How Should Soccer Cleats Fit: For Women & Girl Footballers

Understanding your own feet is helpful when choosing soccer cleats. Do you have a high or low arch? Is your foot narrow or wide? How big should your shoe be? Most people have one foot that’s slightly larger. Before you make your next purchase, let us explain how should soccer cleats fit for women and girls.

What To Look For When Buying Soccer Cleats For Females

Approximately 75% of women who play soccer at the grassroots level wear downsized men’s cleats or children’s boots. Mainstream manufacturers have ignored calls for specific soccer cleats for female players and experts are divided on whether niche boots centered on gender are necessary.

Some manufacturers claim there is no demand for gender-specific boots, and they make no secret that their focus is purely on aesthetics and cosmetics. Try to avoid purchasing your soccer shoes based on the colors or designs. Focus on your foot and your needs.

Women’s Feet Compared To Men

With 34 million females registered with FIFA, soccer is the most popular sport in the world. In all parts of the world, soccer is becoming increasingly popular among girls and women at a time when some claim that the absence of gender-specific soccer cleats leads to multiple problems, injuries, and decreased participation among women soccer players.

It has been reported that there is enough variation in anthropometric foot shapes that makes the present practice of downsizing men’s cleats potentially dangerous for women players.

Latest Research

For a given stature, men’s feet tend to be longer and broader, and according to Wonderlich and Cavanagh’s research, women’s and men’s feet have two calf, five ankle, and four foot shape variables. A study found gender differences in the navicular height at the arch, the lateral side of the foot, the first toe angle, and the width of the forefoot at the soccer ball of the foot.

As a general rule, women’s feet have a narrower heel (where the shoe grips the heel of the foot), a wider forefoot, and higher arches, as well as a significantly increased pressure load under the foot, due to their wider hips.

Women’s feet and legs were not simply scaled-down versions of male anatomy but had a number of unique shape characteristics. The author argues that these differences should be taken into account when designing and manufacturing women’s sports shoes.

Women’s Soccer Injuries

In women’s soccer, the lower extremities are the most commonly injured areas (60%). ACL injuries occur four times more frequently in female soccer players than in males.

Several published studies have indicated that most ACL injuries occur without contact. According to the NCAA, women’s soccer players have the third-highest rate of ACL injuries behind men’s American football and women’s gymnastics.

Ligament (ankle) sprains were the most commonly diagnosed injuries (25.7%), followed by muscle strains (21.5%), contusions (15.9%%), and concussions (9.2%).

The percentage of women soccer players who sustained an injury during a soccer game was nearly three times higher than their injury rate during practice (5.0). The research found that many of these injuries could have been avoided with better-fitting soccer shoes. In the next section, we tell you how to properly size and fit the right pair of soccer cleats.

How to Measure Your Foot For Soccer Shoes

• Step 1. A piece of paper should be placed on the floor with one end touching the wall. Your heel should be touching the wall as you stand on the paper.
• Step 2. Trace the outline of your foot. It is a good idea to measure both of your feet since one will always be larger than the other. You can determine your proper size by measuring your feet at the end of the day while wearing soccer socks.
• Step 3. Measure from each heel to the longest toe once both feet have been traced. Find the correct shoe size by taking the longer measurement.

How Are Soccer Cleats Supposed To Fit

These days, most soccer cleats are made of synthetic leather. Kangaroo leather was traditionally used before synthetic leather. Even though these are still available, their range is limited and their price is higher than synthetic leathers. In addition to being more waterproof, specially treated synthetic upper material may prevent sweat from evaporating.

A superior kangaroo skin upper cleat should fit snugly. You can expect the leather cleats to stretch and mold around your toes when wet. Most professionals who wear kangaroo leather cleats select a half size smaller. They claim a half size smaller shoe provides them with better soccer ball control, cushioning, and durability.

Some soccer players prefer to wear thick socks or a second skin around their feet before putting on their soccer socks.

Since most synthetic leathers are waterproof, you don’t need cleats to fit as tightly. It is recommended that there is a ¼ inch gap (extra space) between your big toe and the cleat. Make sure there is enough room to wiggle your toes to avoid cutting your circulation.

Parents whose daughters are still growing may find this frustrating. They will need bigger cleats as they grow. With cleats that are too big, the risk of injury increases dramatically.

There are some soccer cleats that include small air holes that allow air to convect (i.e. warm air is forced out of the shoe and replaced by cold air drawn in). It also means that in rainy conditions, the foot becomes wet. You should avoid wearing these types of cleats.

Several companies may have their own sizing system that does not follow standard footwear sizing. Our tables can help you avoid the wrong size.

Walking around in the sports shop should be comfortable, without hindering the player’s ability to move freely. You should ensure that your heel does not move inside your soccer cleat. Most men have wider heels than women. If this is the case, you may want to use an insole for greater stability.

Women's Soccer Cleats Show Size

The Future Of Women’s Soccer Cleats

Synthetic leather uppers are not breathable, so you should wear cotton socks to absorb perspiration from your feet. A soccer team sock over a small, thin cotton sock might be a good idea. Be sure to wear both socks when you size soccer shoes.

A professional soccer player will have their lightweight boots customized to their feet by the manufacturer, but these are not the same products you can buy online. Women tend to stick with one brand of cleats and rarely change.

As a result, Computer Assisted Design (CAD) may allow soccer boots to be customized to specific anatomical requirements, allowing for better fitting and sizing for everyday players.

There are some companies that are offering customized boots and material, but it is quite expensive at the moment and is not recommended yet for the casual player. Australian startup Ida Sports has created the world’s first affordable women’s cleats, tackling gender inequality in sports for the first time. Just remember, soccer cleats have never won the World Cup.

The skillful player scores or saves the penalty based on his or her skill. Regardless of the level of play, comfortable soccer shoes are not performance enhancers. Making sure your new cleats are the right size will allow you to reap all their benefits.

Sizing Chart For Women’s PUMA, Nike, And Adidas Soccer Cleats

Different brands fit slightly differently. Adidas also offers the biggest selection of soccer cleats for women at this time. Their soccer shoes are more suitable for women and teenage girls with wide feet. Before you buy soccer cleats, follow our steps to measure your foot and use our sizing chart table for the three main brands of soccer cleats.

Printable Soccer Cleat Size Chart

Download our printable shoe size chart and measure your foot’s width. This will inform you if you require wider fitting soccer cleats. Choose the right cleat for you.