00:01These mechanical presses are making some of the most advanced football gloves.
00:07Every stitch, every layer and every millimetre is designed to improve performance.
00:15Because when the stakes are high at events like the World Cup,
00:19a single save can make or break the entire game.
00:31Many professional players order customised gloves from factories like this one in Pakistan,
00:37where workers make nearly half a million gloves a year.
00:41So we headed to Sialkot to see the craftsmanship behind one of football's most essential pieces of gear.
00:53The first goalkeeper gloves were patented in 1885 by an English manufacturer and made from leather.
01:00But it took nearly a century for the idea to catch on.
01:04For decades, players went barehanded or used gardening gloves or knit gloves for warmth and protection.
01:11It wasn't until 1973 that a German brand introduced gloves with a latex balm, similar to today's models.
01:19After debuting at the 1974 World Cup, gloves became the standard.
01:24If you look at the 90s, 1990s or 1980s, and if you look at today's gloves, they're levels apart.
01:33These days, Matrix Sports in Pakistan makes its gloves with imported materials,
01:38mainly latex, neoprene and mesh from China or Germany.
01:44Every pair of gloves starts with detailed specifications, breaking down the exact materials and measurements.
01:52Workers unroll and cut the fabric so it can fit in the raw cutting machine.
02:06Then, they start working on the palm of the gloves.
02:09This is the front palm.
02:12After cutting, it's like a gazzart, velcro, elastic, etc.
02:19For Matrix's higher-end 88 model, that means using premium German latex.
02:25Because the material is what gives players the grip they need to control the ball.
02:30The 88 Pro grip is basically the most premium model we have.
02:34You can say it's our PSD resistance.
02:36The latex used here is one of the most expensive materials in the glove, costing 22,000 rupees, or about
02:44$80 per meter.
02:46Acquiring it can take months.
02:49We need to monitor our supply chain very minutely.
02:55In another part of the factory, workers start preparing the straps of the gloves.
03:00They add a special kind of coating to each sheet that keeps the ink from bleeding or cracking.
03:06Then, one by one, each panel is printed with the design.
03:16After the ink dries, the straps are embossed to create a three-dimensional effect.
03:26Even these small details can be customized.
03:29So, we tailor our 88 Pro grip according to each of the goalkeeper's measurements,
03:35specific to their anatomical structure, as how they would prefer it.
03:39Someone wants it a bit tighter.
03:41Someone wants it a bit looser around the wrist, for more control and less stability.
03:46Their gloves have even been worn by the national teams of Norway and Denmark.
03:51This one was designed specifically for Danish goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.
03:57The gazzets you could see is special latex with fluoro-yellow color, specifically for him, as per his taste.
04:06The sides use premium latex instead of the mesh found on lower-end models.
04:11The neoprene backhand features a custom-printed design.
04:16And a special notch is added between the thumb and index finger.
04:20This is normally not available in the 88 Pro grip.
04:24This is specially cut for him so he could have a better hand-like feel, anatomical feel, to his grabbing
04:30ability.
04:32For goalkeepers, that extra control can make the difference between gripping the ball and fumbling it.
04:40These days, goalies wear more protective gear than other players on the field.
04:44That's because this is one of the most dangerous positions in soccer.
04:48Many of them wear padded undershirts to protect their ribs when diving for the ball.
04:55Arm guards, knee pads and padded shorts prevent turf burn.
04:59Some goalkeepers even wear headgear.
05:02And the gloves play a role in safety too.
05:04As these videos posted by FIFA show, the thick latex padding protects players' fingers from injury when blocking shots up
05:13to 80 miles an hour.
05:17Matrix started producing just a few hundred gloves like these, mainly for Puma, back in the early 90s.
05:24Then came a turning point.
05:27Abdullah's father, Arshad, convinced the owner of a global company, Select Sport, to enter the glove market, landing an even
05:35bigger deal.
05:36He was the one that brought them into that side.
05:39They were the ones who said that you recommended us, so you will be bringing us the product.
05:43The Danish brand is one of the leading producers of football equipment in the world.
05:48So this partnership transformed Matrix's business.
05:51And in World Cup years, demand surges.
05:55So far in 2026, they've already produced 350,000 gloves.
06:00And 70% of the orders come from Select.
06:06Matrix works with them to create custom designs using a process called sublimation printing.
06:12First, the design is transferred onto a special paper.
06:16Then, the ink from the paper is pressed onto the fabric using heat.
06:20Creating high-quality prints that won't crack, peel or fade over time.
06:26After the panels are cut, they're ready for embossing.
06:35Workers press each piece into custom molds that create different textures and patterns, giving the gloves their distinctive look and
06:44feel.
06:44The beautiful effect you see on the gloves, the fingers, that is the embossing effect.
06:51Once embossing is complete, the panels go through the die cover.
06:55This step requires precision, so workers focus on stamping out just 20 gloves a minute.
07:02That specifies what portion of the glove is going to be stitched against the latex and what portion is going
07:09to be stitched against the strap.
07:11With all the separate pieces ready, the gloves arrive in the sewing area for final assembly.
07:17where one person can stitch about 60 pro-level gloves in a day.
07:23A well-made pair has about 12 stitches per inch.
07:27It's not that you can study it.
07:31It's not that you can study it.
07:31You have to learn it physically.
07:33It takes time.
07:35With so many intricate processes, regular quality checks are crucial.
07:52Even though the company has high standards, it doesn't have to meet any requirements for FIFA, because gloves aren't really
08:00regulated by the agency.
08:01Players can wear any type they want, as long as they're made of soft, lightweight material, and display the goalkeeper's
08:09name and their team emblem.
08:12But even top-of-the-line gloves don't last forever.
08:16Professional goalkeepers can go through up to 60 pairs in a single season, sometimes swapping in a new pair every
08:23match to maximize grip.
08:25But that can be costly, because premium gloves like these can retail for nearly $160.
08:33For top players like Mads Hermansen, sponsorship deals help cover that expense, while also giving brands a chance to test
08:41their latest products on big stages.
08:44And when those gloves make it onto the field for major games, the team at Matrix can feel their impact.
08:50So, when we make all the final products and send, the customer has tested, used it on ground,
08:59and the player tells us that it has a good feeling.
09:02So, we feel like we have accomplished something in our life.
09:09We'll see you next time.
09:15We'll see you next time.
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