Black players – particularly those of African and Caribbean descent continue – to set the pace, showing no fear though effortlessly making the pitch their platform, starting with how they show up in-game. Call it what you like – drip, steez, or otherwise – choice of boots, length of socks, and most recently, how they wear their shorts are all essential pieces of an ensemble that brings a heightened level of personality to the game.
In a bygone era, this kind of “behavior” would get a player fined, sent to the bench – or deemed a distraction by a stiff upper lip mainstream media.
But as Deion ‘Primetime’ Sanders once said, “If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you play good. If you play good, they pay good.” And it’s never been more true, as they’re playing more confidently than ever.
Footballers know that there’s a game within the game that starts before players even step onto the pitch. Way before the opening kick, ballers know the type of game they’re in for based on the on-field attire of their opposite number. You’re a defender matched up against a winger with his shorts over his knees and athletic tape wrapped on both wrists? Might be a long day for you. A striker face to face with a center-back wearing blacked-out boots, a size-too-small shirt, and shin guards that look like they might’ve been borrowed from a hockey goalie? That’s an even longer day, complete with bruises and hobbled walk off the pitch.
And this is less about simply comfort or even style but more about what goes into each player’s brand that gives fans a glimpse into the playstyle they’re about to see. The latest look striking fear into the hearts of opposing players comes with the shorts, specifically shorts worn in a style that sees the inseam ending at or below the knee. Think ball shorts worn by hoopers in the early 2000s – the ones that could’ve doubled as parachutes for an ill-equipped skydiver. Though we haven’t reached that length quite yet, it’s becoming more common to see – and as with many other fashion trends in sports, Black players are leading the way. In truth, they always have.
Black athletes across sports have always been the pacesetters. I could write an entirely separate essay on the trails Allen Iverson blazed in his era, from shooting sleeves to headbands; his impact cannot be understated. Even in American football, where leagues like the NFL have strict uniform policies, Black players have been the culture shifters (with “Primetime” being among the leaders of that charge).
Buffalo Bills rookie Keon Coleman went viral for wearing two differently colored mouthguards on his helmet. While the 21-year-old wide receiver from Opelousas, Louisiana, may not have started the trend, he’s definitely breathed new life into it. As for the world’s football, low shorts are a look that has been revived by this current group of trendsetters. I’m sure Brazil and Real Madrid legend Marcelo is somewhere smiling.
I first noticed the style in prominence while watching an English Premier League match between Fulham and Nottingham Forest in September. The game was not memorable for a wild score-line or tactical battle but for a couple of Nigerian players who started the game for either side. Fulham’s Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi started in defense and midfield for the winning team, respectively, while Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi took the pitch for Forest. It’s not often we see four Nigerian internationals on the pitch simultaneously in the EPL, the world’s biggest league, and I immediately noticed the on-field style that each player brought.
Ola Aina is enjoying a breakout season so far with Nottingham Forest, owning the right back position and marking his tenth consecutive start of the season with a left-footed screamer at home to West Ham on Nov. 2. Coming with low socks, a long sleeve undershirt, and (now signature) long shorts, Aina comes fitted with the style you’d expect from a tekky winger, much less a lock-down defender. And Calvin Bassey has become a rock for Fulham, combining the technical ability of a ball-playing defender with the no-nonsense mentality of an old-school Barclays-era center-back – all while rocking low shorts and over-the-knee socks.
Those familiar with the game know that African players are easily distinguishable by the traits they bring – directness, flair, and a sense for the spectacular that every match needs. These traits have become synonymous with the on-field attire that comes with long shorts. It gives players a nonchalant, effortless look while conveying a sense of confidence, almost arrogance, as they ignore buttoned-up standards and play with personality.
It comes from the same vein as players who, when in good form, tend to showboat or feel themselves on the pitch. They can now showcase that confidence by how they wear their gameday fits – where critics see it as obstreperous and disruptive; we see expanded individuality.
The wave has also reached international leagues, as players like Barcelona’s starboy, Lamine Yamal, and Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface brought it to the Spanish La Liga and German Bundesliga. As more young Black players continue to utilize trends like this to express themselves on the field, they exude a sense of pride and spotlight the diverse pockets of culture within their teams. And with players within the Black diaspora often few and far between on any given team, they showcase their personalities on an even bigger platform. Just look at the interactions on any IG post from the Nigerian ballers, and you’ll see comments praising them as national treasures.
We take pride in the players that are from where we’re from. As a fan, what better feeling than seeing someone from your ends, your city, your nation, succeed on the biggest stage? And to see them do it with more personality and individuality is as good as it gets. As players continue to embrace their unique, distinct sense of style and approach to the game, they excite the current generation of fans and inspire the next. Without saying a word, these players are telling aspiring, young Black athletes to wear their shorts how they want, tape their wrists, don their headbands, and build a brand that showcases their personalities. Indeed. We say, the more, the better, and as more Black players express themselves, we’re ready to be put onto the next wave.
Turns out, “Primetime” wasn’t just on to something; he was damn near prophetic.
Writer Maxwell Wright, who played Division 1 soccer at American University and Coastal Carolina University, works for a full-service sports and entertainment firm. He has a passion for exploring the convergence of music, culture, and sport and an eye for seeing what’s at the forefront of all three.