Doué, Tchouaméni, Rice: why footballers are returning to wired earphones | OneFootball

Wired earphones are back among elite footballers, with roughly a third of France’s squad using them at the World Cup in the United States. Practicalities and style, rather than health fears, appear to be driving the shift.

According to L'Équipe, a Champions League social clip posted 24 hours before kick-off showed Arsenal players favouring Apple’s wired EarPods, first sold in 2001. Fans on X speculated about Bluetooth waves harming the brain.

Nicolas Lellouche, tech editor at Numerama and a football fan, says such fears rest on rumours and overcaution, and that no study has proved a health link with Bluetooth.

Arsenal consider it an individual choice, and clubs, national teams and agents generally do not issue guidance.

Players cite convenience. Han-Noah Massengo prefers wires because he often misplaces his AirPods and finds them simpler. Others note Bluetooth buds can fall out, disconnect or run out of battery, a nuisance for frequent travellers who binge media.

Lellouche adds that beyond battery life and a lower price, wired sets do not offer technical advantages over wireless, and cost is not a concern for elite athletes. He views it as a fashion statement with a vintage feel.

Among the France contingent using cables in the United States are Aurélien Tchouaméni, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Dayot Upamecano, Lucas Hernandez, Malo Gusto, Maxence Lacroix, Manu Koné, N'Golo Kanté and Robin Risser. Far-fetched theories, from secretive calls to fears of AirPods being hacked, look misplaced. Many players still stick with Bluetooth, sometimes helped by endorsement deals.

Source: L'Équipe