Footballers Who Wear Glasses
A variety of football players are known for different quirks on the field. Among those players are those that wear glasses. How can one player soccer while needing glasses? FIFA rules stipulate that a player cannot wear glasses while on the field of play. Well, some players have found a creative solution behind this rule aside from wearing contact lenses. After all, not everyone is comfortable with wearing contact lenses.
While there are some players who have no problems wearing contacts, there are others who work around wearing them for different reasons. These are some players that have found a way to work with visual impairment on the field:
PLAYERS WHO WORE GLASSES ON THE FIELD
Edgar Davids
Edgar Davids stands out as a prominent athlete who wore glasses while playing, but didn’t violate FIFA rules. How? He has a unique set of goggles tailored to his specific needs. Because his eye condition was so severe, he was given a pass with these goggles. While he attempted to get treatment for his condition with therapy and surgery, it didn’t lead to anything, so the goggles remained till he retired.
Who is this player? Davids is former Dutch player who was nicknamed, “The Pitbull,” and became known for being a no nonsense tough tackling midfielder. Davids played for AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur among other teams. Among the teams he’s played for, he had a long-term stint with Juventus. In the time he spent with the team, he became an integral part of the team’s midfield
Aside from the mentioned teams, Davids made appearances with Hotspur, Crystal Palace, and had a stint with Ajax. In 2012, he took on the dual role of player-manager with the English team Barnet. For the following years, he went to work as a coach/manager full-time.
Javier Montero
Javier Montero is another player who wears eye gear on the field due to an eye condition. Montero’s condition was that he had a retinal detachment. He wears a set of protective glasses to games and even wore them when he made his debut in a Champions League match.
Montero, a.k.a. Francisco Javier “Javi” Montero Rubio, is a Spanish footballer signed with Atlético Madrid. Compared to other players, he is not the most prominent footballer in the community, but he is known for being a central defender who can also play as a left-back. One highlight of his career was when he won his only cap for Spain at under-21 level in October 2019.
Alex Song
Alex Song is a retired Cameroonian professional footballer who’s been spotted wearing gear when playing, The reason behind his eyewear was because he suffered an eye problem and wore them to prevent infection. While the eyewear provided protection for the player, Song has stated that he’s had issues with them on the field.
In one interview, he stated, “Sometimes I have to play without them because I can’t see properly but it’s a risk,” and “I have to be careful because it’s not good for the future. I have to keep wearing them until the doctor tells me not to.”
As a player, Song started at Bastia before moving to Arsenal in 2005. He made 200 appearances with the Gunners before transferring to Barcelona in 2012. In the 2014-2015 season, was loaned to West Ham United for the 2014-15 season. He also played for the Cameroon national team in the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups.
Additionally, he was called up for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and was the only Cameroonian named in the Team of the Tournament.
PLAYERS WHO WEAR GLASSES OFF THE FIELD
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is not usually someone you would think of first when it comes to footballers who need glasses. However, even with the need of contact lenses on the field, Ronaldo has proved himself to be a formidable player until now.
When off the field, he is often sporting a pair of trendy sports glasses. He even has his own eyewear brand called CR7. CR7 eyewear is a high-end brand of glasses and sunglasses that offers premium frames to customers worldwide. However, it is a relatively expensive website to place an order from.
Being a big name in the football community, Ronaldo has made several achievements and received several awards. Compared to all his accomplishments, a need for glasses seems like a minor issue for the player.
David De Gea
Spanish professional footballer David De Gea is a goalkeeper who wears contact lenses on the field. He started his career with Atletico Madrid before legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson brought him to Manchester United as the replacement for the retiring Edwin van der Sar. While he did not have a strong start, De Gea soon established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper at the club.
In February 2023, he broke Peter Schmeichel’s record for the most clean sheets in Manchester United’s history, after a 2–0 win over Newcastle United in the 2023 EFL Cup final marked his 181st.
David De Gea
Mario Balotelli is an Italian footballer who wears contact lenses in-game. In 2014 during the World Cup, he wore a colored set. He is recognized as one of the most famous players of the 2010’s era and made appearances for various teams over the years.
During his career, Balotelli played in the Premier League for Manchester City. After his time with Manchester City, the player played for teams such as Liverpool, AC Milan, and Marseille. At one point Balotelli underwent laser eye surgery to fix his vision, but he isn’t afraid to still use contact lenses when needed.
Latest News
Argentina Tops FIFA Rankings After 6 Years
Kane Williamson to Miss ODI World Cup Due to Surgery
Debutant Suyash Sharma Continues to Shine in IPL
Rahmanullah Gurbaz Registers New IPL Record
Messi to Reject Al Hilal Offer
– Advertisement –
– Advertisement –
– Advertisement –
– Advertisement –
– Advertisement –
– Advertisement –