When Liverpool FC's Lewis Koumas made his full Premier League debut against Manchester City, many viewers were left puzzling over something beyond his performance — the barely visible shin pads tucked beneath his low-cut socks.

Koumas is far from the first professional to court attention for this. Last season, Marcus Edwards of Burnley went viral after photographs showed him wearing near-invisible shin pads in a Premier League fixture against West Ham United. Before that, a photo of teenage Brighton & Hove Albion player Harry Howell celebrating alongside James Milner spread quickly across social media — fans could not help but notice the stark contrast between Howell's tiny "micro" pads and Milner's traditional, full-sized guards.

What the rules actually say

The International Football Association Board (Ifab), which governs the laws of the game, mandates shin pads as compulsory equipment. Under Law 4.2, shin pads must be made of a suitable material, must be of an appropriate size to offer reasonable protection, and must be covered by the player's socks.

Crucially, however, Ifab does not define what "appropriate" actually means in terms of dimensions — that judgment is left entirely to the individual player. Referees are only required to confirm that some form of shin guard is being worn, not to assess whether the size is adequate.

Ifab told BBC Sport that players — or, in the case of youth footballers, their parents or guardians — bear personal responsibility for their own safety on the pitch. Clubs and medical staff may also be consulted when decisions around protection are made.

Why do players choose smaller pads?

The primary reason cited for the shift towards miniature shin pads is comfort and freedom of movement. Smaller guards are lighter and less intrusive, allowing players to move, turn, and accelerate with greater ease during a match.

Grassroots bans and injury concerns

While elite players are free to make that choice, amateur and grassroots clubs have begun drawing firmer lines. In August 2024, Penistone Church banned small shin pads after one of their youth players, Alfie Collins, suffered a double leg break in a tackle. Collins broke both his tibia and fibula, and his shin pads — no larger than a credit card — offered minimal coverage.

The Football Association has been direct on the issue. Shin pads "play an important role in injury prevention as they are intended to protect the shin from injury," the FA stated. It added that "micro" or "mini" shin pads "may therefore increase the risk of injury due to the smaller amount of shin covered compared to larger sized shin pads."

There is a growing concern that the trend filtering down from top-level football is influencing younger players at non-elite levels, where the physical risks may be considerably higher and the medical support considerably lower.