The tournament medal goes in the bag. The end-of-season medal goes on the dresser. By the second season there is a shoebox, and by the third nobody remembers which ribbon was from which weekend. Soccer families collect medals fast: league finishes, tournament runs, club showcases and the occasional cup. Here is how families give a player's medals a real place on the wall, and what to look for when you choose one.

Quick answer: put the medals on the wall where your player sees them every day. A steel medal hanger with their name across the top gives every medal a place on the rails. A shadow box or a small shelf suits one big match.

Start with their name

A medal on a nail is just a medal. A medal on a hanger with your player's name across the top is a display. Seeing their own name over the rails tells a kid these wins belong to them, and it gives visitors something to stop and read.

Our hangers have their name in steel, so the one on your wall is made for your player, not picked from a shelf. It also makes a good gift from a grandparent or a teammate's family, because the name does the personal part.

Show the sport, not just the medals

A soccer figure on each side of the name says what the wall is about before anyone reads a ribbon. With over 50 sports to pick from, a soccer player gets a soccer figure. If your player also swims, runs or plays another sport, up to three sports can share one hanger.

Is their sport or activity not on the list? Just ask. We can make designs for any sport. You can see the personalized soccer medal hanger here, or browse gift ideas for soccer players if you are shopping for someone else's player.

Give every medal a place on the rails

Soccer medals are on long ribbons, and in a drawer those ribbons tangle. On a hanger, each ribbon drapes over a rail, so the medals sit in neat lines you can read one by one. A three-row hanger holds 45+ medals. Each extra row holds 15 more, and you can order 3 to 9 rows, so the wall can grow with the collection.

Want a spot for a small trophy too? A trophy shelf is an option when you order. The screws and drywall anchors are included, and the steel is coated to resist scratches, chips and rust. Every hanger is made to order in the USA.

If you are ready to see the options, start with the personalized medal hangers.

What to look for before you choose

Whether you buy a hanger or build something yourself, a few things decide how well a medal display holds up through a few seasons of soccer:

• Room to grow. Soccer medals add up fast. Pick something with space for next season's medals, not just this season's.
• Strength. Medals are heavier than they look, and a full set puts real weight on the wall. Ours is commercial-grade steel.
• Hardware. Screws and drywall anchors are included with ours, so it is ready to put on the wall.
• Their name and their sport. A display that looks like theirs gets noticed, and the player takes pride in it.

Other places soccer medals end up

A hanger is not the only way to show a season. Some families frame one special medal in a shadow box with a jersey number or a game program. Others keep a small shelf for this season's medals and move them to a hanger when the next season starts. Either one works alongside a hanger, because a hanger is the part that grows.

We compare five different ideas in what to do with your kid's sports medals after the season, including what each one costs in time and space.

Whatever you choose, put the new medals on the wall together at the end of each season. Let your player pick the spot and read the tournament name on each ribbon. It takes a few minutes, and it tells them the work was worth showing.

Frequently asked questions

How do you display soccer medals?
A medal hanger on the bedroom wall is the simplest way. Each ribbon goes over a rail, so every medal is visible and in order. A shadow box suits one special match.

How many medals fit on a medal hanger?
A three-row hanger holds 45+ medals. Each extra row holds 15 more, and you can order 3 to 9 rows.

Can a hanger show more than one sport?
Yes. Up to three sports can share one hanger. If your player's sport is not listed, ask us and we will make a design for it.

What should we do with participation medals?
Put them up with the rest. Every medal marks a season your player showed up for, and the rails have room for all of them.

Can I add a trophy shelf?
Yes. A trophy shelf is an option you can add when you order, so a small trophy can sit with the medals.

What is a good gift for a young soccer player?
Something with their own name on it. A personalized medal hanger gives a player a place for the medals they have and the ones still ahead.