Why do some World Cup shirts keep tearing during matches?

[BBC] Late goals. Red cards. Long balls. TV ads in water breaks. The 2026 World Cup so far has been defined by an upswing in various metrics which are all changing the game, for better or worse. But a far more peculiar trend is on the increase too - torn shirts. Since the tournament began, four players have had their jerseys ripped in one circumstance or another, in three cases requiring them to go off the field and change into a replacement. In all four cases, the shirts have been manufactured by Puma. So what exactly has been happening, and what is behind the problem? The shirt of Morocco midfielder Neil el Aynaoui was torn during their match against Scotland [Getty Images] Which shirts have torn and what happened to cause it? Beginning on the opening night, four different countries - all with kits produced by Puma - have had to source a replacement shirt for a player during a match. South Korea v Czech Republic - A large hole was torn in midfielder Pavel Sulc's shirt in several places when he was pulled back by a South Korea defender during play after 25 minutes. USA v Paraguay - Defender Gustavo Gomez's shirt was ripped down the side after he grappled with USA striker Folarin Balogun after just eight minutes. He carried on after stuffing the torn section into his shorts before changing later. Belgium v Egypt - Winger Mustafa Zico's shirt ripped in a horizontal line across the centre when he was pulled down by defender Maxim de Cuyper. Scotland v Morocco - While waiting for a corner to be delivered in the early stages of the second half, midfielder Neil el Aynaoui's shirt was ripped across the centre when held by centre-back Jack Hendry. El Aynaoui showed the rip to the referee while trying to claim he should be awarded a penalty. In all four cases, the tears happened when players were being pulled by opponents. But shirts made by other manufacturers appear to have made it through similar incidents without damage. The tears have been drastic enough to cause stoppages in play, which have already increased because of the mandated hydrations breaks in every half [Getty Images] What is behind the frequent tears? The Puma shirts worn by players at the tournament are made from a material the German manufacturer calls Ultraweave. The fabric is designed to be extremely lightweight and reduce the feeling of friction while playing, and is billed by the company as "the game's fastest football jersey". Puma say a typical Ultraweave shirt weighs only 72 grams and is made primarily of recycled polyester, and claim that development of the four-way engineered mechanical stretch underwent year of "vigorous wear testing". In a statement, Puma told BBC Sport: "As football is a high-contact sport, garments can be affected when jerseys are subject to severe force or extreme physical stress. Importantly, these instances do not impact player performance. "Player feedback has shown that they prefer lighter materials in their jerseys to achieve a better performance at the highest level. That's why during the development of jerseys, we prioritised lightweight in combination with movement, breathability, and comfort." To touch, the material feels paper-like. The 'authentic' version of Puma jerseys fans are made of the same material, while 'replica' versions are not. In online reviews, products made from the fabric are generally given praise for their 'breathability' and 'comfort', but criticised for their 'durability'. Puma also manufactures the kits of Austria, Ivory Coast, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Senegal, and Switzerland. Play BBC Sport's new World Cup predictor game World Cup fixtures and group standings How to watch the World Cup on the BBC Everything you need to know about the World Cup