Football

Football

A soccer ball, football, football ball or association football ball is the ball used for the sport of football. The name variations are from the different regions the sport is played in. The size, material composition, shape and weight are specified by Law 2 of the 'Laws of the Game' which are maintained by the IFAB (International Football Association Board). There are also another set of standards that are even more specific and are provided by FIFA.

History of the football

Initially, footballs were made from animal bladders or stomachs but were not durable. Later leather became the more common form of a ball. The modern football we see today was possible after Charles Goodyear innovated vulcanized rubber.

The hexagon patterned black and white ball that is the standard depiction of a football today is based on the Adidas Telstar. This ball was an improvement on the work of Eigil Neilsen who created the 32-panel ball design.

Footballs today

Over time the panel design and numbers have varied a lot. There are all kinds of odd panel shapes today as it is a lot easier to create them with the technology we have. Many balls today are made by using glue bonding instead of stitching. This process involves applying glue and then heating to strengthen the bonding.

There is also work on chipped balls so the ball's position on or over the goal line can be more exact. This microchip will even let the balls flying speed and accuracy be monitored. Camera technology is being embedded too, so one can see the field from a new perspective.

Comments

The known brands for footballs include Adidas, Nike, Puma, Slazenger, Select and Umbro. With Adidas leading the pack and furnishing the FIFA World Cup since 1970. 

Pakistan is one of the top producers of footballs and has made many of the Adidas balls used in the FIFA World Cup. Estimates say that 55% of all footballs across the world are made in Sialkot, Punjab.

The price of a football in Pakistan is in the lower ranges as they are locally produced, with some specific balls being a little more pricey in comparison.