Masked World Cup players spotlight soccer's overlooked facial injury risk

BEVERLY HILLS, California, July 11 : When soccer players collide in midair, the toll is not always counted in concussions, torn ligaments or twisted ankles.

Sometimes it is a broken nose - a burst of blood, a few minutes of treatment on the touchline, perhaps a protective mask and a swift return to play - that becomes the lasting injury, leaving an athlete struggling to breathe long after the match is over.

It is a risk that Dr. Farhad Ardesh, a Beverly Hills facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon, says remains one of soccer's most underestimated.

"Sometimes a minor injury on the outside can cause major damage on the inside," said Ardesh, who has treated professional athletes, including soccer players. 

"You might have the nose that just looks a little swollen or a little crooked, but the inside of the nose actually has a zigzag pattern or an S-shaped deformity that's really affecting this player's breathing."

With several players at the 2026 World Cup competing in protective facial masks after jaw or facial injuries, soccer's hidden trauma has become increasingly visible. 

England's Djed Spence, Austria's Stefan Posch and Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane have all played with facial protection. Other recent high-profile cases include France's Kylian Mbappe wearing a mask to protect his broken nose at Euro 2024, and Croatian Josko Gvardiol's protective mask at the 2022 World Cup.

To viewers, the mask may appear to be a badge of toughness. To surgeons such as Ardesh, it is often a sign of the effects of trauma.

"The face is very fragile after an injury, whether it's from trauma like getting hit with an elbow or if it's from surgery," said Ardesh. "We want to protect the bone."

'A RIGHT HOOK TO THE FACE'

Ardesh said the facial