Youth Goalkeeper Kit Checklist: Everything a Young Keeper Needs (Gloves, Padded Shorts, Jersey, Boots) by Age
The child who goes in goal needs more kit than anyone else on the team and usually gets less: a pair of gloves from the lost-property box and the same shorts as the outfield players. Goalkeeping on turf and hard ground without padding hurts, and a keeper who hurts stops diving. This checklist covers what a young keeper needs at each stage, what can wait, what the club usually provides and the sizes to check before buying.
The checklist
| Item | Under 9 | 9 to 12 | 13 and over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gloves | Soft junior pair, correct size | Removable finger spines, plus a turf training pair | Match pair plus training pair |
| Padded shorts or compression | Padded compression shorts | Padded shorts; padded pants for turf and winter | Padded pants for turf, shorts for grass |
| Jersey | Club shirt in a different colour | Long-sleeve padded elbows for turf | Padded long-sleeve for turf, short-sleeve for summer |
| Boots | Same as outfield, multi-ground | Multi-ground with good heel hold | Firm-ground or multi-ground, stable not light |
| Cap | Optional | Low sun games | Low sun games |
| Glove care | Glove bag | Glove wash and bag | Glove wash and bag |
What the club usually provides
A goalkeeper jersey in a different colour, sometimes a pair of club gloves for the youngest teams. Everything else is the family's. Ask before the season which colour the keeper shirt is so that any padded top you buy can go underneath it.
Padding: where it matters
Hips and outer thighs take the landing in a side dive; elbows take it in a forward dive. Youth keepers on artificial turf need padding at both; on grass, hips are enough for most. Knee pads are rarely needed and restrict movement; padded pants cover the knee anyway.
Sizing checklist before you order
- Glove size from a hand measurement (see our chart).
- Padded shorts by waist, with the padding over the hip bone when worn.
- Padded jersey one size up if it goes under the club shirt.
- Boots: same rules as outfield, with heel hold prioritised over weight.
Our picks
Links open current Amazon results in each category.
Youth goalkeeper gloves, by size
Removable spines from 8 to 12; soft junior pair under 8.
Padded goalkeeper compression shorts, youth
Hip padding under any shorts; the first padded item to buy.
Padded goalkeeper pants, youth
For turf and winter; no more turf burns.
Long-sleeve padded goalkeeper jersey, youth
Elbow padding for forward dives on hard ground.
Glove wash and glove bag
Keeps gloves alive and the kit bag breathable.
Goalkeeper cap
Low sun and rain in the eyes; cheap and useful.
What can wait
Match-grade gloves (until eleven or so), a second jersey, a cap. What cannot wait is padding for a keeper who plays on turf; the first bad turf burn is often the last time a child volunteers to go in goal.
How much does a basic youth goalkeeper kit cost?
Gloves, padded compression shorts and a glove bag come in well under a hundred dollars at junior prices. Padded pants and a padded jersey add about the same again when they are needed.
Does a young keeper need different boots?
Not until the teenage years. Stability and heel hold matter more than weight; avoid the thinnest speed boots.
All goalkeeper guides are collected under Goalkeeper; the Gear Lab glove tool gives the size in one step.
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