Today, goalkeepers have the ability to choose gloves based on weather, field coverage and personal preference among manufacturers. But this was not always the case, once goalkeepers used exclusively their hands to catch the ball.
The goalkeeper today is simply inseparable from the goalkeeper's gloves, but not so long ago, in the period from the 1960s to the 1970s. the goalkeeper was deprived of this attribute. Prior to that, goalkeepers relied solely on their own hands in order to catch the ball.
Today, goalkeepers choose between 3mm, 4mm and 5mm latex foam in their gloves. Moreover, gloves can be chosen depending on weather conditions and lawn coverage. The player may prefer different types of gloves and their cut. It is noteworthy that initially absent gloves today directly affect the development of goalkeeper's art. The goalkeeper's technique is developing, and with it the peculiarities of catching the ball, hitting it and putting it into play change.
Origin mystery
Today, no one is able to say with certainty the date of the appearance of the first pair of gloves. W. Sykes, whose company was engaged in the production of soccer balls, filed a patent for goalkeeper gloves. They were made of leather, and this happened in 1885.
A number of manufacturers are known who produce gloves, but none of them is the initiator of their production from the very beginning.
For example, Nike began producing gloves during the 1970s, but it has not been so long ago that it has established widespread production. Reusch can be considered one of the first companies to start producing gloves, but mass production by this company was noted during the 1970s. Among others, Stanno has been noted as the oldest manufacturer of goalkeeper gloves.
The oldest manufacturer of goalkeeper gloves
Stanno employees said that the birth of the legendary gloves took place in Naples. Then goalkeeper Stefano Stano Andreoti conceded a goal due to the constantly slipping ball. Stefano developed fingerless gloves made of leather. They had crisscrossing braids attached around the wrist. This version of the gloves was not so comfortable, since the hand inside was too free. Then the goalkeeper decided to strengthen his arms with leather lacing. It is this performance that forms the basis of modern goalkeeper gloves.
Then Stefano decided to use rubber elements on the outside of his invention, which allowed for better grip. In this design, gloves began to look more like modern ones, those that are massively used today.
Stefano got an excellent opportunity to sell his invented gloves to other goalkeepers, and later production was set up in his father's workshop. The production then became a small business under the Standreo brand, which was later renamed Stanno.
