Most modern soccer balls. Research work "Once upon a time there was a soccer ball"

HISTORY OF THE BALL

Archeology" href="/text/category/arheologiya/" rel="bookmark">archaeologists find it all over the world. The variety of ball games and exercises among different peoples is striking.

In ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt, the ball was not only loved, but also ... respected. For example, in ancient Greece, it was considered the most perfect object, since it looked like the sun, which means, according to the Greeks, it had its magical power. The Greeks sewed balls out of leather and stuffed them with some elastic material, such as moss or bird feathers. And later they guessed to inflate the ball with air. Such a ball was called "follis". Small follices were used for hand games, and large balls were used to play games such as football.

In ancient India (2 - 3 thousand BC), an important role in uniting the entire community was played by the game "kathi-tsendu" (with a ball and a bat), which became the progenitor of field hockey.

A ball found in ancient Egyptian tombs (3500 BC) made of leather and stuffed with straw was used for fun. In Egyptian football, each of the two teams played on the side of their gods. And victories were won not for the sake of their glory, but in the name of the gods. At the same time, a ball made of wood was driven into the goal with curved sticks. There were balls in Egypt made of leather, tree bark. A ball made of fragile sandstone could only be carefully thrown to each other - it could break from hitting the ground.

Exercises and ball games were common in ancient Greece and ancient Rome. The balls were sewn from leather, which were filled with wool, feathers, grains of figs. Exercises with the ball were prescribed by the "doctors" and they had to be performed in a certain sequence.

Among the North American Indians, the ball was not a toy, but a sacred object, personifying the Sun, Moon and Earth.

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Do you think humanity invented the ball game these days? You are wrong. Historians have proven that our distant ancestors loved to drive some round thing in their free time - be it blocks or even a human skull.

In the Middle Ages, people inflated pig bladders. These inflated bubbles were fragile, short-lived and burst from strong blows. Over time, people thought of covering these bubbles with skin to give it durability.

In Scotland, the museum houses the oldest ball. He is over 450 years old. It is believed that this ball belonged to the Scottish Queen Mary. His chamber is made of pig's bladder, covered with pieces of deerskin.

The rubber ball "jumped" to Europe from Central America. The local Indians made it from resin, which was extracted from cuts in the bark of trees and called "rubber" (from the words "cao" - a tree and "o-chu" - to cry. This resin is "rubber." The rubber ball caught the eye of Christopher Columbus. The famous navigator was surprised to see that a large and heavy ball bounces so high when it hits the ground.The sailors of Columbus brought the ball to Spain, and the elastic bun quickly rolled all over the civilized world.

But the American Indian game was a ritual act. And far from harmless. The game ended with a sacrifice, and the captain of the losing team was sacrificed.

In 1836, scientist Charles Goodwer invented vulcanized rubber. For 20 years he did not know where to attach his invention, and in 1855, out of desperation, he designed the first soccer ball, which is still kept in the New York Museum.

And another inventor, HJ Lindon, developed one of the first inflatable rubber bladders. The tragedy was that his wife died due to a lung disease. She inflated hundreds and hundreds of pig bladders for sale, and her lungs eventually couldn't take the pressure. Lindon put an end to this harmful practice.

In 1872, an agreement was reached that a soccer ball should be spherical with a circumference of 27-28 inches. This standard has not changed for over 100 years and remains in today's FiF rules.

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ANCIENT TRADITIONS

MANUFACTURING BALLS IN RUSSIA.

The ball is an ancient Slavic word. In different Slavic languages ​​it is consonant: in Ukrainian it is a ball and in Belarusian it is also a ball; the Bulgarian mechka means "bread with cheese in the shape of a ball", and the Serbo-Croatian mechka means "soft, crumb of bread."

Linguists believe that the oldest meaning of the word ball, apparently, is "a crumb, a soft ball, an object that can be squeezed, squeezed." Echoes of the ancient sound remained for a long time in the Russian language, in colloquial speech.

The people still hear in conversation - balls, and even earlier there was a "sword".

A historian who studied the royal records of the 17th century can read the following entry: “Swords appeared among the princesses early. In 1627 Aug. 22…".

Unpretentious handballs were ubiquitous. A lump of rags, rags or wool was sheathed (hence the name “shitka”) with a rag without a special pattern. A handball was called “popin-hoy” - and from the action with it in the game with legs: sing-kick, kick.

Ball games were known in ancient Russia. This is evidenced by archaeological finds. During the excavations of Novgorod, Pskov, Moscow and other ancient cities, many leather balls were found in the layers of the 10th-16th centuries. The solid workmanship of these balls suggests that they were made by artisan shoemakers.

Antique balls are made of well-tanned leather, which prevents the product from getting wet. Two circles and a rectangular strip of leather were cut out, equal in length to the circumference of the blanks. One circle was sewn with it, then the second. Through the small hole left, the ball was tightly stuffed with wool or fur.

There were also balls of an unusual cylindrical shape, which, obviously, were rolled during a game like "skating - eggs."

In the villages they also made balls woven from bast or birch bark straps, beautiful and light. Sometimes a lump of clay was braided inside - such a ball “with heaviness” flew further and was suitable for playing with your feet.

Everywhere in Russia, children played with woolen balls. Sheep wool was first rolled up in the hands into a tight ball, then thrown into boiling water and left there for half an hour. The shriveled ball was again rolled in the hands until it became as hard as wood. After drying, an elastic wonderful ball came out, not inferior in jumping ability to a rubber opponent.

Rag balls were also widely used. They were made in different ways.

In the Tula province they made twisted balls. The remnants of colored fabrics or old clothes were torn into strips the width of a “finger” and tightly twisted into a ball. The strips were not tied or sewn, but simply laid one on top of the other when winding. The tip was tucked behind the previous layer of tape. It turned out a hard and bouncy ball-ball.

Children rolled such toys on the floor, sitting opposite each other and spreading their legs. In street games, they tossed the ball up, unwinding it by the tip. The winner was the one who, during the flight of the ball, could unwind the longer tip of the tape.

Multi-colored rag balls made children want to turn them into their favorite toy. Indulging the child, adults began to make balls. They were twisted much tighter and more evenly, achieving a round shape and bouncing ball.

In the Tula region, from the end of the 19th century and in the first half of the 20th century, patchwork balls sewn from 6 multi-colored wedges were popular. They were decorated with buttons, foil, candy wrappers.

Colored rag balls, similar to balls, attracted the child even in the cradle. They were stuffed with rags, sheathed with bright shreds and tied on a rope to a shaky. In the Arkhangelsk region, such fun was called "kruglyapushki", from the word "lyapak", that is, a colored patch.

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The traditional "Russian" ball was sewn from 8 identical equilateral triangles. Patchwork triangles were sewn together, stuffed with cotton wool, wool or yarn. Try and please your child with an unusual ball: a “bump” or “rolled wire”, a rag or patchwork ball. Perhaps it will become your child's favorite toy.

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The ball is a rattle.

A ball hanging over a baby's cradle.

1. "The ball bounces over me - over my chest and over my back"

In this game, we strengthen the ability of children to navigate in their own body and in space. We use a ball made of fabric or tennis.

Take your ball in your right hand

Raise it above your head.

And hold it in front of your chest

Slowly bring to the left foot.

Hide behind your back and touch the back of your head,

Change your hand and smile at others.

The ball touches the right shoulder

And will be back for a while.

From the right leg to the left foot,

Yes, on the stomach - I would not get confused.

2. "Sound Chain"

In this game, we activate the dictionary. We throw the ball to the child and call the word, the child returns the ball with the answer word. The final sound of the previous word is the beginning of the next.

For example: spring - bus - elephant - nose ...

3. "Syllable and syllable - and there will be a word"

learning to add a syllable to a word.

We throw the ball to the child and say the first part of the word, the child, returning the ball, pronounces the whole word.

For example: SA - sugar, SA - sleigh ...

4. "I know three animal names"

As an option: colors, names of girls, names of boys).

The child throws the ball up, or hitting it on the ground, says: “I know five names of boys: Sasha, Vanya ...

5. "Catch a small ball

and caress words»

Throwing the ball to the child, we call the word. For example: ball. The child, returning the ball, forms a new word using diminutive suffixes (ball).

book - booklet

key - key

The beetle is a beetle.

6. Ball school.

In Rio de Janeiro, a presentation of a new soccer ball designed for the 2014 World Cup took place, the matches of which will be held in Brazil from June 12 to July 13 next year. The ball, developed by adidas, was called the Brazuca. This Brazilian word has a dual meaning: it is used both to identify native Brazilians living abroad and as an expression of national pride. Inspired by the Brazuki presentation, we decided to recall all the official balls of the World Championships.

Uruguay, 1930 Tiento, T-Model

In the final of the first-ever World Cup in Uruguay, due to disagreements between the teams participating in the match, the organizers had to allow them to use two different balls in the game. In the first half, the teams played with a ball called "Tiento" provided by the Argentine side. By the end of the first half, the Argentina national team with their projectile was leading - 2:1. However, after the break, the situation changed dramatically. The Uruguayans introduced their ball (“T-Model”), which was larger and heavier, into the game and achieved a strong-willed victory with a score of 4: 2.

Italy, 1934 Federale 102

The official ball of the 1934 World Cup in Italy called "Federale 102" was made by a Roman company called ECAS ("Ente Centrale Approvvigionamenti Sportivi"). ECAS, one of the numerous fascist organizations of that time, was a subordinate company of the organizing committee of the championship. In addition to the “Federale”, two other balls were used in the competition. At the beginning of the 20th century, most soccer balls were produced by Great Britain, which exported them to other countries where this sport was gaining popularity. An advertising campaign dedicated to the new ball convinced Italian athletes to use national equipment instead of imported ones. "Federale" was made up of 13 polygons, which were tightly sewn together by hand. Most of the classic models of the ball consisted of 12 parts, like those used in the previous world championship. An innovative feature of this ball was the presence of a separate panel with cotton lacing, which replaced the leather one. The old version of lacing gave the players a lot of inconvenience and often caused injuries - therefore, in many old photographs of football players you can see them in protective headgear or bandages.

France, 1938 Allen

The practice of producing official balls by the country hosting the World Cup was continued by France in 1938. The French company Allen made the ball of the same name for the national Cup and international competitions in the 1920s. The same model was used in the World Cup. Before the start of each match, the company put up a branded ball in the center of the field for photographing. It was one of the first examples of gear advertising in the history of the sport. However, the branded balls themselves were not subsequently used in the game. The Allen itself was similar in design to the Federal 102, but the edges of the ball panels were rounded, and the design of the projectile looked different. The lacing was also located on a separate panel and was white, but in the game, of course, it instantly turned brown. The ball was made by hand and was perfectly inflated. If the production technique was not followed, the projectile was deformed, which affected the trajectory of the ball.

Brazil, 1950. Duplo T

The new ball of the World Cup in Brazil was radically different from its predecessors in that the lacing disappeared from the leather surface forever. Now the balls could be inflated with a pump and a needle through an almost invisible valve. The inflation procedure also took much less time than before. The Argentinean company Tossolini-Valbonesi-Polo & Cia patented such balls back in the 1930s, and initially the balls were used in the Argentine championship. But in 1950, the balls finally waited in the wings, and the official projectile was called the “Superball Duplo T”. Like other predecessors, the ball was leather, handmade and consisted of 12 panels, but they themselves were more curved. At the Brazilian World Cup, FIFA for the first time allowed the company logo and text to be printed on the ball - as an exception. At the next four championships, such liberties were not allowed.

Switzerland 1954 Swiss World Champion

Since 1954, FIFA began to officially regulate the size, weight and diameter of balls. The Swiss World Champion orange ball, made by Basel's Kost Sport, was the first ball to have 18 panels. Balls with the name and logos imprinted on them were used during training, and in matches the players played similar balls without branding.

Sweden 1958 Top Star

The official ball of the 1958 World Cup in Sweden was chosen by FIFA representatives, which included the Soviet footballer Valentin Granatkin, blindly among 102 applicants. The Top Star ball, made by the Swedish company "Sydsvenska Läderoch Remfabriken", consisted of 24 panels and was presented in three colors - brown, orange and white, without branding. Each of the national teams that took part in the world championship received 30 balls at their disposal.

Chile 1962 Crack Top Star

The ball "Crack" from the Chilean manufacturer Senor Custodio Zamora was not to everyone's liking. The orange projectile, which consisted of 18 panels, did not make much impression on the referee of the opening match, Ken Aston, and the arbitrator sent the organizers for the European ball, which arrived at the game by the second half. Different balls were used in various World Cup matches in Chile as European teams were rumored not to trust local balls.

England. 1966 Challenge 4-star

The 25-panel Challenge 4-star ball from the British company Slesinger was produced for the 1966 World Cup in two versions - yellow and orange. This manufacturer has since changed direction and now specializes in the manufacture of equipment for cricket, tennis and hockey. The Slesinger balls were hand-sewn. This projectile, as before, was blindly selected by FIFA representatives at the FA headquarters in Soho. In official matches, there was no branding on the balls.

Mexico 1970 Telstar

For the first time at the World Cup, an adidas ball was played in 1970. It was made of leather and had the shape of a truncated icosahedron, consisting of 12 black pentagons and 20 white hexagons. The name of the Telstar ball was derived from the corresponding name of the American artificial Earth satellite, launched into orbit in 1962. In addition, the ball was nicknamed Star of Television (Star of Television), as the design of the ball was well suited for black and white TV. The World Cup in Mexico was the first World Cup to be broadcast live on television. For the 1970 World Cup, only 20 Telstar balls were provided, and about 600,000 replicas were subsequently sold.

Commemorative photo. Brazil legend Pelé beats Italian defender Tarcisio Burgnich in the World Cup final. That match took place on June 21, 1970 in Mexico City and ended with the victory of the Brazilians with a big score - 4: 1.

Germany, 1974 Telstar Durlast

At the 1974 World Cup in Germany, the Telstar Durlast ball was used. The material and manufacturing technique were identical to those used to create the Telstar - 1970.

Commemorative photo. Dutchman Johan Cruyff beat Argentine goalkeeper Daniel Carnevali before hitting the opponent's goal. Quarterfinal match Netherlands - Argentina, held June 26, 1974 in Gelsenkirchen. That meeting ended with the victory of the Dutch with a score of 4: 0, and Cruyff managed to make a double.

Argentina 1978 Tango

For the World Cup - 1978, the Tango ball was created, which, according to the authors' idea, should display elegance, dynamism and passion. The design used 20 triads, giving the optical impression of 12 identical circles. One of the Tango's advantages over other balls was considered to be improved weather resistance.

Commemorative photo. Argentinian Mario Kempes, who has just hit the opponent's goal, and his compatriot Daniel Bertoni rejoice amid disappointed Dutch defenders. The decisive match of the World Cup Argentina - the Netherlands, held on June 25 in Buenos Aires. Argentine players won 3-1. The main time of the match ended in a draw - 1:1. In extra time, in the 105th minute, Kempes led the Argentina national team forward with a brace (pictured). 10 minutes later, Bertoni will set the final score of the match.

Spain 1982 Tango España

Tango España for the 1982 World Cup in Spain was the first ball made from a mixture of genuine leather and synthetic materials. The ball had a special polyurethane coating as a water-repellent element.

Commemorative photo. Brazilian midfielder Zico and Italian defender Claudio Gentile during the Italy-Brazil match. The game took place on July 5 in Barcelona and ended with the victory of the Italians with a score of 3:2.

Mexico, 1986 Azteca

Azteca is the first ball made entirely of synthetic material. The triads used in the design of the ball were depicted like Aztec frescoes.

Commemorative photo. The famous "Hand of God" performed by Diego Maradona in the quarterfinal match Argentina - England. The game took place on June 22 in Mexico City and ended with the victory of the Argentine footballers with a score of 2:1. Maradona became the author of the double.

Italy, 1990 Etrusco

The name and design of the ball were coined in honor of the history of ancient Italy and the fine arts of the Etruscans. Three heads of Etruscan lions adorned each of the 20 triads used in the design of the ball. Compared to its predecessors, the Etrusco had improved water resistance, wear resistance and rebound.

Commemorative photo. English midfielder Paul Gascoigne and Dutch midfielder Ruud Gullit in the fight for the ball in the match England - the Netherlands. The game took place on June 16 in Cagliari and ended in a goalless draw.

USA, 1994 Questra

The name Questra comes from an ancient word meaning the quest for the stars. The goal of the authors was to create a lighter and more responsive ball, which they succeeded in full. The triads used in the Questra design show the outlines of the stars. The ball was developed in France, and before the first official use, it went through rigorous testing both in Europe and in the USA.

Commemorative photo. Russia striker Oleg Salenko scores his fifth goal against Cameroon. The game took place on June 28 and ended with the victory of the Russians with a crushing score - 6:1.

France, 1998 Tricolore

Tricolore became the first colored ball of the world championships. When creating the ball, syntactic foam was used, which is responsible, among other things, for the same distribution of energy upon impact. For the first time since 1970, the ball for the World Cup was not made in Europe: Tricolore was created in Morocco.

Commemorative photo. French midfielder Zinedine Zidane and Brazilian defender Roberto Carlos in the decisive match of the World Cup. The game Brazil - France took place on July 12 and ended with the victory of the French players with a score of 3: 0, while Zidane scored a double.

Japan and South Korea, 2002 Fevernova

The Fevernova ball was the result of three years of work on improving the previous Tricolore ball at a research center in southern Germany. The new design is based on Asian culture and is unlike its predecessors, which Tango set the tone in 1978. More than 2,500 Fevernova balls were donated for World Cup matches, and over six million replicas have subsequently been sold worldwide.

Commemorative photo. Brazilian striker Ronaldo beats Germany's goalkeeper Oliver Kahn to open the scoring. Final Brazil - Germany in Yokohama, ended with the victory of the Brazilians with a score of 2: 0

Germany, 2006 +Teamgeist

With the name +Teamgeist, the creators of the ball wanted to remind that one of the most important components of success at the World Cup is team spirit. Translated from German, the word team means “team”, and geist means “spirit”. The ball is made from 14 external structural panels resulting in a 60% reduction in joints. This initiative is aimed at improving the accuracy of hitting and improving ball control. The design has undergone significant changes compared to its predecessor. As for the plus sign before the name of the ball, this was done due to the fact that the teamgeist regular expression itself could not be used as a trademark.

Commemorative photo. French midfielder Zinedine Zidane in the fight for the ball with the players of the Italian national team - defender Marco Materazzi and midfielder Gennaro Gattuso. The final match Italy - France, held in Berlin and ended with the victory of the Italian players on penalties.

South Africa, 2010 Jabulani

In the Zulu language, the word Jabulani means "celebrate". The ball is made in the South African style. The Jabulani consists of eight external structural panels that are bonded together using heat sealing technology to increase the accuracy of the shots. The 11th ball designed by adidas for the world championships featured 11 different colors. These colors represent the 11 players on each team, the 11 official languages ​​of South Africa and the 11 South African tribes.

Commemorative photo. A scandalous episode in the 1/8 final match Germany - England, which ended with the victory of German football players with a score of 4: 1. The ball, after being hit by English midfielder Frank Lampard, crossed the goal line defended by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, but the referees did not notice this, and the goal was not counted.

Brazil, 2014 Brazuca

In the summer of 2014, the players will play at the World Cup in Brazil with Brazuca balls. The design of the new ball was kept secret for a long time, but in the course of an open vote, in which more than a million Brazilians took part, its name was determined. 77.8% of survey participants voted for the Brazuca option. For the first time in history, the name of the ball for the World Cup was chosen by the fans. The design of the ball was described by adidas as revolutionary and with six panels. Brazuca is adorned with ribbons in three shades, symbolizing the so-called wish bracelets worn in Brazil. According to legend, the bracelet should be wrapped around the wrist and tied with three knots, making a wish on each of them. When the bracelet breaks and falls from the hand itself, it is believed that the wishes made should begin to come true.

Introduction

A ball is a soft elastic (usually) spherical or spheroid object, mainly used in sports such as football, basketball, golf, tennis, etc. etc.

Ball games are sports or other games in which a ball is used. In most ball games, the main goal of the game is to hit, throw, hit the ball in a certain way, such as kicking it into the goal, or hitting it so that the opponent cannot catch it.

Ball games can usually be classified into one or more categories, depending on the purpose of the game, often such games originate from one ancient game.

The ball is also used in non-playing sports such as rhythmic gymnastics.

Ball history

History knows neither the exact place nor the time of the appearance of the ball and ball games. It is only known that the ball originated in ancient times and has undergone many changes over its history. At first, it was woven from grass, palm leaves, made from tree fruits, animal hair, sewn from animal skins, woven from reeds, twisted from rags, carved from wood, sewn from leather, stuffed with grass, sawdust and other similar material. The ball and objects similar to it are found by archaeologists all over the world. The variety of games and exercises with the ball among different peoples is striking.

In ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt, the ball was not only loved, but also respected. For example, in ancient Greece, it was considered the most perfect object, since it looked like the sun, which means (according to the Greeks) it had its magical power. The Greeks sewed balls out of leather and stuffed them with some elastic material, such as moss or bird feathers. And later they guessed to inflate the leather ball with air. Such a ball was called "follis". Small follices were used for hand games, and large balls were used for games like football.

In ancient India (3rd-2nd millennium BC), the game "kathi-tsendu" (with a ball and a bat) played an important role in uniting the entire community, which became the progenitor of field hockey.

A ball found in ancient Egyptian tombs (3500 BC) made of leather and stuffed with dry straw, as well as reliefs depicted on it, indicate that the ball and ball games were used for fun. Such balls were played by the children of the pharaohs and their subjects. And in the Egyptian "football" each of the two teams played on the side of their gods. And victories were won not for the sake of their own glory, but in the name of the gods. Their ball was made of wood, and they drove it into the goal with curved sticks. There were also balls made of leather and tree bark in Egypt. And a ball of fragile sandstone could only be carefully thrown to each other - it could break from hitting the ground.

Exercises and ball games were common in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome (III-II millennium BC). The balls were sewn from leather, which was filled with feathers, wool, fig fruit grains or fig seeds. They also had glass balls for singles. And exercises with the ball were prescribed by doctors and they had to be performed in a certain sequence, adhering to certain rules.

Among the North American Indians, the ball was not a toy, but a sacred object, personifying the Sun, Moon and Earth.

Among the Eskimos, the ball game was also a ritual act that took place during a festival that marked the victory over a maleficent mythical creature named Sedna.

The rubber ball “jumped” to Europe from Central America. Local Indians made it from resin, which was extracted from cuts in the bark of trees and called "cauchu" (from the words "kaa" - tree and "o-chu" - "cry"). We know this resin under the name "rubber". The rubber ball caught the eye of the traveler Christopher Columbus. The famous navigator was surprised to see that a large and heavy ball bounces so high when it hits the ground. The sailors of Columbus brought the ball to Spain, and the elastic bun quickly spread throughout the civilized world. Incidentally, the Native American rubber ball game was actually a ritual act. And far from harmless. The game ended with a sacrifice, and the captain of the losing team was sacrificed.

Until today, in some countries, along with modern rubber, leather, inflatable balls, balls made “according to an old recipe” have been preserved. In Japan, for example, there is a favorite toy - a small colorful ball "temari". Children play with them when spring comes, welcoming the first sunny days - a memory that the ball was once a symbol of the sun. The temari ball is carved from wood and braided with colorful silk threads that form beautiful patterns.

In Russia, the balls were different. In excavations near Novgorod, balls of various sizes were found, sewn from leather. They were played by children in the 13th century. Peasant children of the last century played with light balls made of birch bark or heavy balls tightly rolled from rags. Even information about one of the games has been preserved: they put chicken eggs in a row and knocked them out with a ball. In the Khotkovsky nunnery near Moscow, balls were sewn from soft pillows, and pebbles wrapped in birch bark were put inside - a ball and a rattle were obtained at the same time. By the way, the origin of the word "ball" is associated with the words "soft, pulp, crumb." That is, the ball is a soft ball. Back in the middle of the 20th century, Pskov girls had a favorite ditty:

"I'll push the ball along the path,

Pushing the ball is rolling ... "

Modern balls vary in size and purpose. Different balls are used for playing volleyball, basketball, football, tennis, water polo, rugby and other games. Each of them has its own story.

The name of the game of basketball came from the English words "basket" - "basket" and "ball" - "ball". This game was invented by D. Naismith, a sports instructor from one of the American universities, in 1891. At his direction, a large fruit basket was nailed under the ceiling of the sports hall and a ball was thrown into it. When the players got tired of climbing for the ball every time, it occurred to someone to just knock the bottom of the basket out. At first, basketball players used leather balls, and then switched to rubber ones.

Water polo players are known to play in the water, so they lubricated the leather ball with grease to keep it from swelling. But, in the end, they also decided to play with rubber balls.

But the players refused rubber balls, as they are slippery, and it is difficult to drive such a ball with their feet. In football, in general, everything is thoroughly thought out, down to the size and weight of the ball. It should be no heavier than 543 and no lighter than 396 grams, and the circumference should be no more than 71 and no less than 68 centimeters.

The badminton ball was generally made from an apple. Yes, they took a hard unripe apple, stuck goose feathers into it and threw homemade rackets to each other. It was in Japan, from there the game came to India, and from India it was brought to Europe by an English duke, whose castle was located near the city of Badminton. That's what the game was called. And by that time, of course, the apple had been replaced with a cork ball.

The materials used for the balls were different. But the shape has always been the same - round. With only one exception. Rugby ball - oval shape (like a melon). But not because the game requires it. It just happened.

In the English town of Rugby, they loved to play ball. But the rag ball was very fragile. Then the offal merchant William Gilbert took and sheathed the bladder of a pig with skin. The ball is light and durable. It was in the nineteenth century, but rugby balls are still traditionally made in an oblong shape.

Football projectiles in ancient times Our ancestors were very fond of playing various spherical objects for fun. The most ancient balls came to us from Egypt (2000 BC). They were made of wood, leather and even papyrus.
It is known, for example, that South American Indians used light elastic sphere as a sports equipment. Tachtley players, captured in 1529 by the artist Christopher Weiditz traveling with Cortés. This is how the artist himself described this game: “The Indians have a game of an inflated ball. They hit it with the back of their body without taking their hands off the ground. The Indians wear leather gloves, and that part of the body with which they hit the ball is protected leather straps."
According to historical references and legends, early balls were made from human heads wrapped in animal skin or the bladders of pigs and cows.
During the Tsin and Han dynasties (255 BC-220 AD), the Chinese enjoyed the game of "Tsu Chu" in which balls of animal origin were driven into a net stretched between two poles. Some ancient Egyptian rituals are said to have similarities with football. The ancient Greeks and Romans also had a game, the essence of which was to kick the ball and carry the leather sphere.
The legends say that a whole village could lead one shell-skull to the square to the neighboring village. In turn, the opposing side tried to bring the game element to the opponent's square.
According to the medieval tradition, people took pig bladders and tried to inflate them to the size necessary for the game. With the help of legs and arms, they tried to keep the ball in the air.
Over time, the bubbles began to be covered with leather to give them the correct shape and durability.
A ball made about 450 years ago. It is believed that in the 16th century the soccer ball belonged to the Scottish Queen Mary. The chamber of the ancient ball is made from a pig's bladder. From above, it is covered with sewn pieces of thick, possibly deerskin, skin. This ball is kept in the Stirling Smith Museum in Scotland.

Balls of the nineteenth century

In 1836, Charles Goodyear patented vulcanized rubber. Prior to this, the balls were very dependent on the size and shape of pig bladders. Due to the instability of animal tissue, it was very difficult to predict the behavior of the projectile during impact. It wasn't until the twentieth century that most balls were made using rubber.
In 1855, the same Goodyear designed the first rubber soccer ball. It is still kept in the National Football Hall of Fame, which is located in Oneonta (New York, USA).
In 1862, inventor Lyndon developed one of the first inflatable rubber bladders. He was well aware of the disadvantages of pig bladder balls. His goal was to create an inflatable rubber bladder that wouldn't explode with every kick. Rubber chambers provided the balls with shape and density. Lyndon even claimed to have invented rugby, but did not patent the idea in time. In those days, a round ball was preferred for playing with the feet, while an oval ball was easier to handle with the hands.
In 1863, the newly formed English Football Association met to develop and generalize the rules of a new game - football. At the first meeting, no one proposed standards for soccer balls.
But in 1872, an agreement was reached that the soccer ball "should be spherical with a circumference of 27-28 inches" (68.6-71.1 cm). This standard has not changed for more than a hundred years and remains in today's FIFA rules. The Encyclopedia of Football (1956 English edition) states the following: “According to football rules, the ball must be spherical with an outer covering of leather or other approved materials. The circumference must not be less than 27 inches, but not more than 28 inches, and the weight of the ball at the beginning of the game must not be less than 14 ounces and more than 16 ounces.

Twentieth century balls...

In 1900, even more durable rubber chambers were created. They could withstand intense pressure. All professional balls by that time were created on the basis of rubber chambers. They were covered with rough brown, and later white skin. Most of the leather spheres were covered in eighteen sections (six groups of three stripes) and resembled modern laced volleyballs. The uninflated chamber was inserted into a previously prepared incision. They left a hole for the subsequent inflation of the ball using a special tube. After that, I had to lace up the cover.
These balls held kicks well, but had a number of disadvantages - the laborious stitching process and the water-absorbing features of the leather. When it rained, the skin swelled, the ball became very heavy and dangerous. There were other problems - it was impossible to make a universal skin of animal origin. During only one match, the quality of the balls could deteriorate greatly, the quality of the game itself fell.
The soccer ball may even have played a role in the events of the first World Cup in 1930. Argentina and Uruguay could not agree on the ball of what production they will play. The teams originally got out of the situation. The Argentine ball was used in the first half of the match and the Uruguayan ball was used in the second. In the first half, Argentina (with their own ball) led 2-1. However, Uruguay managed to create a miracle in the second half, beating opponents with a score of 4-2. It is possible that their native ball helped them to become the winners of the World Championship!
After World War II, a gasket appeared between the chamber and the outer cover. The sphere has become more durable, and the shape of the structure has become more correct. But the skin was still often torn due to the poor quality of the leather coverings.
In 1951, a solid white ball was replaced by a projectile with wide colored stripes. They helped the spectators to more confidently navigate the events on the field and follow the ball. By the way, a white coating was unofficially used as early as 1892. The first orange balls also appeared in the 50s. They were designed to help viewers see the sphere during heavy snowfall.
A fully synthetic ball was only produced in the early 60s. But only in the late 80s, synthetics completely replaced the leather coating. Conservatives and skeptics have argued that leather balls provide flight control and a stronger hit. The synthetic coating of today's balls completely copies the structure of the leather cell. Synthetics also have advantages - strength and low water absorption.

White and black ball
Early balls had laces. Later game shells were made from patches sewn into a single piece. The design of the new ball was based on the design of the Buckminster Ball, better known as the Buckyball. American architect Richard Buckminster did not even think about football. He was just trying to come up with new ways to build buildings using a minimum of materials. And it turned out to be an ingenious structure that any fan knows today. 32 pieces: 12 of them are black pentagons, 20 are white hexagons. The construction of these 32 polygons is called a truncated icosahedron, only the ball is more spherical due to the pressure of the air pumped in. The first such ball was produced in Denmark in 1950 by the company Select and became widespread in Europe. It began to be used worldwide after the 1970 World Cup, on which there were such balls produced by Adidas.

Official balls of the championships
The Adidas "Telstar" ball was the first "official" ball in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. Now, for every big match, a new unique soccer ball is designed.
"Telstar" Mexico-1970;

The Telstar leather ball was hand-sewn from 32 elements - 12 pentagonal and 20 hexagonal panels - and became the most round ball of those years. His design has gone down in football history forever. A white ball adorned with black pentagons - Telstar (Star of Television, "TV Star") is much more visible on a black and white screen. This ball became the prototype of subsequent generations.
"Telstar" Durlast - Germany 1974;

In the World Cup in Germany in 1974, two balls "participated". For the Telstar ball, this was already the second appearance, only the logo was no longer gold, but black. adidas also introduced a white version of the ball, the adidas Chile, in honor of the all-white 1962 Cup ball in Chile. From Telstar 1970, they differed only in design, materials and technologies remained the same.
"Tango Riverplate" - Argentina 1978;

In 1978, the adidas Tango was introduced to the world - a model that later became a "design classic". Although the ball was sewn from the same 32 panels, the pattern of 20 identical triads gave the impression of 12 circles encircling the ball. The design of the official balls of the next five FIFA championships was based on this idea. Tango also had better weather resistance.
"Tango Espana" - Spain 1982;

In 1982, the design of the 1978 Tango did not change much. But the technological changes Tango Espana were more significant. The ball was still sewn from leather, but the seams were taped and made waterproof. This significantly increased wear resistance and reduced water absorption by the ball, and therefore minimized weight gain in wet weather.
"Azteca" - Mexico 1986;

It is the first official FIFA ball made from synthetic materials. As a result, its service life has been significantly increased, and the degree of water absorption has decreased. Azteca had excellent performance on hard surfaces, in high altitude conditions and in wet conditions, which was a significant improvement. The triads that girded this ball were decorated with Aztec ornaments.
"Etrvsco" - Italy 1990;

When creating the adidas Etrusco Unico, only synthetic materials were used. The Etrusco Unico was the first ball to feature an inner layer of polyurethane foam, making the ball livelier, faster and completely waterproof. The name and design capture the influence of the ancient history of Italy and the cultural heritage of the Etruscans. Three heads of Etruscan lions adorn each of the 20 triads.
"Questra" - USA 1994;

The official ball of the 1994 championship is the epitome of high technology. The use of an internal energy-returning layer of polyurethane foam allowed the ball to become softer (that is, more obedient) and much faster. Inspired by space technology and the American quest for the stars (Quest for the Stars, hence the name), Questra has set new standards.
"Tricolore" - France 1998;

The first multi-color official ball of the championship. The French flag and the tail of the rooster, the traditional symbol of France and the French Football Federation, are reflected in the name and design. The adidas Tricolore used a layer of synthetic foam with a regular matrix of durable gas-filled microcells. This structure provided durability and good tactile contact with the ball.
"Fevernova" - Japan and Korea 2002

This is the first official ball that differed in design from the traditional 1978 Tango ball. The pattern and colors of Fevernova are inspired by the culture of the Far East. A special synthetic foam layer improved the performance of the ball, while a three-layer woven carcass provided more accuracy and predictability of the flight path.
"Teamgeist" - Germany 2006

For the first time in 36 years, adidas has stepped back from the classic 32-panel design. In 2006, Adidas introduced the brand new +Teamgeist ball, made up of "propellers" and "turbines". The heat-bonded frame and panels provide water resistance and a smoother surface for better hitting performance. The drawing is made in black and white - the traditional colors of the German team, with a gold border - the symbol of the World Cup, and covered with a transparent protective layer.

In 2008, Adidas released a new "Europass" ball, which differs from the "+Teamgeist" in a "goosebump" finish.
Today, many companies have released new high-tech materials and designs for balls. Development is in the direction of creating an ideal projectile, with an ideal trajectory, accuracy and flight speed, with an ideally low water absorption, with an ideal energy distribution, with an ideal safety. But the creators in pursuit of leadership should not forget about the FIFA standards.

The new balls of the "Roteiro" Adidas type are created using the most modern technologies and materials. The ball was specially created for the 2004 European Championship in Portugal. From modern Portuguese, the name "Roteiro" is translated as "guide, route." The ball caused a lot of controversy between players and goalkeepers, between supporters of the development of football and conservatives. Indeed, the ball is ideal for field players - light, comfortable. But for goalkeepers, it has become a real nightmare because of the unpredictability of the flight path.

Production of soccer balls

How the Europass ball was made
And here is how the Europass ball, which was played at Euro 2008, is made. It is produced in China at the Adidas factory.
Detail of the ball type "turbine".

And this is another detail - the "propeller".

Frame with latex chamber not yet inserted inside.

Finished frames with cameras inside.

Impregnation of the frame with latex.

The frames are sent to the dryer where the latex is vulcanized.

Applying glue to parts.

Actually, pasting the frame (thermoglue) and forming the ball.

Almost finished ball.

One of the most important parameters is the mass of the ball. According to the requirements of FIFA, it should be from 420 to 445 g. The developers of adidas, in their own words, prefer to make balls with a mass closer to the upper limit (the heavier the ball, the more accurate it is).

Ball circumference test (measured along several perimeters). The measurement principle is very simple - a flexible steel band covers the ball, its length is measured (automatically). Measurements are made several times, between them the ball is rotated at a certain angle.

And this machine is very familiar to all motorists who have ever seen a balancing machine in a tire shop. This device checks the balance of the ball. If its weight distribution is uneven, it will be difficult to predict the trajectory upon impact. But it is impossible to completely balance the ball - it is not absolutely symmetrical. For example, there is a nipple. To reduce the imbalance, an additional seam in the form of a spiral is made on the diametrically opposite side of the frame - the mass of this seam balances the mass of the valve.
Balancing

This setup measures the diameter of the ball in several positions, after which it can be inferred from these data how close the ball is in shape to a perfect sphere.

And, finally, one of the most interesting tests is the roboleg. Boots, fixed on her "foot", is able to develop a maximum speed of 150 km / h. The ball, on impact, travels 1.6 times faster than the speed of the boot, so the maximum speed of the ball is approximately 240 km/h. The real ceiling of blows of professional football players is about 100 km/h (ball, respectively, 160 km/h). In this rig, adidas engineers demonstrate how different the behavior of the new PSC-textured Europass ball is from the previous official +Teamgeist ball, which had a smooth surface. While the balls are dry, both hit the "nine" (upper corner of the goal) with an "oblique" impact. But it's worth spraying a "smooth" ball (and on a boot) with water from a spray bottle - and the ball goes past the gate. A textured ball - again confidently hits the "nine". At the same stand, by the way, you can also test boots.

Of course, these are not all the tests that the ball is subjected to. The balls are tested for abrasion resistance. Several balls are placed inside the drum, the inner surface of which is pasted over with sandpaper, several liters of water are poured in, turned on and twisted for a certain time (several hours). Then they take it out and look at how much the surface, drawing, etc. has been preserved. In this way, even tougher abrasion conditions are simulated than in a real match. Check the ball for its ability to absorb water in wet weather. It is placed in a special trough, where some water is poured, after which a special installation turns and "presses" the ball 300 times (see our video blog). The ball is then weighed. The difference in mass between a "dry" and "wet" ball, according to FIFA standards, should not exceed 10%. "But because adidas uses heat seals rather than seams, the ball is virtually watertight," says Tim Lucas, "so this is typically less than 1-2% for Europass." There are also rebound tests (the ball is thrown from a two-meter height and the rebound height is measured, and, interestingly, with the help of an acoustic sensor - that is, they actually record the time between ball jumps, and then recalculate it to the rebound height), for pressure loss and to maintain shape after 3500 hits against a wall at a speed of 50 km / h (this test, of course, is automated - a special mechanical "gun" shoots the ball against the wall for about 4 hours). Undoubtedly, a modern ball is a rather complex and technically perfect product of high sports technologies.

Quality and parameters of a soccer ball

Perhaps each of us had a ball in childhood. Small, big, it doesn't matter. But he was. Round, constantly rolling. It was pleasant to hold him in your hands, and how briskly he galloped along the path! But a long time ago, a child would not even be allowed to touch it, because the ball was considered a sacred thing from ancient times.

Football projectiles in ancient times

Our ancestors were very fond of playing various spherical objects for fun. It is known, for example, that the South American Indians used a light elastic sphere as a sports equipment.

During the Tsin and Han dynasties (255 BC-220 AD), the Chinese enjoyed the game of "Tsu Chu" in which balls of animal origin were driven into a net stretched between two poles. Some ancient Egyptian rituals are said to have similarities with football. The ancient Greeks and Romans also had a game, the essence of which was to kick the ball and carry the leather sphere.
The legends say that a whole village could lead one shell-skull to the square to the neighboring village. In turn, the opposing side tried to bring the game element to the opponent's square.

The oldest soccer ball

Usually this ball is kept in the Stirling Smith Museum in Scotland.

Tachtley players, captured in 1529

Artist Christopher Weiditz, traveling with Cortes. This is how the artist himself described this game: “The Indians have a game of inflated ball. They hit him with the back of their body without taking their hands off the ground. The Indians wear leather gloves, and the part of the body with which they hit the ball is protected by leather bands. Source

And in Harrow they played with a not very round ball!

Marble relief (5th century BC) from the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.

The most ancient balls came to us from Egypt (2000 BC). They were made of wood, leather and even papyrus.

Photo materials from Ura-inform.com, Angel Fire.com.

Balls of the nineteenth century

the first rubber soccer ball.

In 1836, Charles Goodyear patented vulcanized rubber. Prior to this, the balls were very dependent on the size and shape of pig bladders. Due to the instability of animal tissue, it was very difficult to predict the behavior of the projectile during impact. It wasn't until the twentieth century that most balls were made using rubber.

In 1855, the same Goodyear designed the first rubber soccer ball. It is still kept in the National Football Hall of Fame, which is located in Oneonta (New York, USA).

In 1862, inventor Lyndon developed one of the first inflatable rubber bladders. He was well aware of the disadvantages of pig bladder balls. His goal was to create an inflatable rubber bladder that wouldn't explode with every kick. Rubber chambers provided the balls with shape and density. Lyndon even claimed to have invented rugby, but did not patent the idea in time. In those days, a round ball was preferred for playing with the feet, while an oval ball was easier to handle with the hands.

The Match Ball used in the 1893 FA Cup Final

Match Ball used in the FA Cup Final of 1893

Synthetic soccer balls

A fully synthetic ball was only produced in the early 60s. But only in the late 80s, synthetics completely replaced the leather coating. Conservatives and skeptics have argued that leather balls provide flight control and a stronger hit.
The synthetic coating of today's balls completely copies the structure of the leather cell. Synthetics also have advantages - strength and low water absorption.
Early balls were stitched with laces. Later game shells were made from synthetic patches fastened together. The design of the new ball was based on the design of the Buckminster Ball, better known as the Buckyball. American architect Richard Buckminster did not even think about football. He was just trying to come up with new ways to build buildings using a minimum of materials. And it turned out to be an ingenious structure that any fan knows today.
The shape of the Buckminster ball is a series of hexagons and pentagons that fit together to give the ball a round shape. The modern ball consists of 20 hexagons and 12 pentagons. Together they form a sphere close to perfection. The black pentagons helped the players feel more subtle any deviations during the flight of the ball.

The first "official" soccer ball was the Adidas "Telstar" at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. Now, for every big match, a new unique soccer ball is designed.

"Telstar" Durlast - Germany 1974;

"Tango Riverplate" - Argentina 1978;

"Tango Espana" - Spain 1982;

"Azteca" - Mexico 1986;

"Etrvsco" - Italy 1990;

"Questra" - USA 1994;

"Tricolore" - France 1998;

Telstar: Mexico-1970

The Telstar leather ball was hand-sewn from 32 elements - 12 pentagonal and 20 hexagonal panels - and became the most round ball of those years. His design has gone down in football history forever. A white ball adorned with black pentagons - Telstar (Star of Television, "TV Star") is much more visible on a black and white screen. This ball became the prototype of subsequent generations.

Telstar/Chile: Germany-1974

Tango: Argentina-1978

Tango Espana: Spain-1982

Azteca: Mexico-1986

Etrusco Unico: Italy-1990

Questra: USA-1994

Tricolore: France-1998

Fevernova: Korea and Japan-2002

"+Teamgeist" - Germany 2006

This is how soccer balls are made

Today, many companies have released new high-tech materials and designs for balls. Development is in the direction of creating an ideal projectile, with an ideal trajectory, accuracy and flight speed, with an ideally low water absorption, with an ideal energy distribution, with an ideal safety. But the creators in pursuit of leadership should not forget about the FIFA standards.