The history and what to look out for when buying the right soccer gear
Soccer is one of the most beautiful and profitable sports in the world. Today players earn as high as $800,000 per week after tax, thanks in part to many of us who pay money to watch the game.
We admittedly also love to play the game and several of us hope to become professionals some day, but we have to be deliberate about our dreams of playing pro which starts with us knowing about and playing with the right soccer gears, so what are these important soccer gears?
The Ball
This is perhaps the most popular and most important soccer gear among all. The soccer ball began to be re-invented in the 21st century after the early players of the game have used several round objects including sculls and pig bladders.
The first Vulcanized rubber ball was created by Sam Goodyear in the year 1855, prior to that players played a ball created from pig’s bladder, it was a poorly made ball.
Players under the age of 12 are advised to use size 4 balls, while players over the age of 12 can use size 5 balls. The regulation ball is expectedly more expensive as it is a ball that has the FIFA stamp of approval on it. The softer a ball is, the better for beginners, while professionals prefer the hard ball.
Shoes
The right shoes for playing football is as important as any other soccer gear you can have. The football boot has gone from a heavy boot worn by players to a lighter one now created to easily lift, shoot and manipulate the ball.
When buying a boot, make sure you have a pair of socks with you and put them on when trying out the boot. The right pair of boots should fit like a glove. For amateurs, a boot with synthetic cleats would do, but advanced players would be better off with leather cleats.
If you want to play the game indoors, it is advisable for you to use a pair of flat soled shoes except you have an outdoor soccer shoe with molded cleats.
Shin Guards
We have all suffered from our shins being bang at some point while playing soccer, this is a major reason why the shin guard is a major soccer gear all players must have in their possession.
It is very important to get the right fit when buying a shin guard also. The right pair of shin guards should fit well underneath the knee, don’t forget to also try it with a soccer shoe or cleats on. Its pan should arm the shin while also allowing for the free movement of the wearer.
The best way to take care of your shin guard is to hand wash them yourself, nevertheless, that could still be washed with a washing machine.
Socks
The primary purpose of the socks is to act as a support for the shin guard. A good sock should be able to should be able to stay in a place neither impeding circulation nor slipping down.