This is why England players have cut holes in their socks at Euro 2024

On July 1, 2024, 2:55 PM

Jude Bellingham scored a glorious overhead kick in the 95th minute to take England’s game against Slovakia into extra time.

Eventually, England won 2-1 to progress into the quarter-finals of Euro 2024.

However, keen watchers of the football match may have spotted that it wasn’t just the goal nets that were full of holes.

There were some pretty big ones in some of the players’ socks, too, with several squad members having holes in the back of their socks.

Some viewers spotted Bellingham’s football socks sporting rather holes in the back.

Some prefer small and scattered holes, while others fascinate big and fewer holes.

Midfielder Conor Gallagher and winger Bukayo Saka were also seen with many holes along their calves.

It’s not a fashion statement or even a mistake – some footballers reckon the holes could actually be a winning move on the pitch.

Why do so many footballers cut holes in their socks?

Physiotherapist Nicki de Leona says players are making the holes to “maximise blood flow to their muscles and, in particular, their calves” by giving them more room to expand.

Why do players cut holes in their socks at Euro 2024? | The Independent

England's Jude Bellingham in action against Serbia

It’s usually done by sportspeople who have “well-developed calf muscles” and “feel that if their socks are too tight, they will be acting like compression garments, which restricts the blood flow”, the physio explains.

She continues: “They therefore feel that they’ll be maximising their muscle contraction without restriction – elite sports people will always try and get their little extra advantage.”

Others say it’s not a brand-new trend.

England and Manchester City defender Kyle Walker has previously been seen with similar holes.

In 2021, he told SPORTbible: “The socks were too tight, so it was causing pressure on my calves. [It was] to release my calves – or release the tension. I just cut holes in them, and all of a sudden, I had a few alright games, and I was like, ‘Ok, I’m keeping this now!’”

Brazilian superstar Neymar has also played with holes in his socks.

The Reason Why Footballers Cut Holes in their Socks

However, in a turn of events, former Valencia player Ezequiel Garay was once forced to change his socks for a fresh pair after the referee deemed he had too many holes.

In 2023, Jose Mourinho, criticised footballers who cut holes in their match socks via an unexpected post on Instagram.

The then AS Roma head coach, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest managers in football history, posted five black and white photos of unidentified players who were wearing ripped socks.

He wrote: “Beautiful socks for the Beautiful Game… Approved by the football authorities.”

Instead of taking a pair of scissors to their kit, some professional footballers, like Manchester City’s Jack Grealish, who was not picked for this summer’s England squad, are known for wearing lower-rise socks – which is said to be for the same reason.

In an interview with GQ in 2021, Grealish explained: “It began during one season when I was 15 or 16 and the socks in training kept shrinking. I had to wear them underneath my calves and that season I ended up playing well.”

And it stuck. He confirmed it means he has to wear children’s shin pads under his small socks, too.

Story By Will Agyapong