Sinterklaas gifts for young footballers: ideas that fit in a shoe

In Belgium and the Netherlands, Sinterklaas brings presents on 5 and 6 December. In the weeks before, children put out a shoe. If your child talks about nothing but football, you want a gift that goes to the pitch every week instead of into a cupboard. Below you find football gifts for kids from small to large, help with sizes and the last day to order.

Which football gifts for kids actually get used?

Kit that goes into the sports bag for every session or match. Most young players already have a ball and a shirt. What they rarely buy themselves are the small things that make the game more comfortable: socks with grip, sleeves in the right colour and gloves for cold evenings.

What fits in a shoe? Gifts up to €15

1. Footless sleeves in club colours

The GT Pro Sleeve Socks are calf sleeves without a foot. Your child pulls them over the sock and the shin guard. They cost €10 and come in nine colours, so the club colour is almost always available. Many players cut their club socks to wear grip socks underneath. How that works is explained in our article on cutting football socks.

2. GRIP Tapes

The GT GRIP Tapes are reusable silicone bands that keep sleeves in place. They replace the roll of sock tape that gets thrown away after every match. They cost €12.95, come in six colours and fit from about 10 years old.

Grip socks: the gift a young player never buys

Grip socks have a silicone anti-slip pattern under the foot. As a result the foot slides less inside the football boot. That means less friction and fewer blisters, plus more stability when turning.

3. Classic GT GRIP Socks

The Classic GT GRIP Socks cost €25 and come in ten colours. The smallest size is EU 34-37, which usually fits children aged about eight to eleven. If your child has a smaller shoe size, a regular well-fitting football sock is the better choice for now.

Bigger gifts: gloves and a set

4. Gloves for older youth players

If your child trains outside in winter, the GT Field Player Gloves make a practical gift. They are waterproof with a soft fleece lining and silicone grip on the palm and fingertips. A throw-in will not slip out of the hands. They cost €30.

5. The GT Matchday Set

For one bigger gift, the GT Matchday Set combines a pair of Classic GT GRIP Socks with two footless Pro Sleeves: one in the home colour and one in the away colour. The set costs €45, exactly the same as the three items separately. At €45 you also reach the free shipping threshold in Belgium and the Netherlands.

How do you pick the right size without your child noticing?

• Grip socks: check the size in a pair of your child's shoes and choose the matching sock size. If your child is exactly between two sizes, take the smaller one. A grip sock should fit snugly.
• Gloves: loosely wrap a tape measure around the hand just below the knuckles, without the thumb. That circumference decides the size.

If something does not fit, you can return it within 30 days. You can read how in our returns policy.

When should you order for Sinterklaas?

Sinterklaas arrives on Saturday evening 5 December in the Netherlands and on Sunday morning 6 December in Belgium. Orders placed before 4 pm on a working day leave the same day. Delivery in Belgium and the Netherlands then usually takes 1 to 2 working days.

So order by Tuesday 1 December before 4 pm. One or two pairs of socks fit through the letterbox. Shipping is free from €45 in Belgium and the Netherlands and from €50 in the rest of the EU.

Conclusion

Good football gifts for kids do not have to be big. Sleeves in club colours or a pair of grip socks are worn every week and fit in a shoe. For a bigger present, choose the Matchday Set. Browse all socks in our grip socks collection.