You may not realise it, but professional footballers wear boots with metal studs. The average boots amateur and youth players purchase at local sports stores are rubber studded boots. However, professional footballers are allowed to wear metal-tipped studs.

Why do professional footballers wear metal studs?

Players wear metal-tipped studs to get good traction on wet pitches. Players are able to penetrate the ground better than with rubber studs. Using metal studs on an artificial surface isn’t wise at players will slip and slide around on the pitch. Wearing metal-tipped studs on firm ground that is rather dry and hard can cause knee and ankle injuries. In addition, you may break off a stud because the ground is too hard for the studs to penetrate.

Boots with metal studs are ideal for wet, surfaces like you find in the United Kingdom, central Europe, or northern Europe. Players on wet days in other countries will also don the metal-tipped studs.

Metal studs aren’t for everyone

Along with providing players with better traction on wet or damp surfaces, metal studs are more durable. In some cases, metal studs do not get worn down as quickly as rubber or plastic studs. It does depend on how often a player wears the boots, however. Metal studs can also be replaced by the wearer and new studs can be screwed on in the old studs’ place. Typically, plastic studs cannot be replaced if they are worn down or broken.

Amateur and grassroots players are often not allowed to wear metal studs. This isn’t true for all amateur and grassroots leagues. However, due to the chance of injury, players are often required to wear rub or plastic studs. Metal studs can cause plenty of injuries. Cuts, nicks, and gashes can be suffered by players during games. Despite these dangers, the likelihood of players getting hurt due to metal studs is low.