Wunder von Bern-Keeper Toni Turek did it without. Century goalkeeper Lev Yashin preferred leather. Nuremberg goalkeeping legend Heiner Stuhlfauth liked to wear rough wool, especially when it rains. Englishman Gordon Banks had it specially made for the 1970 World Cup for the first time. And Germany's goalkeeper icon Sepp Maier accelerated their development: goalkeeper gloves. Once a daring experiment, today perfected down to the smallest detail. Just imagine Manuel Neuer defusing a free kick from Cristiano Ronaldo with his bare hands! It's unthinkable. Instead, the biggest players in their profession wear custom-made products from various manufacturers. They in turn advertise with the faces of their figureheads. But what actually makes for a good goalkeeper glove? What are its strengths and weaknesses?
What are the best goalkeeper gloves?
Manuel Neuer, for example, is currently starting with the Adidas Predator model. Here, the palm is made of latex. This provides good grip and increases durability in different weather conditions. There is a slit closure on the wrist, which should ensure more freedom of movement. Neuer's German national team colleague Marc-André ter Stegen also shows up wearing goalkeeper gloves from Adidas. Dortmund's novel Bürki and Liverpool's Alisson Becker, on the other hand, swear by Nike. In the latest model, the manufacturer advertises a special technology that wraps the inside of the thumb, index finger and little finger with foam to provide a firmer grip. Friederike Abt from the women's Bundesliga team VfL Wolfsburg in turn plays with a model from T1TAN. The backhand is provided with a mixture of neoprene, mechano and silicone materials. This combination is intended to increase comfort and make goalkeeper gloves lighter. Slovenia's national goalkeeper Jan Oblak from Atlético Madrid is currently the face of Puma. The German sporting goods manufacturer advertises the breathability of its gloves.
Other goalkeepers are not as bogged down when it comes to choosing their tools. Peter Gulacsi from RB Leipzig, for example, switches between Adidas and Uhlsport — one of the pioneers in goalkeeper gloves. Timo Horn from 1. FC Cologne favors Puma or Nike. In the end, there is an endless selection of goalkeeper gloves. Reusch, Erima, Jako and many other manufacturers also offer the tools for the goalkeeper. You can choose the model of your favorite keeper, or focus on workmanship, material, grip or fit. Regardless of which brand is right for you in the end, the glove should feel good and, above all, fit.
Most modern goalkeeper gloves consist of adhesive foam for padding, a natural latex blend or poly-ethylene for grip and usually - but not necessarily - Velcro around the wrist. The different models differ in their cut. This depends primarily on how the adhesive foam is sewn with the material of the backhand. There are three basic variants here. In the case of a positive cut, the adhesive foam is sewn from the outside so that the seam is visible when looking at the catching surface. It is the other way around with negative editing. The seam is on the inside of the goalkeeper glove and therefore does not come into direct contact with the ball when caught. Compared to the negative cut, the catch area is smaller, but the glove usually fits tighter, which can improve the feel of the ball. The third processing option is the so-called rollfinger. In this cut, which is primarily used in Great Britain, the adhesive foam is rolled around the finger and then sewn to the outer material.
An additional special feature that goalkeeper gloves can have today is the so-called finger save. As the name suggests, this is about increased finger protection. If the glove contains a fingersave, elements are incorporated to prevent the fingers from twisting backwards. With the exception of the thumb. With most goalkeeper gloves, the elements are easy to remove, so that the decision as to whether finger protection or not is not final. However, if you feel unsafe or are your fingers susceptible to injuries, finger saving is recommended. Experienced goalkeepersThey like to do without it on the inside, as this gives them more flexibility and mobility. Even for younger keepersThe protection system is not always recommended for indoor or children. On the contrary: If the fingersave system is shifted, this increases the risk of injury. And the system can also be a hindrance when learning the technique, as the little ones develop less strength and stability in their fingers. In the end, the glove must also feel good. Does it make the child feel safer, why not? However, parents should never insist on this.
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Other things are more important when choosing goalkeeper gloves for the child: on the one hand, of course, the fit. The glove should not slip under any circumstances. The Velcro strap around the wrist is a great help for this. Even though this is actually much too long, you can tighten the gloves tight due to the long closing surface. The clasp should cover the entire wrist and the Velcro should be tight. On the other hand, there is freedom of movement. This is of course not so easy for adolescents, as the size of the hands also changes rapidly. The rule of thumb is the width of the hand. To do this, measure the distance slightly below the little finger and index finger when they are spread apart. In general, it can be said that the goalkeeper gloves should be bought too big for your children, but that the excess on the fingers should be a maximum of two joints of the child's little finger. The closure ensures that the glove still fits well. In any case, the most important thing is that the kids feel comfortable with the work tool. Because when the little ones have the feeling of holding more balls with their new goalkeeper gloves, this increases self-confidence and therefore also the fun factor.
Once the right goalkeeper gloves have been found for the child, woman or man, it is of course important to use them for as long as possible. This is where proper care comes in. The tools should be washed before they are used for the first time. The best way to do this is to put the gloves in a cloth bag and put them in the machine at low heat (30 degrees) on a gentle cycle. Skidding should be avoided at all costs. It is best to stuff the gloves with newspaper to dry. Never use the tumble dryer! Hanging it in the sun is also not a good idea. This can damage the flooring. The gloves are then moistened again before an emergency. To do this, the good pieces can be kept under running water. It is important that the water flows over the surface. The professionals often also bring a wet towel into the goal. The whole thing increases the grip of the adhesive foam. For the same reason, goalkeepers are occasionally seen spitting into their tools.
We hope we were able to provide some helpful tips for buying and using the goalkeeper gloves. There is now nothing standing in the way of training.
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