THE ESSENTIALS SHIN PADS

Become bulletproof in the tackle with these battle-ready guards

G-FORM PRO-S ELITE

Shin pads don’t have to be clunky these days. Weighing in at just 50g, this pair slip on like a sock but they still pack a firm punch in the tackle. Cost: £65 Buy: g-form.com/soccer

NIKE MERCURIAL LITE CR7

These come with a fully-breathable sleeve for maximum comfort. If they are good enough for Cristiano Ronaldo, then they’re good enough for us, too. Cost: £14 Buy: prodirectsoccer.com

RDX SHIN PADS

If you like crunching tackles, try these brace protection guards. Designed for combat sports, they’re lightweight and use foam padding for shock absorption. Cost: £18 Buy: rdxsports.co.uk