November 22, 2022

When did soccer players start wearing long shorts?

I'm seeing photos of the World Cup "footballers" on the front page of the NYT and — I don't like soccer anyway — I'm dismayed to see the men wearing long shorts like American basketball players. They've sacrificed the masculine beauty... for what?

When did this happen? I found an article from 2014, "A long (and short) history of World Cup hemlines and women’s fashion" (Quartz). 

My favorite phase in the 1960s:

38 comments:

n.n said...

Girls in short dresses. Cute.

rehajm said...

(raises hand…) Uh…what is that…uh..thing?

Dave Begley said...

Ann:

The shorts have been shortened in college men's basketball. It is quite noticeable.

Compare 2022 Badgers to 2000 Badgers.

Achilles said...

"When did soccer players start wearing long shorts?"

My teams wore shorts that were at knee level or close 30 years ago. I purposely got shorts a size or 2 too large as well.

They've sacrificed the masculine beauty... for what?

I personally do not enjoy displaying the bulge or having things fall out.

I wore compression shorts underneath my soccer shorts much of the time as well.

Ann Althouse said...

The 60s model has such a 60s pose. When did models stop posing like that? And why did models ever start doing that? Why is that such a 60s "attitude"?

Kate said...

You have chosen wisely. Fun article.

Leland said...

Advertisers needed more space.

Quayle said...

"And why did models ever start doing that? Why is that such a 60s "attitude"?"

Might as well ask why when girls danced in 60s' movies they just wiggled. Or why flute jazz music was the surest sign that the place was a real den of iniquity.

There is no answer. It just is and was.

Wince said...

What I noticed about those soccer photos through the years was the presence or absence of shin guards under the players' socks.

When I played soccer in the late 1970s, I don't even think there were dedicated soccer shin guards available. I had to make my own.

If you've ever been kicked in the shin while playing competitive soccer, you'll understand my continuing obsession.

Anthony said...

Back in the late '70s and '80s I wore pretty short shorts, also knee-high ("tube") socks. For a few years when I was doing really heavy weights at the gym I wore spandex shorts. Nowadays, longish, baggyish shorts with the aforementioned compression shorts underneath.

I much prefer just wearing the spandex shorts for working out. Way less constricting of motion, but fashion -- and not being as bulky in some respects as I once was -- dictates otherwise.

Ice Nine said...

>They've sacrificed the masculine beauty... for what?<

Don't know, but when you flop to the ground three or four times per game, every inch of extra leg protection probably matters.

Kai Akker said...

---Why is that such a 60s "attitude"?

Fun.

Breezy said...

Haven’t gay men appropriated the shorter short style? It’s still live and kicking. Maybe just not on a field of play though.

n.n said...

Short shorts, long shorts, and pants on the ground... Looking like a fool with your pants on the ground

Jake said...

I assume it's a trend like anything else. The 80s are coming back, as far as I can tell. Everything old is new again. You need one or two beg name players to make a change and then the kids will start doing it. Once the kids start doing it, it snowballs. Is this controversial or hard to understand?

Kai Akker said...


Hopefulness.




n.n said...

Girls with long hair, toned, thin legs, in short dresses. Feminine beauty.

Boys with short hair, toned, muscular legs, in short shorts. Masculine beauty.

Mother, with a capital "M", is sexist, and we love Her.

Jake said...

"If you've ever been kicked in the shin while playing competitive soccer, you'll understand my continuing obsession."

Grow a pair, man.

Kai Akker said...


Innocence -- to the extent practicable.



"But above that, the important thing that you’ve proven to the world is that a half a million kids — and I call you kids because I have children that are older than you are — a half million young people can get together and have three days of fun and music and have nothing but fun and music, and I – God Bless You for it!"

Wilbur said...

Wow, that 60s woman is skinny. That look - the Twiggy model look - is attractive only to women who wish they were skinnier and gay men clothing designers who generally dislike women.

My friend would say "she need some souse and cheese grits". Amen.

Wilbur said...

Ann Althouse said...
The 60s model has such a 60s pose. When did models stop posing like that? And why did models ever start doing that? Why is that such a 60s "attitude"?

LOL. I used to impersonate clothing catalog poses for people. Never failed to get a laugh.

n.n said...

Advertisers needed more space.

So true.

n.n said...

Petite girls, voluptuous girls, girls in short skirts, and girls in long dresses... it's hard to go wrong. Life is not so short... Look for the character differences.

Sebastian said...

Is it the English team, though, as the article says?

Looks like Germany to me.

Lurker21 said...

Do I have to say it?

Short pants the size of long pants.

Lurker21 said...

I suppose that was a "fierce" and daring pose for the '60s. Now it requires more to be truly fierce and daring, so if photographers and models and clients don't want to go down that road, they are more restrained.

Temujin said...

Thank the Fab Five.

Joe Smith said...

'Haven’t gay men appropriated the shorter short style? It’s still live and kicking. Maybe just not on a field of play though.'

At least in San Francisco they have.

If you see a fit guy walking down the street in a tight T-shirt and short-shorts with his ass hanging out...1,000% gay.

Big O's Meanings Dictionary said...

men in shorts - commentary

Shorts are in and out of favor by some.

In: They've sacrificed the masculine beauty... for what?

Out: Men shouldn't wear shorts because it makes them look like children.

Ann Althouse said...

@Big O's Meanings Dictionary

My position on men in shorts has always included approval of shorts where shorts are the official clothing for that sport. They were always, in my view, fine for soccer, biking, tennis, running, and basketball. Not for golf, though!

Big O's Meanings Dictionary said...

beauty - beauty

1. a combination of qualities, such as shape, color, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight

2. a beautiful woman

Comment:

Masculine beauty defines what is considered pleasing in a man. This does not include the clothing worn, as that is beauty of fashion, not nature.

All of this of course, is personal opinion and not fact even if stated as such.

n.n said...

My position on men in shorts... They were always, in my view, fine for soccer, biking, tennis, running, and basketball. Not for golf, though!

Sex-aware, conext-appropriate clothing, with cause.

mgarbowski said...

Soccer players should wear cargo shorts, as should all men.

n.n said...

You got that James Dean daydream look in your eye
And I got that red lip classic thing that you like
And when we go crashing down, we come back every time
'Cause we never go out of style, we never go out of style
You got that long hair, slicked back, white T-shirt
And I got that good girl faith and a tight little skirt
And when we go crashing down, we come back every time
'Cause we never go out of style, we never go out of style

- Style/Taylor Swift

Sex-sensitive, context-aware, character-considerate, presentation with cause.

Readering said...

Good eye Sebastian. Part of W. Germany pre-match line-up from 1966 World Cup final against England (in red jerseys) at Wembley. I watched on tiny b+w telly.

Doug said...

Has to be post-Michael Jordan.

gpm said...

Who wears short shorts
We wear short shorts
They're such short shorts
We like short shorts
Who wears short shorts
We wear short shorts.

--gpm

PM said...

Japan was great this morning.