Slip-in, sleeve or strap: how the guard stays on

Start with how you want the guard to stay in place. Slip-in guards go straight into your football socks. The adidas Tiro Club and Messi Club guards work this way, with a flexible hard shield and EVA foam on the back. adidas says the Tiro Club shield is perforated to let air through.

Sleeve guards come with a compression sleeve that holds the shield against your leg. The adidas Tiro League and Tiro Competition guards include these sleeves. You drop the shield into the sleeve, and it stays put.

Strap guards close around your leg. The Nike J Guard-CE has stretchy straps, and the Puma King Strap has an adjustable strap closure. The Nike Mercurial Hardshell comes with a strap too.

Guards that cover the ankle as well

If you want cover below the shin, pick a guard with an ankle guard. The adidas Tiro Match has padded ankle guards and a hook-and-loop front closure. The Messi Match is a juniors' guard with an attached ankle guard and hook-and-loop straps. Both use hard shields with EVA backing.

Kids' sizes, left and right, and care

Sizes here run from XS to XL. For children, the Nike Charge comes in kids' sizes S, M and L, with a hard shell and a foam back. More kit for young players is in kids' football.

Two Nike guards, the J Guard-CE and the Mercurial Hardshell, have a left and a right fit, so check each side before a match. Nike's texts for the Charge, J Guard-CE and Mercurial Hardshell say hand wash. adidas says not to dry the Messi Club guards on a heater.

If you play every week and want the least fuss, start with a sleeve guard like the adidas Tiro League. For a child who is still learning, the Nike Charge in kids' sizes is the easy pick.