Soccer Shoes - Comfort And Safety Are Key

First off, let’s establish that I’m going to use the term “soccer shoe” to refer to the whole item of footwear in the spotlight here, and “cleat” to refer to the molded or screw-in projections on the sole of the soccer shoe. Of course, many people use “soccer cleat” to mean the whole shoe. That’s fine, but I don’t want things to get too confusing here. 

Getting the correct soccer shoes is critical to every soccer player, no matter what their age or what level they play at. Your feet are the most important part of your body in soccer, so you must equip them properly so they can perform well, and you have to take care of them so they don’t get sore or injured. 

There is a strong fashion element to the soccer shoe market these days, as top players endorse brands and individual styles, but it is worth remembering that – no matter what the price of the shoe is or how stylish or cool it looks – you should never sacrifice comfort and safety when deciding which soccer shoes to buy. 

FIFA’s Laws of the Game dictate nothing about soccer shoes – except to say that players must have something on their feet (bare feet are NOT allowed) and that footwear must not be dangerous to the wearer or to other players.  

Your choice of soccer shoes depends on a combination of factors – how often you play (including practice), the level you play at, the type of surface you play on, and (of course) your budget. Parents may also factor in the age of their children and how fast their feet are growing. 

So let’s look at the factors to consider when buying soccer shoes. 

Materials 

Your first choice is whether to go for leather soccer shoes or synthetic soccer shoes.

In their favor, synthetic materials will usually be lower cost than leather, will last longer if you play frequently in wet or muddy conditions, and are easier to clean. The main downside is that they will not conform so closely to the shape of the foot as leather, so will have less “feel” and “touch” when kicking.

Leather has the advantage of being an organic material, so it will mold itself to the shape of your foot very closely – giving excellent fit and therefore more comfort and better feel of the soccer ball through the shoe. The finer the leather you choose, the better the fit and comfort will be. Full grain leather is a popular, durable leather for soccer boots, with kangaroo leather the softest, most desirable material. Between the two, pittards leather is close to kangaroo leather softness and close to full grain leather price. Leather soccer shoes are, of course, more expensive than synthetic shoes and do not respond well to sustained exposure to moisture. 

Cleats

 Cleats are the protrusions from the soles of soccer shoes that provide players with better grip on soft ground. This in turn gives better stability, traction and maneuverability.  

Cleat design is a subject of much debate; there are many types, designs and layouts of soccer cleats, each with their fans and advocates. However, most leagues dictate the acceptable cleat options for their players, so the first and most important factor regarding cleat choice is to find out what your league allows or stipulates and then see what variations there are available to you.  

A common misunderstanding is to assume that baseball shoes can be used for soccer. Understandably, parents of children who play both baseball and soccer would like to economize by only buying one pair of sports shoes per season. Unfortunately, this isn’t possible. 

Baseball shoes have a toe cleat front and center of the sole that is dangerous in soccer play, thereby failing the only basic “rule” about soccer footwear. However, some baseball shoes can be modified to be suitable for soccer by removing the toe cleat. If this cleat is screwed in, it is critical that you ensure there are no exposed fittings or dangerous edges after the cleat is removed. If the cleat is molded into the sole, it will have to be cut off – again ensuring all edges are smoothly finished afterwards. 

When buying specialist soccer shoes for outdoors play, you will come across two types of cleat – molded and screw-in. 

Shoes with molded cleats have the cleat design permanently molded into the sole of the soccer shoe. The layout of molded cleats is very carefully considered and designed to provide the best compromise of performance in a wide variety of field and weather conditions. This – and their lower price – makes them the entry to mid-level option for most players.  

Screw-in cleats are individually replaceable. Each cleat is a separate plastic or plastic and metal stud with a threaded portion that screws into a hole in the shoe sole, usually tightened with a special wrench. 

In general, screw-in cleats perform best on the softest fields, as they tend to be longer and more aggressive than molded cleats. However, individual cleats can be purchased in a wide variety of sizes, materials and designs, allowing experienced players to tune their cleats to individual field and weather conditions.

The best general advice is to first buy a set of soccer shoes with molded cleats as these will be good for a wide variety of conditions. Even experienced players who favor screw-in cleats usually keep a pair of molded-cleat shoes for harder pitches. 

Soccer Shoe Fitting 

You should never buy soccer shoes without trying them on. Comfort is critical to good play – and to the health of your feet. In fact, badly fitting shoes can cause problems with stability and lead to injury – so don’t ever compromise on fit. 

All soccer shoes should fit as snugly as possible without being uncomfortable. The snug fit is necessary to ensure your foot is allowed to feel the contact with soccer balls, so you will notice that soccer shoes are typically designed to be narrower than the equivalent size of regular shoe. Leather soccer shoes will mold themselves to your foot the more you wear them, but they will also stretch slightly in the process – so it’s even more important to start off with a snug fitting leather shoe. 

Soccer Shoe Care 

The most important thing you can do to prolong the life and comfort of your soccer shoes is to clean them thoroughly after each wear, and allow them to dry as naturally as possible. With the large number of proprietary treatments and finishes used these days, check the tags on your new shoes for the manufacturer’s recommendations on polishes. 

Don’t wear your soccer shoes on solid surfaces if you can avoid it – molded cleats will wear and get roughened, and screw-in cleats will break. 

Keep a supply of replacement screw-in cleats so you can replace them as soon as they come out and get lost (and they will). You want to avoid dirt being compacted in to the hole – and playing on a shoe with missing cleats puts even more strain on the remaining cleats. 

Choose the right soccer shoes for comfort and safety and look after them properly, and they will last you a very long time … or until your feet grow too big for them!

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About The Author

Julie-Ann Amos is a successful freelance writer providing tips and information for consumers purchasing various soccer gear, soccer apparel, and soccer shinguards.