Recent World Cup viewers may have noticed several players taking the field in unusual face masks. The masks are not a fashion statement or marketing gimmick, but medical protection for players recovering from facial injuries. Among those seen wearing them were Sebastian Cares of Uruguay, Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane, and England’s Djed Spence, who suffered a broken jaw after being struck by an elbow in May.
Although football is not considered a full-contact sport like boxing or American football, collisions happen often. Dr. Jeffrey Roth, a plastic surgeon in the United States, told Yahoo that it is common for two players to sprint toward the same ball without seeing each other and crash into one another. “I have seen significant facial injuries from such collisions,” he said. “It is absolutely possible to break bones in the face during a football match.”
Orthopedic and sports medicine specialists say the most vulnerable areas are the nose, cheekbones, eye sockets and jaw. Such injuries can require weeks or months of recovery, and some players must miss games. But in a prestigious tournament like the World Cup, many choose to keep playing with special protection.
The masks are usually made from carbon fiber, a material that is light but very strong. Their role is to shield the fracture site while it heals and reduce the risk of another blow making the injury worse. Dr. Justin Moulner, Orlando City’s team doctor, said even a small fracture or crack can become much more serious if the player is hit again in the same area. “The mask disperses some of the force of the impact and significantly reduces the risk of further damage,” he explained. Stanford orthopedics specialist Dr. Calvin Hwang added that without proper protection, another hit could require surgery again and could shift the bone or damage nearby nerves, muscles and soft tissue. The masks, experts stressed, do not replace medical treatment, but they help players return sooner while limiting health risks.
