The Soccer Ball: More than Just a Ball

Soccer is renowned as the world's most popular ballgame. Let's just get back to the last word of that sentence: ballgame. That simply means the ball is a necessary component to get the game started. Without it, there's simply no game that is going to commence. A soccer ball is a must if you are intending to play a soccer game. Without it, playing the game would simply be impossible. This fact alone makes it the most important game gear of all.

Over the centuries that soccer has existed as a game, the ball has evolved significantly in both structure and function. 2 centuries ago, a soccer ball is actually formed using a pig's bladder, with the evenness of the ball completely dependent with the bladder's overall shape. The turning point of ball development started when Charles Goodyear, the same guy responsible for starting the development of tires, have introduced the ball made of rubber. Influences of this rubber ball are still seen up to this day, with the rubber bladder core being a fundamental component of the ball's overall structure.

Over the years, the soccer ball has evolved in leaps and bounds. While the bladder is still composed of rubber, this same rubber has been toughened over the years for better durability. Also, the covering for these cores constantly changed, with the aim of creating adequate weight and evenness. Also, as the ball evolved further, the ball covers improved as well, providing better damping and durability. Eventually, FIFA, the governing body for soccer, has mandated the standardization of ball specifications worldwide to prevent discrepancies between games.

The soccer ball improved even further with the introduction of synthetic covering that absorbed less water. The Buckminster ball, which represents the current recognized silhouette of the football, is composed of hexagons and pentagons on the outside. Since the 1970 World Cup, Adidas is enlisted as the official producer of the World Cup game ball. Starting with the 1970 Telstar, a ball that resembles the Buckminster, its design has changed every 4 years, with each ball aiming to improve characteristics such as flight accuracy, ball feel, durability, and speed.

Perhaps after reading the story of the soccer ball, you won't look at this ball the same way. A product of constant evolution (and in many ways, it is still evolving), the ball is more than just a too needed to commence the game, but it also represents the growth of the game itself.