Not once, not twice, we have spotted footballers covering their mouths when talking to teammates or opponents on the pitch.
Reasons for this have been speculated by many who wonder why they would do so, regardless of the distance between them.
First, players are usually wary of having their tactics eavesdropped by their opponents on the pitch, especially during such set pieces as crucial free-kicks. This way, they keep the secret of their next move until they are executed.
Players also cover their mouths to reduce chances of video footage from what they said being interpreted by lip-reading tools.
Such interpretations could end up being subjects of discussion in press conferences and on social media after the matches.
In instances when a player was throwing an insult, covering their mouth could also protect them from possible disciplinary sanctions.
This way, it is hard to sanction them as their lip movements cannot clearly depict what they said.
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Interestingly, it also emerges that covering the mouth could also work in amplifying the player’s voice. This works especially when the noise levels in a packed stadium are unbearable.
Yesterday, during the Africa Cup of Nations final between Senegal and Egypt, star forward Mohamed Salah was seen passing a secret penalty-saving tactic to his teammate with his mouth covered.
Mane moved close to distract them but ended up missing the target. He however redeemed himself with the winning penalty in the shootout as Senegal emerged victors.
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