Picture Credit: Twitter
South Korea notched up a historic victory over Portugal last week to confirm their spot in the knockout stage. Hwang Hee-Chan’s late-minute goal didn’t just seal their first-ever spot in the Round 16 but also ensured Uruguay’s exit from the marque tournament.
However, Chan’s goal invoked wild celebration among South Korean fans, but the footballer also went on to take off his jersey in front of the packed Education City Stadium. Uruguay’s Louis Suarez shredding tears, South Koreans’ celebrating their historic victory, and dull Portuguese players – were the few sights on the TV screen, but still many noticed Hwang Hee-Chan wearing a sports bra as he took off his jersey to celebrate his goal.
Since that celebration from the South Korean striker was widely shared on social media, many wondered about the reason behind the wearing of this piece of clothing by the footballers. Few even questioned if Hee-Chan was wearing a woman’s sports bra. In this article, SportsTiger will narrow down every available detail about the sports bra.
Sports bras for men?
These sports bras are officially called the GPS tracker vest and are very common among male footballers. According to experts, modern players in the game wear it in order to read their GPS data. The vest has a GPS device connected to it which helps the experts understand the GPS readings of the player.
Reports have hinted that the data collected helps the team managers and trainers to learn details such as how fast or far a player ran during training or a match. The technology has helped managers to assess how they need to deal with a player. For instance, USA midfielder Brendon Aaronson clocked 13.2 km distance while playing for his club Leeds United: the most recorded by a player in English Premier League this season.
Significance of the vest
Reports have suggested that data collected has persuaded many footballers to refrain from shooting at the goal from a distance as a detailed study revealed that they often fail to connect the ball.
Is the vest limited to football?
Certainly not. The GPS data is not restricted to the sport. Several other sports such as Basketball, most famously in NBA, have used this technology and have noted that it has helped a few individuals benefit and improve their performance.