Something is missing from this World Cup.
Not goals, drama, or storylines — there have been plenty of those. Instead, we should focus on the players’ socks, which are, to put it bluntly, a holey mess.
The craze of players cutting holes in the backs of their socks is not new — it has been going on for at least eight years — but shows no sign of being a passing fad. Anyone who watched Australia’s defeat to the United States can testify to this: many of the Australians appeared to have taken the scissors to their kit.
But why do they do it, and what — if anything — are the benefits?
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The Official(ish) Reason: Comfort, Blood Flow, and Cramping
Primarily, it is a comfort thing.
The modern football sock is made from polyester — a material that is good at keeping its shape and does not retain as much water, but can be tight and restrictive around the calf. Some players believe that cutting holes in the sock reduces pressure on the calf muscle, increases blood flow to the area, and reduces the risk of cramp and injury. In theory, this gives them more freedom of movement and allows them to perform better.
Former West Ham United striker Frank Nouble summarised the psychological component neatly when speaking to The Athletic in 2023: “You look good, you feel good, you play good. It’s always about being as comfy as possible on the pitch.”
There are parallels in other sports. Fast bowlers in cricket sometimes cut holes in their boots to allow their toes to poke through, avoiding them rubbing against the boot’s end when their foot lands on the pitch. But the sock-cutting phenomenon appears more widespread in football than in any other sport.
What the Medical Professionals Actually Say
The science is less convincing than the anecdotes.
Dr Raj Brar from 3CB Performance told Tifo Football in 2023 that there is no medical evidence to support cutting holes in socks as a preventative measure.
“One way of medically reducing pressure on the calves is the opposite of cutting holes in them — through using higher-pressure compression socks in between games as a recovery measure,” he said. “That will increase circulation and reduce swelling to varying degrees based on the level of pressure of the sock. Besides, footballers get more than enough activity through their calves to not worry about circulation and swelling pooling up.”
Former Hummel CEO Allan Vad Nielsen offered an industry perspective on why the problem exists in the first place: “Some brands knit their socks very tightly to improve the visibility and clarity of their logos, which can result in a snug fit that some players find uncomfortable. But more advanced materials like polypropylene provide better consistency and durability. New technologies have enabled better cushioning zones in the ankles and compression zones that provide better blood transportation, reducing the risk of injuries and enhancing performance. Additionally, mesh inserts are now used in football socks to improve heat control and ventilation, keeping the feet dry and cool.”
The implication of Nielsen’s comments is that better sock technology should, in theory, remove the need for players to modify their kit themselves.
The Sceptics: Gary Neville Has Thoughts
Not everyone is convinced the problem is real in the first place.
Former England and Manchester United defender Gary Neville was characteristically direct on his Stick to Football podcast in 2024: “They have about 400 pairs of boots, they have everything made to measure. I’m not having that Nike or a sponsor of a kit don’t make them a slightly bigger pair of socks.”
It is a fair point. At the level these players compete, customisation of kit to individual preferences is standard practice. The idea that a player cannot simply request a looser pair of socks from their kit sponsor, rather than cutting their own, stretches credibility.
Low Socks, Long History: From Totti to Grealish
The hole-cutting phenomenon sits within a broader, decades-long story about football socks as a form of self-expression.
Thierry Henry, circa 2003-04, popularised the combination of Nike gloves, Vapors, and socks pulled above the knee — an aesthetic so powerful it became ingrained in millennial football culture. Until then, socks were rolled once at the knee. Henry’s stylistic tweak gave license to players at all levels to pull them as high as possible.
But the pendulum swings both ways. There is something equally expressive about low socks — socks near the ankles, exposing the lower calf. Think Rui Costa or Francesco Totti: archetypal No 10s, mercurial and free-spirited, their low socks matching their on-pitch personas. Creative. Rebellious. Painting pictures with their feet on their own terms.
Jack Grealish became the most visible modern exponent of low socks. The Aston Villa academy had a strict policy on kit discipline — black boots, socks worn high, shinpads correctly positioned. A young Grealish, aged around 15, began to challenge that.
“Week after week, we’d tell Jack to wear his socks high as per normal,” recalled Bryan Jones, who had a 35-year association with Villa’s academy. “When he moved into first-team circles, suddenly, the shorter socks started to reappear. When he went back to the reserves or under-21s, he would be told by Kevin MacDonald to pull them back up, but then, when he was back with the first team, they’d be down again.”
The irony is that Grealish’s signature style was, by his own account, adopted by accident — his academy socks had shrunk in the wash, he was forced to wear them low, he played well, and as a superstitious character, maintained the look. A washing machine, some might argue, helped shape one of English football’s most recognisable aesthetics.
The Psychology of Sock Rebellion
The debate over low socks and modified kit has real psychological dimensions — and not everyone agrees on the right approach.
Psychologist and author Kevin George (ex-professional footballer, author of Soccology) argues that restricting a player’s self-expression through kit rules can actively harm their development:
“When we micromanage a player’s appearance, we also send an implicit message to the player that they do not control their environment, and this restricts self-expression. Some coaches are contradictory in their messaging. They demand that young players be like the pros, and when they behave like the pros, they say ‘who do you think you are?’ Football is about psychological states — if you put on coloured boots, your state changes. When I was about to play and I looked down at my feet, I felt inspired.”
He also raised a practical concern for scouts and coaches who dismiss players based on sock style: “If they say no to a player and they go to another club and do well, questions will be asked of them for passing up on talent.”
A scout for a Premier League club — speaking anonymously — confessed they would not look at a player who wore socks down by their ankles, questioning their mentality and team ethic. George’s response to such thinking is direct: it can be problematic.
Nouble is another low-sock advocate. He first adopted the style in China in 2015 when the socks provided by Tianjin Songjiang were too tight. “The socks provided to him were too tight, so he lowered them to free up his calves. “It’s always about being as comfy as possible on the pitch,” he says. “Small things may seem like nothing to people on the outside, but when you do this for a living, it’s important you look after yourself so you can perform.”
Steve Claridge — whose low-sock style made him an unlikely icon in millennial football circles despite being a pragmatic No 9 rather than a flair player — wore his socks low because it made his foot feel bigger in his boots.
“When you pulled the socks up, it made them thinner and my foot would tend to move in the boot. It was all psychological. I’m not sure I’d have been able to play with my socks pulled up and my foot moving all the time.”
Claridge adopted the style aged 15 and maintained it throughout his career, including famously removing the hard sections from his shinpads before matches so they would fall down his leg. He played much of his career with an exposed lower leg in an era when defenders could, in his words, “smash you as a freebie.”
“I don’t know how I didn’t get injured, to be honest,” he says.
From Sock Tape to Tube Socks: The Evolution of Lower-Leg Customisation
The holey sock sits within a long lineage of lower-leg kit modification.
Sock tape has been part of grassroots and professional football for decades. Before official versions existed, amateur players would use electrical tape in place of the real thing. In 2012, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) formalised law 4.2, requiring that all sock tape must be the same colour as the sock — a response to the increasingly visible white tape being worn over coloured socks by professional players, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Samir Nasri, who wore white socks over the ankle of their regular socks.
Around the same time, grip socks and training socks began appearing beneath the regular kit sock, often in contrasting white, creating a layered look. IFAB has confirmed it sees no issue with this practice.
To accommodate the desire to wear grip socks without the restrictive kit sock, players began cutting kit socks to make them footless. This allowed the grip sock underneath to function freely. The aesthetic of self-cut socks was sometimes ragged, which led manufacturers to develop tube socks and sock sleeves — professionally produced alternatives that cover the lower leg but leave the foot free.
The hole-cutting at this World Cup is, in many ways, a continuation of this evolution: players seeking maximum freedom and comfort in their lower leg and foot, using whatever means are available to achieve it.
Whether It Is Science or Style — It Is Not Going Away
The medical evidence for cutting holes in socks is limited. The kit technology to eliminate the problem exists. The sponsors of the players at this tournament could, in theory, provide individually customised socks without any issue.
And yet, here we are at the 2026 World Cup, watching elite players take scissors to their kit before they walk onto the pitch.
Whether it is genuine comfort, superstition, self-expression, or simply habit — football’s holey sock revolution is real, widespread, and showing absolutely no signs of stopping.
Read More: Can Herve Renard Save Tunisia’s World Cup After a Historic Coaching Sacking?
FAQs
Why do footballers cut holes in their socks?
Players primarily cut holes in the backs of their socks for comfort — to reduce pressure on the calf muscle, increase blood flow, and reduce the risk of cramping. There is also a psychological element: many players feel more comfortable and perform better when their kit feels right.
Is there medical evidence that cutting holes in socks is beneficial?
No. Dr Raj Brar from 3CB Performance told Tifo Football in 2023 that there is no medical evidence to support cutting holes in socks as a preventative measure. He noted that compression socks worn between games are actually the medically recommended approach to improving circulation.
Who are some famous players associated with low socks or sock modifications?
Jack Grealish became the most visible modern exponent of low socks, though his style reportedly began by accident after his academy socks shrank in the wash. Before him, Francesco Totti and Rui Costa were iconic low-sock wearers. Steve Claridge wore low socks throughout his career for comfort reasons, and Frank Nouble adopted the style in China in 2015.
What are tube socks and why do players use them?
Tube socks (or sock sleeves) are professionally manufactured alternatives to cutting kit socks. They cover the lower leg but leave the foot free, allowing players to wear grip socks underneath their kit socks without restriction. They were developed in response to the increasingly common practice of players cutting their own socks.
What are the rules around sock tape and sock modifications in football?
In 2012, IFAB introduced law 4.2 requiring all sock tape to be the same colour as the sock, following widespread use of white tape over coloured socks by professional players. IFAB has confirmed it sees no issue with grip socks or training socks worn beneath the regular kit sock.
