Teach the catch first
Three things that matter when a child learns to catch, no gloves and no jargon.
Read about teaching the catchGoalkeeper Gloves for Kids: Do They Need Them and What Size?
Kit, Rules & Safety
Gloves are optional. If your child has started going in goal, here is when a pair helps, how to measure a hand for one and what to look for so you only buy once.
Goalkeeper gloves for kids are a nice extra for most beginners, not a must. Law 4 of the Laws of the Game does not require them, and a child learning to catch a soft ball on a lawn is fine with bare hands. Gloves earn their money on hard ground, in cold weather or once a child is in goal every week. To buy a pair, measure the hand from the middle fingertip to the base of the palm, check the brand's own chart and leave a little finger room (KeeperStop, We Print Balls).
Sort it in a minute
Do Kids Need Goalkeeper Gloves?
Law 4 of the Laws of the Game does not require a goalkeeper to wear gloves, so this is a comfort and grip decision, not a rule. The table below gives my reading of four common situations.
| Situation | Gloves? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Catching practice on the lawn with a soft ball | Not yet | Bare hands let a child feel the ball. See the catching page. |
| Hard ground, cold hands or a wet ball | Worth a cheap pair | Grip and a little cushioning for hands that sting (retailer view). |
| In goal every week at a club or in a regular game | Yes, a decent training pair | Wear is why durability matters (retailer view). |
| A child whose hands sting after every save | Try a pair, check the size first | Too-big gloves make it worse. See the fit section below. |
The table is this page's own reading of the situation, not a rule from a governing body. If your child is still learning to catch, start with the technique and add gloves later.
Measure first, then read the chart
What Size Goalkeeper Gloves for a Child?
Age on the packet is a rough guide, so measure the hand and then read the chart for the brand you are buying. It takes two minutes and a soft tape.
- 1
Hand flat. Your child spreads their dominant hand on a table.
- 2
Length. Measure from the tip of the middle finger to the base of the palm (KeeperStop).
- 3
Width. Measure round the widest part of the palm, thumb excluded (KeeperStop, We Print Balls).
- 4
Turn the measurements into a size. Take the length and the width to the size chart of the brand you are buying and read the size from it (KeeperStop, We Print Balls). Sizes differ by make, so use the chart for the brand you are buying. The table below is only an age-based starting point.
| Age band | KeeperStop (JR size) | We Print Balls (size) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 5 | Not listed | Size 3 |
| 6 | Not listed | Size 3 or 4 (its bands meet at 6) |
| 7 | JR 4-5 | Size 4 |
| 8 to 9 | JR 4-5 | Size 5 |
| 10 to 11 | JR 6-7 | Size 6 |
| 12 | JR 6-7 | Size 7 (youth or small adult) |
The table is the page's own re-cut of the two retailers' charts (KeeperStop, We Print Balls), re-cut into the same age rows because the two cut their age bands in different places. Where both give a size they do not contradict each other. We Print Balls simply covers younger ages that KeeperStop does not list. A JR size and a numbered size are different makes, so the two are not the same glove. Age is only a starting point, which is why the measurement and the brand's own chart decide.
Say a hand lands between two sizes. Try the smaller pair first and check for a quarter to half an inch of room over the fingertips. If it leaves less than that, go up to the larger pair (We Print Balls).
Here is a hallway fit check, which is my own idea and not a retailer rule. Put the gloves on and close the fist. There should be no pinch across the knuckles, and about a quarter to half an inch of room at the fingertips, not an empty flap beyond it.
What is worth paying for
Finger Protection and Other Features for a First Pair
I bought our first pair a size up to grow into. The fingertips flapped, the ball slipped through and the gloves went back in the drawer for a year.
A beginner pair should favour durability over match grip. Latex grips best but wears faster on hard surfaces, while synthetic palms last longer with less grip (KeeperStop).
Finger protection, often called spines, is sold as reducing the risk of fingers bending back (KeeperStop). No study read for this page tests that, so it is a retailer claim and a nice-to-have, not a reason to spend more.
Care is simple. Hand wash, air dry away from heat and never use a dryer. Retailers suggest replacing a pair every 6 to 12 months, depending on use (KeeperStop).
Buy this
The size your measurement and the chart point to, with a durable palm and a snug wrist.
Skip that
A size up to grow into, or a pricey match pair for lawn catching.
Nice to have
Finger spines, if the price is close. The protection claim is the retailer's.
No pair yet?
Goalkeeping Without Gloves
A missing pair is not a problem. Plenty of first catches happen with bare hands, and these options keep it comfortable.
- Use a softer ball on a lawn.
- Pick a smaller target and easier first catches.
- Warm cold hands with a short game first.
- Keep hard-ground saves to a rolling ball.
If your child wants to be in goal every time, there is a page on that too. Shin pads are the other piece of kit worth measuring.
What is known and what is not
What the Rules and Sources Say
Law 4 of the Laws of the Game does not require a goalkeeper to wear gloves. Gloves are permitted, not compulsory.
KeeperStop and We Print Balls give measuring methods and chart bands. They are retailers and they are selling gloves, so their charts are useful but commercial and can change.
No study I could find tests whether goalkeeper gloves or finger spines change injury rates in children, so the advice here rests on retailer guidance and common sense.
Quick answers
Common Questions About Goalkeeper Gloves for Kids
Do kids need goalkeeper gloves?
No rule requires them (Law 4). Bare hands are fine for lawn catching practice. A cheap pair helps on hard ground, in the cold or for a regular keeper.
What size goalkeeper gloves does a child need?
Measure hand length and palm width (KeeperStop, We Print Balls), read the chart for the brand you are buying and leave about a quarter to half an inch over the fingertips (We Print Balls).
Do youth goalkeeper gloves need finger protection?
Retailers sell finger spines as protection against fingers bending back (KeeperStop). No study read for this page tests that, so it is a nice-to-have.
How do I wash goalkeeper gloves?
Hand wash with mild soap in lukewarm water, air dry away from heat and never use a dryer (KeeperStop).
How long do kids' goalkeeper gloves last?
Retailers say 6 to 12 months, depending on use (KeeperStop).
Keep going
Where to Go From Here
Three places to go next, depending on what you found.
Wants to be in goal every time?
Why a keeper-only child is normal and how to open the door to other positions.
Read about the keeper-only childMeasuring other kit?
A measuring method and a size table for shin pads.
Read about shin pad sizesTonight's five minutes
Measure the hand before you open the basket.
Two minutes with a tape and a chart saves a pair that flaps or pinches. Then your keeper can get on with catching.