After the 2-2 draw between Japan and the Netherlands at the World Cup, several photos of Japanese forward Keito Nakamura went viral because his socks looked flat, and many fans thought he had played without shin guards.
The problem is that it is an item that is part of the mandatory equipment according to IFAB rules. The controversy quickly grew, and some pointed to Mexican referee Katia Itzel García, who was the fourth official in the match.
However, checking the starting players’ equipment is the responsibility of the entire refereeing team before the start of the match, so it cannot be attributed solely to her.
In addition, there is a possibility that Nakamura used extremely small shin guards, a trend that is becoming increasingly common among some professional footballers. So far there is no confirmation that he violated the rules.