If you have watched a football game before, you may have noticed that some players, including goalkeepers or even the managers, may chew gum during a match.
Here’s what you need to know about this ritual that they may have.
Contents
Why do football players chew gum?
Football players may chew gum to reduce stress or to ensure that they are constantly hydrated during the match.
Footballers may chew gum in a way to reduce the stress that they are facing during the match.
Some stadium atmospheres are really hostile, and the players will need to reduce all distractions to perform at their best.
As such, chewing gum may be a good way to keep the player focused.
Alternatively, a football player may want to ensure that he is not playing with a dry mouth. Due to how gum can promote salivation, it may be useful to ensure that the player’s mouth does not become too dry.
Here are a few examples of football players playing with their chewing gum.
This includes Ozil, who primarily plays as a Centre Attacking Midfielder,
and Felix Passlack who plays as a right-back.
Why do goalkeepers chew gum?
Goalkeepers chew gum as it has been shown to calm their nerves during a match. Ultimately, this helps them to be more alert during a match which may result in them making the correct decisions for their team.
Chewing gum has been associated with higher productivity in the workplace, which can be projected to the benefits in football.
Furthermore, it can deliver a real sense of calm and assurance to a goalkeeper.
However, there are not many examples of goalkeepers who chew gum during a match.
Why do football managers chew gum?
Football managers may chew gum to reduce stress as they watch their team play a football match, especially during crucial games.
Being a manager is an extremely stressful job, as you will need to juggle the expectation of the fans, the players and the club. It is no wonder why they may get sacked once expectations are not met.
Chewing gum has been shown to reduce stress, which could be the main reason why football managers chew gum during the match.
Furthermore, it may help to calm the nerves of the manager, especially during a heated game like a derby.
One of the most famous examples of a football manager chewing gum is Sir Alex Ferguson, who has a ritual of chewing gum when he is managing a football match.
Can you chew gum during a football game?
Under the Laws of the Game by IFAB, there are no rules that prevent players from chewing gum during a game. However, due to the surfaces of some pitches, certain clubs may ban players from chewing gum as it may damage the artificial turf in the stadium.
The IFAB did not explicitly state that chewing gum is or is not allowed during a football match.
However, there are some clubs that may ban chewing gum on their pitches, such as Maidstone United, or Sutton United.
This is because the pitches that these clubs use are 3G pitches, which are artificial turfs. If the players spit the gum onto the pitch, it will damage the surface of the football pitch!
Conclusion
Chewing gum may be a habit that some football players, or even football managers may have.
This process of chewing gum has been shown to reduce stress and increase salivation, which may have some benefits for them!
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