.

Goalkeepers, unconstrained by the same aesthetic expectations, have long embraced alternatives. Tracksuit bottoms remain permissible between the posts, a throwback that Gabor Kiraly championed throughout his career. “I’m a goalie, not a model,” the former Crystal Palace No 1 famously retorted, explaining that jogging bottoms softened the impact of frozen or clay surfaces. Manchester United’s Massimo Taibi and Colombia’s Rene Higuita—who performed his audacious scorpion-kick save at Wembley in 1995—similarly favoured comfort over convention.

Caps, too, are entrenched in goalkeeping culture, designed to shield eyes from low winter sun. Recent adopters include Crystal Palace’s Dean Henderson and Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario, both opting for club-branded versions that double as marketing tools.

In outfield ranks, headbands and Alice bands have migrated from women’s football to the men’s game. England internationals Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke wear them regularly, while Yves Bissouma appeared in one during Sunday’s north-London derby. The accessories keep long hair in check, though the Football Association fined Allan Saint-Maximin in 2022 for sporting a designer-branded version, breaching kit regulations.

Snoods, once sported by Carlos Tevez, Samir Nasri and Ashley Young, were outlawed in matches by Ifab in 2011, yet remain a familiar sight on training grounds during winter warm-ups. Their thermal cousin, the skin-tight undershirt, is ubiquitous; long-sleeved match jerseys are increasingly scarce, forcing players to layer short-sleeved shirts over compression tops or wear replica long-sleeved shirts manufactured for retail.

Wrist and finger tape, ostensibly medical, has become almost decorative, stabilising joints while offering space for discreet personal messages—though Ifab now prohibits tape used merely to conceal jewellery. Shinpads have simultaneously shrunk: Burnley’s Marcus Edwards and Jack Grealish have favoured tiny guards that maximise mobility, testing the lower limits of the laws.

Even socks and boots are being customised. Footless socks—achieved by scissors or purchased pre-cut—are paired with separate ankle socks to ease pressure points, while some players, including former Brazil stars Neymar and Philippe Coutinho, slice holes in their boot heels to accommodate Haglund’s deformity or simply to relieve chronic discomfort.

From leggings to snoods, gloves to garish headbands, football’s wardrobe continues to expand. Whether driven by medical necessity, micro-advantage or plain personal taste, each new accessory sparks conversation—and occasionally regulation—reminding fans that what players wear can be every bit as scrutinised as how they play.