Guides and comparisons

Guides

Best Soccer Backpack With Ball Holder: What to Look For, Sizes by Age and Which Type to Buy

A soccer bag is where the whole kit either lives together or gets lost piece by piece. The right one has a ball holder that actually holds a size 5, a ventilated boot compartment that keeps mud off the clothes, and a size the child can carry to school and to training. Here is what to look for, how big the bag should be at each age, and the types that work. The five features that matter Ball holder that fits a size 5. Many "ball pockets" are sized for a size 4 at best. Look for an external net or a bottom cage rated for size 5 if the player is over twelve. Separate ventilated boot compartment. Mesh panels or drainage holes; otherwise the whole bag smells by October. Padded laptop or book sleeve if the bag goes to school. A single bag for school and training is what most teenagers actually want. Padded, adjustable straps and a chest clip for younger children; a loaded soccer bag is heavy. Water-bottle pocket that fits a 32 oz (1 L) bottle. Size by age Age Capaci...

October 23, 2026Read →

Guides

Soccer Training Equipment for Home: The 7-Item Starter Kit for Kids and Teens (and What to Skip)

Search for home soccer equipment and you will find forty-piece bundles, resistance parachutes and gadgets that promise a professional's first touch. Most of it sits in the garage. A young player who trains alone needs seven things, and the cheapest version of most of them is fine. This is the list, in order of priority, with sizes and the mistakes to avoid. The seven items, in the order to buy them A second ball, correct size. One stays clean for indoor touches. Size 3 under 8, size 4 from 8 to 12, size 5 from 12 (see our ball size guide ). Disc cones, 20 to 30. Flat, flexible discs; not the tall traffic kind, which trip children. A rebounder. The one item that creates repetitions without a partner. An agility ladder, 13 to 20 ft (4 to 6 m). Flat rungs, adjustable spacing. Ten minutes twice a week is enough. A pop-up goal or a pair of small goals. 4 ft is enough for most yards; 6 ft for teenagers who shoot hard. A ball pump with gauge. Under-inflated balls teach a d...

October 23, 2026Read →

Guides

Best Soccer Rebounder for the Backyard: Nets vs Boards, Sizes and Which One Fits Your Space

A rebounder turns ten minutes alone in the garden into a hundred first touches. It is the single most useful piece of home training equipment for a young player, and also the one most often bought wrong: too big for the space, too flimsy to survive a size 5 ball, or a type that returns the ball in a way the player cannot use. Here is how the types differ, what size fits a typical yard and which models earn their place. Net rebounders, boards and walls: three different tools Net rebounders (a frame with a tensioned net, often angled) return the ball softly, usually in the air. Best for first touch, volleys and receiving aerial balls. The most common and most affordable type. Rebound boards (rigid plastic or wood panel) return a passed ball along the ground at near-full speed. Best for passing accuracy and one-twos; harder, louder, and they ask more of the player's touch. Rebound walls and gates (small ground-level frames) are for passing drills; they also work as mini goal...

October 23, 2026Read →

Guides

Shin Guards for Kids by Age (3 to 14): Sizes, Slip-In vs Ankle Guards and What to Buy

Shin guards are the one piece of kit every league makes compulsory, and the one parents buy most carelessly. A guard that is too long digs into the knee; one that is too short leaves the most-kicked part of the shin open; one with ankle sleeves on a nine-year-old who hates them ends up in the bag. This guide gives you the size by height and age, explains the three types, and tells you what to buy at each stage. Size by height, not by age Manufacturers size shin guards by the player's height. Age is only a hint; use the height column. Size Player height Typical age Guard length XXS / Peewee Under 3 ft 3 in (under 100 cm) 3 to 4 About 5 in (13 cm) XS 3 ft 3 in to 3 ft 11 in (100 to 120 cm) 4 to 6 About 6 in (15 cm) S 3 ft 11 in to 4 ft 7 in (120 to 140 cm) 7 to 9 About 7 in (18 cm) M 4 ft 7 in to 5 ft 3 in (140 to 160 cm) 10 to 12 About 8 in (20 cm) L 5 ft 3 in to 5 ft 11 in (160 to 180 cm) 13 and over About 9 in (23 cm) The guard should start about 2 in (5 cm) below the ...

October 23, 2026Read →

Boots

Best Soccer Cleats for Kids: How to Choose by Age, Surface and Foot Shape (Wide Feet Included)

Children outgrow soccer cleats every six to nine months, so the goal is not the perfect boot; it is the right boot for this season at a price you can repeat. Fit, stud type and upper material matter far more than the model the professionals wear. This guide explains how to size a growing foot, which sole plate suits each surface, what to do about wide feet and which boots are worth the money at each age. Size first: how much room a growing foot needs Measure the foot standing, heel against a wall, at the end of the day. Add 0.3 to 0.5 in (8 to 12 mm) for a child under ten and 0.3 in for older kids. More than that and the boot slaps, the toes claw and blisters follow. Youth cleats run narrow in most brands; if the foot is wide, size up half a size at most and look at the brands below instead of going up two sizes. Check the fit monthly. The first sign a boot is too small is a child who suddenly dislikes playing in them, not a complaint about the toes. Firm ground, turf or indoor: ...

October 23, 2026Read →

Balls

Soccer Ball Size by Age: The Complete Guide to Sizes 1–5, Surfaces and What to Buy

A ball that is too big for a child does more damage than most parents expect: it teaches a heavy first touch, it makes shooting technique collapse into toe-pokes, and it takes the fun out of the one thing that keeps kids playing. A ball that is too small for a teenager is just as bad in the other direction. This guide covers the official size for each age group, what the construction labels actually mean, which ball survives each surface, and which ones are worth your money right now. Ball sizes by age: the quick table Sizes are standard across federations. Clubs in the United States and the United Kingdom follow the same thresholds, with small local exceptions. Size Age group Circumference Weight Typical use 1 Any age 18–20 in (46–51 cm) 7–8 oz Skills ball, collectible, first touches for toddlers 3 Under 8 23–24 in (58–61 cm) 10–12 oz (300–320 g) First proper ball, U6 and U8 leagues 4 8 to 12 25–26 in (63.5–66 cm) 12–13 oz (350–390 g) U9 to U12 leagues, also futsal (with a low-b...

October 23, 2026Read →