Soccer cleats, whether purchased for yourself or for someone else, can be a challenging proposition.
As with any shoe you want to make sure you choose the appropriate size for the activity at hand. And soccer shoes bring with them some specific requirements for optimal performance.
In fact, soccer cleats should be worn differently from even your running shoes. This article will take a look at the reasons why.
Most types of soccer shoes, both outdoor, indoor and even turf, are meant to have a little room in them, especially when you are younger.
And most people like to have a little room in their shoes. And something like winter boots should be worn at least half size bigger than normal because you want room for thick socks with a little extra room.
Take a look at the reviews of the best-selling soccer cleats to see how they size up
How Should Soccer Cleats Fit: Tight or Loose?
When buying soccer cleats, in contrast to other types of shoes, you want to make sure that they fit very snug.
This means buying cleats a half size smaller than what you normally wear.
For example, if you normally wear a size 10, then you would buy a size 9 ½ for your soccer cleats.
You want to have snug fitting soccer boots for several reasons.
For one, the shoes will stretch some and form to your foot no matter if the material is synthetic or leather.
Your big toes should be right up against the material of the cleat. This will most likely feel a little different at first but remember that the material will stretch some once you wear it a few times.
Do Soccer Cleats Run Small or Large?
Some cleats by top soccer brands can run smaller or larger than normal.
(As a general rule of thumb, Nike shoes often are said to run small while Adidas is more often true to size or even slightly large, but as with any generalization you need to figure out which cleat type fits you the best.)
And also, importantly, it’s not just small or large but also how tight or narrow the shoes are that determines the best fit for your foot.
So it’s not as simple of a question of how much wiggle room your toes have.
Overall, however, the less the amount of material and room in your shoe the better.
You don’t want your foot to be super squished in or to feel pain after a soccer game, and sizing down just a half size should not do this.
Wearing slightly smaller soccer shoes has plenty of benefits on the field as well, such as allowing you to feel the touch of the ball better.
This helps in areas as diverse as dribbling the ball, receiving a pass, and properly weighting your passes to teammates.
So next time you’re out shopping for cleats, always remember: think a half size small!
And remember to wear your actual soccer socks when you’re trying on shoes so that you aren’t getting an inaccurate feel compared to what you’ll actually experience on the field.
Also, be sure to put on any ankle socks or other double pair if you choose to wear them, although often this is done to avoid blisters or to make an ill-fitting pair fit better, so getting properly sized soccer shoes may remove the need.
Still, some players may still prefer to wear a double pair for a particular reason.
What size do you prefer for your soccer shoes compared to your other pairs? And have you found any particular soccer cleat brands sizing differently than others?
Read more reviews of the most popular soccer cleats on the market to see how they size up
Interesting theory. I have always bought cleats that were the same size i wear in normal shoes. Never noticed any issues. I will have to try this out and see how it does.
Great post there guys, I really loved the info0
Buying a small size for your cleats than the normal size for sneakers is a MUST KNOWN piece of advice. I liked that you mentioned it here coz I’ve been saying this for years now haha.
I had a coach in high school who always told us that.
Thanks again for the share and keep rocking buddy
Your coach was right! I always follow this as well.
I’ve been having problems with soccer shoes that are the same size as other shoes that I buy but usually the first use or two of the season my big toe gets smashed against the front of the shoe resulting in painful toenail injury. I’ve now lost several big toe nails because of this. I’ve been wearing a 12 and always am afraid to jump all the way up to a size 13 (cause 12 1/2 are hard to come by). Any advice?
Hey Mike,
I would try to wear your boots in the bathtub. If you soak your boots while they are on you feet, then the shoe will stretch a little and mold to your foot. Additionally, you should consistently condition your boots. Putting leather conditioner on your boots will help them be soft.
wtf im 11 1/2 and always buy half a size bigger (12) because i use soccer socks that are quite thick and my feet tend to swell while doing any type of exercise, Idk how you can use half a size smaller that would just fuck up my toes.
Facts
False advice from OP
I agree… If you get a half size smaller than usual, your big toe will get vanished. Plus, you have thick socks to go over that… Id stick with your usual size, or go a half size larger.
Squished not vanished… Autocorrect
I went a size bigger on Puma king K – leather cleats (From UK 9 to 10). The boots stretched way out of my control and I had to give them away. I then went half a size down to my true size(from 9 down to 8.5 UK) with Asics Lethal Tigreor 5 K leather uppers. It was hard to break into them. Now the boots are ripe and mould perfectly to my toes.
The next pair(same ASICS, if I find it) will be true to my size though.
But we should be careful while buying. going a size small can hurt your toe. Its best to have the toes at ease. Try the shoe and if you do not face any problem in the toe area you are good to go even if you are a whole size small.
i don’t like small personally that’s why I will buy a Large one. But you cleared my point thanks for the amazing post Really Enjoying.
This tip is a rule of thumb that still requires you to use your brains people.
Here are the things that change the rule of toe:
– Shoe size matters. If you’re a size 5 going down to a 4 is a 20% difference. But if you’re a 12, then an 11 is only 8%.
– Foot shape matters. Wide ass toes or long ass toes can change whether it fits tight, snug or loose.
– Brands all fit slightly differently. Shoe have different profiles. This can skew the size.
– Synthetic vs Leather. During the break in period leather will stretch more than synthetic. Factor that in.
– Double or thick socks. What are you even doing, do you want to have zero feel of the ball?
– Competitiveness matters. If you’re a casual player and don’t care about response and precision, then matching your street and soccer size is probably fine. On the other hand, I prefer snug shoes all around so my toe doesn’t snag the ground when I do an upright power shot. Going a full size smaller means there is 0.75 inches less material sticking out at the toe. I know, because I measured.
With these tips in mind, I suggest people under size 10 try a half size smaller, and people size 10 or larger should try a full size smaller. You want it to feel really tight in the store, because after a few practices break in and loosen up. The foam will compress, the fabric will wear down a little, and the upper will stretch a bit as it conforms to your foot. So tight in the store = nice and snug after a few games.
And for those psychos that swear by going one size larger with soccer shoes than street shoes, I can only assume you have huge toes, wear triple socks, hate the feel of the ball on your feet. You clearly love the feeling of swimming in your shoes above everything else because while the rest of us are making plays and shooting, you’ll be back at midfield doing the back stroke.
What if one foot is size 9 and the other is size 8 1/2? 9 feels good, 8 1/2 feels almost too snug depending which cleats. I wear double socks for cushion. I have some 8 1/2 adidas x 18.3 turf shoes that are the same size as my adidas 19.3 FG lifeless…???!!!