Why do footballers wear masks?

As it is widely known that football is a contact sport and the risk of injury is looming over the player's heads at all times. Despite this football players do not wear as much protective gear, eg helmets or shoulder pads, as in other sports such as hockey or rugby.

In football, players only wear shin pads to protect their legs from reckless tackles or aggressive challenges. However, in extreme conditions, footballers are seen wearing masks on their faces during a match.

These masks are made from sturdy polycarbonate materials, normally covering the player’s upper part of the face, sometimes covering their entire face. Normally these masks are black in color but they can be in different colors depending on the player’s and football organization’s will.

But what is the true purpose of these masks in football? Join us as we take a look at why football players wear masks. 

Why do football players wear masks? 

Just like any protective gear in any sport, footballers wear these “protective masks” to protect themselves from exaggerating any facial injury that is yet to fully heal.

While going up for any aerial ball, header, corner or even freekicks, footballers are always at the risk of a clash of heads, elbows to the face or failed landing leading to a variety of facial injuries. These masks protect the footballers’ faces (eyes, nose and cheeks) from any such aggravated injury on a recently injured area.

Although these masks may look “unnecessary” to look at from the outside, these masks allow footballers to play in matches with any active injury rather than missing key games for their respective clubs or national teams.

One of the best and most recent examples of the same is Kylian Mbappe, who broke his nose in France’s opening game during UEFA Euros 2024. Mbappe proceeded to wear a black protective mask to continue playing for his national team throughout the tournament. The French captain did, however, complain of “peripheral vision in the masks”.

For the fans, the masks make it easier to track a particular player, especially if you are watching the match in a stadium.

If any player gets injured during the match, the player can receive treatment on the sides and return to the match with a mask on to continue playing and complete the game for their club or national side.

These masks have also been synonymous with a great upturn in the form of any player, somehow reaching the player to play at a different level than previously ever before. One of the best examples of the same is the case of Victor Osimhen. 

Image Credits: Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images

In November 2021, the striker sustained a fractured eye socket injury in a Serie A match. Since then, Osimhen has worn a face mask during any football match that he competes in. He famously wore the mask and spearheaded Napoli to the Serie A title in the 2022–23 season, winning their first league title since the 1989–90 season.