Supporters were left perplexed when Andre Onana of Manchester United was spotted applying vaseline to his goalkeeper gloves during the team’s 2-2 draw against Liverpool at home.
This is not the first instance of Onana using vaseline on his gloves, as he was previously seen doing so during a game against West Ham in December.
According to GloveGlu on X, goalkeepers sometimes use vaseline in wet conditions to enhance the grip of the glove palms.
Applying vaseline immediately improves the grip of the gloves, as stated by Keeper Balm.
However, this practice can damage the latex of the gloves, resulting in a shorter lifespan compared to normal usage. One user expressed cоnfusiоn over Onana’s decision to use vaseline on his gloves, asking, “Why is Onana putting Vaseline on his gloves?”. Another user added, “HOLD ON. Why is Onana putting Vaseline on his gloves??????? What am I missing?????”.
Similarly, another user questioned, “Why did Onana just put Vaseline on his gloves? Surely that won’t help grip the ball”.
Additionally, another user commented, “Is there a benefit to using Vaseline on goalie gloves? Because why did Onana bring out a whole tub?”.
During the game, Liverpool took the lead with a goal from Luis Diaz, but Bruno Fernandes capitalized on an error to equalize for Manchester United. Kobbie Mainoo then put the hosts ahead, only for Mohamed Salah to level the score for Liverpool with a penalty in the 84th minute.
Onana has appeared in all 31 of Manchester United’s Premier League matches this season, keeping eight clean sheets while conceding 46 goals.