My earlier post about baseball vs soccer cleats inspired me to think about the different types of soccer footwear. There are three main types…
Firm Ground Cleats
These are the “normal” cleats that most kids wear for playing on the grass. In England, some boots (English for cleats!) have metal cleats on the bottom, but that isn’t allowed around here. Hard ground cleats can come with different cleat patterns on the bottom, but all are suitable for normal playing conditions.
Turf Shoes
Turf shoes look very similar to firm ground cleats, but the cleats on the bottom are much shorter. Players use these while playing on artificial turf or if they are having knee/heel problems. It was recommended to me that my Big Soccer Girl try this type of cleat if her heels didn’t improve. A player could lose some control if using these in thick grass.
Futsal/Indoor Soccer Shoes
Indoor soccer shoes look very similar to a regular sneaker, but they have a non marking rubber sole that gives a player traction. Futsal is indoor soccer played on small field about the size of a basketball court with a low bounce ball. My little soccer girl loves her futsal shoes so much she wears them every day to school.
As you’ve probably noticed, we’re a Nike family. My girls love the Mercurial Vapors and have both cleats and futsal shoes from that line. (Nope, they didn’t pay me to say that and I have the numerous receipts to prove it!!) The girls tell me they are very comfortable and lightweight. I just like the colors!
Update 6/25- I didn’t even realize it at the time, but today I just bought little soccer girl the exact same futsal shoes as pictured above. I need some sunglasses just to look at them…
Hi soccer mom , ever hear of turf toe? wonder if you have ever had to deal with this condition with your own soccer player?
Thanks for your comment! I’ve heard of it, but haven’t dealt with it. I’ve heard it’s REALLY painful- hope it gets better soon!
Hi Soccer Mom, Just came across your website. I wish I would have seen it years ago.
My daughter is on a GU18 team and we recently had 3 girls hurt with ACL or Meniscus injuries. The comment from the girls is that the cleat somehow had suction to the ground. After looking the injured girls cleats, the common theme is the middle of the cleat under the ball of the foot. There was not a stud or it was a short stud in that location. 2 of the girls had it happen on turf fields, but the ACL was at the polo fields. (Grass with a slight dew) Our coach has constantly asked the girls to switch to the Adidas Copa Mundial cleat. Especially if they were playing defense or midfield. Up to this last year it was only offered in Black with White stripes. My daughter disliked the color scheme and didn’t want to wear them. (The old ‘Hope Solo’ adage, “if you look good, then you feel good and then you play good”) Adidas has offered 5 new colors prior to the Men’s World Cup, as well as a coveted white boot. I bought her a pair of the “Solar Blue” color and she loves them. I’ve found that Adidas boots are a 1 size difference from Mens to Womens. (Not the 1-1/2 like most websites tout) Stock might be hard to find, but with some internet research, persistence might win out. Hopefully, they bring it back for the 2015 Women’s World Cup.
If this saves (1) knee, it’s worth the post. (Hindsight is always 20/20, my daughter is currently recovering from Meniscus surgery after using an Adidas Predator cleat on turf. She agreed to the Copa’s post injury)
See you on the pitch.
Thanks for your comment. Yes, we’ve had the Copas recommended too, but my girls love the bright colors and the softness of the Nikes. I’m sure we will be switching at some point soon- especially now there are some new colors. So sorry your daughter got hurt and I’m so glad she’s doing better. Thanks for the helpful advice!
Metal studs are allowed. The only rule is that no cleats be altered to cause injury and no toe cleat.
Thanks for reading and commenting- I tried to look this up and couldn’t find a straight answer! I’ve never noticed anyone wearing them so I assumed they weren’t used, but looks like I assumed incorrectly. Thanks for the heads up!