At the end of the last century, many goalkeepers still regularly played in tracksuit bottoms. Notably the two best in France in this position, Bernard Lama and Fabien Barthez.
Abroad, emblematic last ramparts such as Peter Schmeichel, Oliver Kahn, José Luis Chilavert and Andoni Zubizarreta have worn the tracksuit bottoms. Today, this practically no longer exists at the professional level.
Indeed, goalkeepers like Iker Casillas, Manuel Neuer or Gianluigi Buffon popularized the combination of shorts and socks. Since the mid-2010s, many goalkeepers have been wearing thermal leggings. This is the recommended solution to protect yourself from the cold.
Gabor Kiraly and his old gray jogging pants
To find traces of a player wearing tracksuit bottoms in a major competition, we have to go back to Euro 2016. Gabor Kiraly, number 1 of the Hungarian selection, then made an impression with his old gray jogging pants.
“I’m a goalkeeper, not a supermodel, explained the man who was also the oldest player in this competition. It’s mostly a question of comfort. I tried the shorts during my visits to Germany and England but they didn’t suit me. » Only goalkeepers are allowed to wear pants, according to FIFA regulations.
