Goalkeeper trousers for kids
When the ground freezes or the synthetic burns the skin, the young goalkeeper needs a leg covered and protected. Our goalkeeper trousers for children by Uhlsport come with padding on the hips and knees, and the Anatomic Kevlar model adds an abrasion-resistant surface on the impact areas.
With a covered leg, the dive is guaranteed.
Why padded trousers change a child's dives
A young goalkeeper dives to the side dozens of times each session, and it’s always the hip and knee that hit the ground first. On synthetic surfaces, shorts allow the thigh to rub against the artificial grass, resulting in burns and rubber pellets getting stuck. Goalkeeper trousers cover the whole leg and place padding exactly on these areas.
The effect is also psychological: a child who no longer feels pain when falling is more willing to dive aggressively and progresses faster in their diving technique. The rules also explicitly allow this, as the laws of the game permit the goalkeeper to wear tracksuit bottoms.
Dressing the young goalkeeper around their trousers
The trousers form the base of the winter kit. On top, long-sleeved goalkeeper shirts protect the elbows, and underneath, goalkeeper base layers keep in the warmth. When the nice weather returns, goalkeeper shorts take over. Goalkeeper protection adds knee pads for the hardest pitches, and goalkeeper kits combine several matching pieces. Find all the gear in the children's goalkeeper equipment, and older players can move on to adult goalkeeper trousers.
Uhlsport Standard or Anatomic Kevlar: two trousers, two uses
The padded Uhlsport Standard sets the foundation: ergonomic padding at the hips and knees, elastic underfoot straps that prevent the leg from riding up during a dive, and a drawstring inside the elastic waistband. It’s the ideal model for a child discovering the position.
The Anatomic Kevlar goes further. Its hip and knee protections conform to the body shape, and their Kevlar surface, the fibre used in protective gear, resists abrasion from synthetic pitches. Its thicker interlock fabric lasts longer, making it the choice for young goalkeepers training several times a week.
Size, length and care of children's goalkeeper trousers
Children's goalkeeper trousers are chosen based on height, starting from size 116, which corresponds to a child of about 6 years old. The correct fit is checked in a diving position: the knee pad should stay over the kneecap when the child bends their leg, and the hip pad should sit on the pelvic bone. A trouser that's too big shifts the protections and makes them useless.
For care, wash them inside out, without fabric softener, and let them dry flat, away from the radiator: heat hardens the padding foams. After a match in the rain, rinse the mud before it dries into the fibres, especially on the Kevlar areas.
Equipping a young goalkeeper with trousers before the cold sets in
The trousers become essential by November, and the timing is just right. Children's promotions for Black Friday and the year-end holidays come just before the winter matches, and the winter sales allow for a size up during the season. Later, the French Days for kids in spring, summer sales and the resumption of training prepare for the following season. End-of-line models join the clearance sale, and every trouser is prepared and shipped within 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Are goalkeeper trousers too warm to play in spring?
They can be beyond twenty degrees, as the padding retains heat. However, many young goalkeepers wear them on synthetic surfaces all year round for protection and choose a protected short only on grass.
Do you need knee pads in addition to padded trousers?
Not generally, as the trousers' pads already cover the kneecap. Separate knee pads are mainly for goalkeepers playing on stabilised or very hard pitches, where impacts are more severe.
Can my child play an official match in goalkeeper trousers?
Yes, the laws of the game allow the goalkeeper to wear tracksuit bottoms during a match. The trousers simply must not hinder the referee in identifying players, which is always the case with a goalkeeper model.
Do the underfoot straps of the Standard trousers get in the way in the shoe?
No, the elastic underfoot straps are thin and sit under the arch of the foot, inside the sock. They prevent the leg from riding up during dives, keeping the pad securely in place on the knee.
How long do goalkeeper trousers last for a child playing on synthetic?
Generally a full season, often more for a reinforced Kevlar model. Growth is mainly what demands a change: as soon as the child's knee extends beyond the pad, it's time to move up a size.
