Goalkeeper equipment

The goalkeeper is the only specialist position on the pitch, and the only player with position-specific equipment. This guide covers the goalkeeper kit, the gloves and the protective gear that the position commonly uses, plus the rules that govern how goalkeepers must be dressed.

Read about the goalkeeper Read the equipment guide

What goalkeeper equipment covers

A goalkeeper wears all of the standard player equipment plus a small number of items unique to the position.

Like every outfield player, a goalkeeper wears a shirt, shorts, socks, shin guards and boots. On top of those, the goalkeeper usually adds gloves and wears a kit in colours that distinguish them from the outfield players and the match officials. Many goalkeepers also wear some form of additional protection — padded shorts for diving, a long-sleeved top with elbow padding, and permitted cold-weather base layers — although none of these are required by the Laws.

The kit and the gloves are the two pieces of equipment most strongly associated with the position. Goalkeeper gloves in particular have changed a great deal in the last few decades, and the choice of glove is a much more detailed subject than it first appears.

Goalkeeper kit

The goalkeeper's kit is built around one rule above all others — the colour must be clearly different from everyone else on the pitch.

Under Law 4, each goalkeeper must wear colours that distinguish them from the outfield players and the match officials. Bright greens, oranges, yellows and pinks are common goalkeeper colours, because they are rarely used by outfield teams. Competitions usually try to avoid the two goalkeepers wearing the same colour, but the Laws allow the match to be played if both goalkeepers have the same colour and neither has another shirt.

Beyond the colour rule, a goalkeeper shirt is often slightly different in cut from an outfield shirt. Long sleeves are more common, with padded panels at the elbows to cushion the ground when the goalkeeper dives. Some shirts have additional padding along the forearms. The shorts are usually shorter and looser, and many goalkeepers wear tracksuit-style trousers rather than shorts in cold weather, which the Laws permit.

Goalkeeper gloves

A goalkeeper glove has three things to do — grip the ball cleanly, protect the fingers in a save, and fit closely enough to feel natural.

A modern goalkeeper glove is made up of three main parts. The palm is a layer of soft latex designed for grip, the backhand is a flexible padded layer that absorbs impact and protects the fingers, and the cuff is the band of material that wraps around the wrist. The way these parts come together — and in particular the way the palm is shaped around the fingers — is what gives a glove its character.

The two choices that matter most for a goalkeeper are the cut of the glove and the type of latex on the palm. The cut affects how the glove fits and how much of the palm contacts the ball; the palm latex affects grip and how long the glove lasts. Most goalkeepers settle on a preferred cut early in their career and choose palm types depending on the weather and the surface.

Glove cuts

The cut of a goalkeeper glove is the way the palm and backhand are joined together around the fingers.

Flat cut

The traditional cut. The palm and backhand are joined with external seams running down the side of each finger, which creates a slightly looser fit and a flat palm surface. Often preferred by goalkeepers who like extra space inside the glove.

Roll finger

The palm latex wraps around each finger, removing the side seams and creating a rounded shape. Roll finger gloves give the largest possible surface area of latex in contact with the ball, but the fingers feel bulkier than in other cuts.

Negative cut

The seams are stitched on the inside of the glove rather than the outside, creating a tighter, slimmer fit. The negative cut is the most popular at the top of the game because it feels close to the hand and gives strong control on the ball.

Hybrid cut

A combination of two or more cuts in a single glove — for example, roll finger on the index and little fingers and a negative cut on the others. Hybrid cuts have become more common as manufacturers mix the features goalkeepers prefer.

Palm types

The latex on the palm is the part of the glove that actually grips the ball. Different latex compounds suit different conditions.

Soft contact latex

The grippiest type of latex, designed to deform around the ball on contact. Soft contact palms give the best feel and the strongest catch, but they also wear down the fastest, particularly on dry surfaces. Used mainly for important matches rather than training.

All-weather latex

A more durable mix designed to grip in wet and dry conditions. All-weather palms last longer than soft contact ones and perform reasonably across most weather, which is why they are the most popular choice for goalkeepers who only have one pair of gloves.

Hard-ground and training latex

A harder, more abrasion-resistant latex designed for dry pitches and frequent training. Hard-ground palms have less grip than match-day palms but last several times as long.

Finger protection

An add-on rather than a palm type. Some gloves include plastic or composite spines along the back of each finger to stop the fingers bending backwards in a save. Finger protection is popular with younger goalkeepers and with players returning from a hand injury.

Other protective gear

Goalkeepers often wear extra protection beyond the standard kit. None of this is required, but most professional goalkeepers wear at least some of it.

Padded shorts

Shorts with foam padding around the hips, thighs and tailbone, designed to cushion the impact of repeated dives. Padded shorts are worn under the goalkeeper's main shorts and are barely visible, but they make a significant difference over a long match or a long season.

Padded base layers

Long-sleeved tops with foam panels at the elbows and along the forearms, sometimes extending to the shoulders. Worn under the main shirt, they protect against the ground in a dive and against contact with attackers in a crowded penalty area.

Head protection

A padded headguard, usually a soft helmet rather than a hard one, worn by goalkeepers who have suffered a head injury. The Laws allow head protection as long as it is safe and not dangerous to other players. Most goalkeepers do not wear it routinely.

Snoods and undershirts

Goalkeepers may wear permitted cold-weather base layers and, where safe, approved headwear such as a goalkeeper's cap. Loose neckwear should be avoided and may be refused by the referee if it is considered dangerous. As with other undergarments, base layers must match the colour of the main goalkeeper kit at the relevant point of the body.

What the Laws say about goalkeeper equipment

Goalkeeper equipment is mostly governed by the same Law 4 as outfield kit, with one major addition.

Law 4 requires each goalkeeper's kit colours to distinguish them from the outfield players and the match officials. If the two goalkeepers have the same colour and neither has another shirt, the Laws allow the match to be played. If a goalkeeper has to be replaced by an outfield player during the match — for example, after a sending-off and without a substitute keeper available — the outfield player has to put on a kit that meets the same colour rule, which is why teams usually have a spare goalkeeper shirt available.

The Laws do not require a goalkeeper to wear gloves. A goalkeeper can play without them if they prefer, and a few have done so at amateur level. The standard shin guards, footwear and other-equipment rules all apply to goalkeepers in the same way as they do to outfield players. Goalkeepers in cold weather can wear tracksuit trousers instead of shorts, which is one of the kit allowances that is usually associated with the position.