Why Goalkeepers Spit On Gloves – Should You Keep Your Gloves Wet?

If you’ve ever watched a game on TV at a stadium or even in the park on Sundays there is a good chance that you’ve seen this. At least one goalkeeper will be constantly spitting on their gloves. There are a couple of reasons why goalkeepers may have started doing this. The main idea probably had to do with keeping the tight grip, but in many cases, it has become a bit of a habit. What I want to explore today is whether or not spitting on your gloves can actually be labeled a good habit to get into. With that in mind, let’s get going! Why goalkeepers spit on gloves, does it help?

Why Goalkeepers Spit On Gloves: Are There Tangible Benefits To Spitting On Gloves?   

As I mentioned most people spit on their gloves with the idea that this is going to somehow make the grip on the glove better. I remember that this trend of wetting gloves became very popular in the mid to late 2000s. I do think that the habit of spitting has lasted much longer than that. Anyway, many brands started recommending that you wet the glove a bit before a match or training for better grip and performance. So this recommendation led many of us to feel like spitting on the gloves was encouraged. After all the instructions on the glove specifically mentioned that it was beneficial to keep the gloves at least damp. Therefore, I think you could say that there are tangible benefits to do this. 

Why Goalkeepers Spit On Gloves: Not All Gloves Are Going To Benefit From Being Spit On  

You really have to get to know your glove. There are a lot of glove manufacturers, for example, Rinat, which I used for many years who had their whole line of gloves with this latex palm that essentially improved its performance when wet. That does not mean though that all gloves are made the same way and that therefore you should keep your gloves wet at all times. I recently switched over to the Pure Contact II G3 SpeedBump by Reusch and I actually don’t love the performance of the glove when wet. Yet, old habits die hard and I’ve caught myself spitting on the glove quite a few times. 

It’s important to know your glove and get a good feel for it. Not all of the information that you need is going to be found in the manual. The Reusch gloves that I know use are not made from the traditional latex that I’ve used for years. Actually, Reusch claims that they are made from some type of foam. I’ve actually found them great for dry, hard turf surfaces. I got plenty of games on them now and they have not begun to tear. I do believe a big part of that is because I’ve made a bit of an effort to keep them dry. 

Best Ways To Keep Your Gloves Wet   

If you have a pair of gloves with a particular type of latex palm that the manufacturer indicates or you feel you get a better grip by keeping them wet spitting on them will probably not be the best answer. Instead, keep a water bottle near the goal to be able to freshen up every so often. One of the mistakes that I made in the very beginning trying to keep the gloves wet is pouring an absurd amount of water on them. Needless to say, this is certainly not ideal. With these latex gloves that benefit from being wet there is a thin line between the ideal moisture and being too wet and therefore slippery. This may sound pretty gross for some folks, but here we go anyway. A lot of pros do what they do is they’ll take a sip of water and then sort of drizzle the gloves as they spit out the same water. 

This last technique can be a great way to make sure that you get the water in the right places. Again, in many cases, it’s really about being able to find a balance in these types of situations. You don’t want the glove to be overly wet; you want to instead make sure that it happens to be just right to be able to maximize the grip. If it gets too wet that can lead to things getting slippery and that’s when you end up on the wrong side of the highlight reel. 

Let Your Gloves Dry Out After Practice Or Games   

This is something that I’ve talked about in other articles on the site. If you happen to have the typical latex goalkeeper gloves that do better when they are a bit damp it’s also a good idea to allow them to dry out in the shade after games or practice. The reason why you want to make sure that you follow the “in the shade” part of the sentence is that if you leave them out in the sun they can harden up and ultimately even start cracking. These are of course not good signs at all for goalkeeper gloves.    

Cleaning Your Gloves  

If you are someone who has the habit of spitting on gloves it would be a good idea to not only let them dry out but also take steps to make sure that they’re properly cleaned. In the past, a little spit may never have hurt anyone, but these days we’re a little more cautious about what spit can really cause even if it’s your own. There are multiple ways that you could potentially clean your gloves. Pretty much all of the top manufacturers sell products that help you in this process.  

Why Goalkeepers Spit On Gloves: Should You Be Spitting On Your Gloves Or Not?   

It’s hard for me to say that you shouldn’t be spitting on your gloves because it is something that I end up doing quite a bit both in practice and game scenarios. When it’s all set and done though it could be a good habit to try and get out of. Especially with some of the health concerns that have developed over the past few years. If you’re spitting on your gloves and then you’re using them to touch your face, (yes this happens more often than you would think!) there is a chance that you could become sick.

HADERSLEV, DENMARK – JULY 19: Goalkeeper Nicolai Larsen of AaB Aalborg spits in his gloves during the Danish Superliga match between Sonderjyske and AaB Aalborg at Sydbank Arena on July 19, 2014 in Haderslev, Denmark. (Photo by Lars Ronbog / FrontZoneSport via Getty Images)

Remember that not all gloves are going to benefit from being wet. In some cases, on rainy days you may even find yourself having to squeeze water out of the gloves to try and get a better grip. I have to say that this is a dilemma that goalkeepers have to deal with and in a lot of ways becomes an inside struggle. If the ball comes off your hands and you concede a goal no one is going to believe your excuse that the gloves were too wet or too dry. Still, this balance is something that you should be watching out for during games and practices. When it comes to actually spitting on the gloves this is one of those things that many pros do that maybe would be a good idea not to follow as much. While there is a chance that spit can help you get a better grip on the ball it’s not exactly the most regal thing to do.        

Why Goalkeepers Spit On Gloves: Overall Glove Care Is Important  

Whether you spit on your gloves or not overall glove care can allow you to get the most out of your gloves. If you’ve been in this game for a while you know that quality equipment usually doesn’t come cheap. So getting a couple of more games out of the gloves that you’re wearing can always be a positive thing. Especially if you’ve grown accustomed to the fit and the grip that you get with the glove. I know I mentioned spitting on the glove is not necessarily something that’s going to give you more grip. For the most part, it shouldn’t affect you all that much either. 

As I mentioned you want to make sure that you clean the gloves and you allow them to dry accordingly. If you’re a big spitter this is bound to be important. Even if you don’t necessarily wet the glove before the game the glove is going to end up wet. Allow it to dry in the shade and all should be fine. 

Just as a bonus tip some gloves are going to stick up the place even if you allow them to dry accordingly. That’s mainly due to the materials that they’re made from. In this case, adding some body spray can really help out. Otherwise, your bags are going to smell really bad. That can of course latch on to other items on the bag. I know some guys are not too overly worried about something like this. You smell like sweat, you smell like a guy. Those types of phrases are pretty antiquated. It’s a good idea to keep your equipment clean. It feels better when you put it on and as they say, if you feel good you play good. It doesn’t really matter if you spit or not.