Footless football socks: why players wear them and how

Watch a match on TV and you often see it: a sock in club colours that stops at the ankle, with a sock in another colour underneath. That top sock has no foot. Want to wear grip socks too without cutting your club socks? Then footless football socks are the simplest solution. Below you read how they work, how to wear them and which colour to pick.

What are footless football socks?

A footless football sock is a knitted sock that runs from just below the knee to about your ankle. It has no foot section. You also hear football sleeves, soccer sleeve socks, calf sleeves or simply sleeves.

So a sleeve does not replace your sock. It replaces the top part of your club sock. Under the sleeve you wear a grip sock on the bare foot. The grip sock does the work inside your boot. The sleeve takes care of the colour on your leg.

At GT Sport Selection this sock is called the GT Pro Sleeve Socks. The GT Pro Sleeve Socks from GT Sport Selection cost €10 and come in nine colours: white, black, red, royal blue, green, yellow, purple, navy blue and orange. They come in one size that fits everyone and are made of 95% polyamide and 5% elastane. They are plain, without a logo or pattern, so they go with any club kit.

Why do players wear football sleeves?

Players wear football sleeves so they can wear their own grip socks inside the boot and still play in club colours. There is no need to cut the club socks.

Your own grip sock inside the boot

A normal club sock is usually made of smooth polyester and has no grip. A grip sock has a silicone pattern on the outside of the sole, against the insole of your boot. That way your foot slides less when you cut and turn. With a sleeve you choose which grip sock you wear, for example the Classic GT GRIP Socks. Read the full comparison in grip socks vs normal socks.

The club colour on your leg

The visible part of your leg stays in your team colour. Of the grip sock underneath, you only see a small strip above your boot.

No cutting your club socks

In many youth teams the kit belongs to the club. Cutting is not an option then. With a sleeve you do not have to cut anything. The club sock stays intact and you still have a footless sock.

One pair of grip socks for several kits

Do you play in two teams or with a home kit and an away kit? Then you wear the same pair of grip socks every time and only switch the colour of the sleeve.

How do you wear footless football socks with shin guards and tape?

You work from the bottom up: first the grip sock on the bare foot, then the shin guard, then the sleeve over it. If you want nothing to move, hold everything in place with a sock holder.

1. Put on the grip sock on the bare foot. Do not wear a second sock under it. Otherwise your foot will slide inside that lower sock.
2. Place your shin guard on your shin.
3. Pull the sleeve over the shin guard up to just below the knee. Let it overlap the top of your grip sock by a few centimetres.
4. Hold the sleeve and the shin guard in place with a sock holder or tape around your calf.

The IFAB Laws of the Game say your socks must cover your shin guards (Law 4, the players' equipment). A sleeve up to just below the knee does that. Choose a shin guard that fits your shin and disappears fully under the sleeve.

Tape or sock holders?

Normal sports tape is used once and then thrown away. The GT GRIP Tapes are reusable silicone sock holders at €12.95, in six colours: white, black, green, red, yellow and royal blue.

Do watch the colour. Under the same IFAB rule, tape or any material worn over your sock must be the same colour as the part of the sock it covers. So choose your sock holder in the colour of your sleeve.

Which colour of football sleeves should you choose?

Choose the sleeve in the main colour of your club socks, because that is the part your team and the referee see. Then choose the grip sock and the sock holder. This table shows which colours GT Sport Selection offers.

Colour	GT Pro Sleeve Socks	Classic GT GRIP Socks	GT GRIP Tapes
White	Yes	Yes	Yes
Black	Yes	Yes	Yes
Red	Yes	Yes	Yes
Royal blue	Yes	Yes	Yes
Green	Yes	Yes	Yes
Yellow	Yes	Yes	Yes
Navy blue	Yes	Yes	No
Purple	Yes	Yes	No
Orange	Yes	Yes	No
Pink	No	Yes	No

Law 4 has no separate rule for the grip sock under your sleeve. If you want to be sure, pick a grip sock in the same colour as your sleeve. If your club has strict kit rules, ask your coach first. On the day itself, the referee decides.

Football sleeves or cut football socks?

Both work: cutting costs nothing, while a sleeve keeps your club sock intact and is ready straight away.

Feature	Sleeve (footless sock)	Cut club sock
Cost	€10 for the GT Pro Sleeve Socks	Nothing, if you already have the sock
Reversible	Yes, your club sock stays intact	No, cutting is final
Club permission	Not needed, nothing is cut	Ask first if the kit belongs to the club
Colour	Nine plain colours	Exactly your club sock
Size	One size fits everyone	The size of your club sock
Edge	No cut edge	The cut edge can fray on older socks

Cutting is a good choice if the sock is yours and you want to keep the exact club sock. Read how to do it neatly in our article on cutting football socks. Does the kit belong to the club or do you not want to do anything permanent? Then go for a sleeve.

Want everything in one go?

Then the GT Matchday Set is the easiest choice: the Classic GT GRIP Socks plus two GT Pro Sleeve Socks, one in your home colour and one in your away colour, for €45. That is exactly the sum of the separate items. So you choose the set for convenience, not for a lower price.

Shipping is free from €45 in Belgium and the Netherlands and from €50 in the rest of the EU. Outside Belgium and the Netherlands, allow a few extra working days for delivery. Have a look at the GT Matchday Set. Not sure about the size of your grip socks? Check the grip socks size chart.

How do you wash football sleeves?

Wash your sleeves at 30 degrees and let them air dry. So you follow the same washing and care instructions as for your grip socks: a delicate cycle at 30 degrees, no bleach, no ironing and no tumble dryer. High temperatures can affect the elasticity.

That keeps the cuff tight for longer. The cuff decides whether your sleeve stays in place during the match. More tips are in our article on how to wash grip socks.

Conclusion

Footless football socks solve a simple problem: you want a grip sock in your boot and the club colour on your leg. A sleeve over your grip sock gives you both, without cutting. Choose the colour of your club sock and hold everything in place with a sock holder in the same colour. Read more about grip socks themselves in our guide to grip socks.