Secret Revealed: Why 80% of Pros are Doing This...including Messi

Ever wondered why so many pro soccer players are spotted with a pair of white socks peeking out from under their team-issued socks? It’s not just for style! In fact, this practice is a well-kept secret among the world’s best players, and it’s all about performance, comfort, and consistency. Let’s break it down so you can understand why this trick is used by 70-80% of soccer professionals across all levels.

The Secret: Grip Socks Are the Key

When pros train day in and day out, they rely on high-quality grip socks that offer compression, sweat-wicking, and superior comfort. These socks not only help with stability by preventing foot slippage inside the cleat, but they also mold perfectly to the player’s foot over time. It’s a no-brainer that athletes want to feel consistent on the field, so naturally, they prefer to wear these socks during games, too.

But here’s the catch: for official matches, players must wear team-issued uniform socks. These are designed to match the team colors, but unfortunately, they often lack the performance qualities of the grip socks pros rely on. This is where the secret sock hack comes into play.

The Solution: Cutting and Sleeving the Team Socks

To get the best of both worlds, many players do something clever: they cut the foot off their team socks and use the remaining fabric as a sleeve over their grip socks. This way, they still satisfy the uniform requirement, but get to wear their trusted grip socks inside their cleats.

Some teams even provide official sock sleeves to eliminate the need for cutting, making it even easier for pros to maintain consistency in their gear.

Why This Matters: Cleat Fit and Performance

Soccer players care deeply about the fit of their cleats. After all, cleats mold to your foot over time, and switching to different socks—especially those thicker or thinner than what you usually wear—can make your shoes feel too tight or too loose. This is an uncomfortable distraction that no athlete wants to deal with during a game.

By wearing their favorite grip socks under the uniform socks, pros ensure that their cleats feel exactly the same in every game as they do in training. The snug, familiar fit gives them confidence and allows them to focus on their performance rather than worrying about discomfort.

The Benefits of Grip Socks vs. Team-Issued Socks

Most team socks don’t have the premium features that high-quality grip socks provide. These include:

• Grip technology that keeps your feet from sliding around in the shoe
• Compression support to reduce fatigue and improve blood flow
• Sweat-wicking fabric to keep feet dry and comfortable throughout the game
• Blister prevention, a key feature when you’re running up and down the pitch for 90 minutes

Grip socks are specifically designed to meet the needs of serious athletes, while many team socks are more focused on aesthetics. This is why players choose to wear their grip socks even under the mandated uniform.

A Common Practice Among the Pros

If you’ve ever wondered how professional players maintain peak performance while staying in team compliance, now you know their secret! This practice is so widespread that an estimated 70-80% of professional soccer players across all leagues, including the Premier League and La Liga, are using this hack. Next time you’re watching a game, keep an eye out for those white socks under their team socks—now you’ll know exactly why they’re there.

Here’s a close up picture to show how this looks on a pro player:

If you're not doing this yet, now you know why it makes sense. 

Try out our Teqnigrip Grip socks and get 15% OFF your first order using code "GRIPSOCKS".