Why World Cup 2026 stars are cutting holes in their socks
Whether a fad, or a trend that is here to stay, footballers are loving having holes in their socks
Having holes in your socks is usually a sign that it is time to throw them away, but stars have been taking scissors to theirs in one of the most unlikely trends of the 2026 World Cup.
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Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka are two of the England players to have joined the multi-national trend of footballers cutting holes or whole chunks out of their socks before taking to the field.
The players are doing it voluntarily and the majority of the socks are still intact while on pitch in the US, Canada and Mexico, the three countries that are hosting the tournament.
But the striking look has caught the eye with fans wondering if this is a performance aid, or a fashion trend similar to a scene in Mean Girls.
Here is what we have found out.
Why are World Cup players cutting holes in their socks?
Players have reportedly been taking up the trend for the sake of comfort, with the tightness of modern socks (which fit snugly to show off logos) putting pressure on calves.
The trend is not limited to the World Cup and has been for several seasons in the Premier League, with Nick Pope, Harry Maguire, Noni Madueke and, Alejandro Garnacho among those seen sporting the look.
There has not been any benefit found to cut holes in socks but from a psychological perspective it is possible that it could aid performance if a player feels more comfortable on the pitch.
England beat Croatia 4-2 in their first match last week, with Bellingham scoring, but the Real Madrid midfielder did not credit his socks for his goal.
One player who has spoken of a benefit is the country's former right back Kyle Walker, who said: "The socks were actually too tight so it was causing pressure on my calves. It was just to release my calves - or release the tension."
"I just cut holes in them and all of a sudden I had a few alright games, and I was like, 'Ok, I'm keeping this now!'"
With Walker among those who have donned the cut up socks for several years now, it seems that this is not a fad that will blow over like the snood or Vapo Rub being worn on shirt chests.
Dr Raj Brar, from 3CB Performance, told The Athletic: “One way of medically reducing pressure on the calves is the opposite of cutting holes in them, through using higher-pressure compression socks in between games as a recovery measure.
“That will increase circulation and reduce swelling to varying degrees based on the level of pressure (tightness) of the sock.
"Besides, footballers get more than enough activity through their calves to not worry about circulation and swelling pooling up.”