Several players have been spotted sporting unusual face coverings during matches in Qatar. Many people were curious, some joked that it was going to hold a masked ball, and some speculated whether it was a tribute to the Phantom of the Opera.
But in fact, it was not. The mask acts as protection.
Son Heung-min has started a trend 🥰 pic.twitter.com/v0TJELYZpR
— GOAL (@goal) November 24, 2022
The masks are made from materials like polycarbonate and protect athletes who have sustained facial injuries, ensuring they can play without risking further damage.
A similar on-field collision left South Korea’s Son Heung-min, 30, with a fractured eye socket during a 1 November Champions League win. So Son Heung-min now sports a black carbon fiber mask.
The Man in the Mask 🎭
— i sport (@iPaperSport) November 24, 2022
Son Heung-min starts for South Korea against Uruguay, 23 days after suffering a fracture around his left eye. pic.twitter.com/ecalvdHK3Z
“More comfortable than I thought. It’s made of good material. It’s light, and hard when worn on the face, and it’s a good material that can protect against impact. I was surprised that it was considerably lighter than I thought.”