Soccer Balls
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Soccer Balls

Adidas Soccer Balls

Nike Soccer Balls

Puma Soccer Balls

World Cup Soccer Balls

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Adidas Soccer Balls

Adidas soccer balls have long held a special place in the world of competitive soccer. Soccer balls were originally made of brown leather with a total of eighteen panels. However, in the 1960s, television viewers complained that the black and white screens made it challenging to actually follow the dark brown ball in televised games.

The Original Adidas Soccer Balls

The Original Adidas Soccer Balls Adidas was then commissioned by FIFA to create a soccer ball that would be more visible on the black and white televisions. In 1970, at the World Cup game in Mexico City, the new Adidas soccer balls were unveiled. They consisted of thirty-two black and white hexagonal panels. The format of the Adidas soccer balls has been the standard design of soccer balls ever since.

An Ongoing Tradition

New Adidas soccer balls have been developed for every World Cup game since 1970. Adidas pays a millions of dollars to be the official provider of the game balls, in hopes of generating huge demands for their products. Many Adidas soccer balls have been great successes, such as the 1994 ball which added polyurethane coating to the outside of the ball. The coating made the ball faster in flight.

Other Adidas soccer balls designed for the games have been considerably less than successful. One particular design attempted to coat the seams of the ball with rubber, but the rubber came off repeatedly when kicked requiring constant replacements. Regardless of past success or failure, however, all Adidas soccer balls used at the World Cup have followed the standard format of thirty-two panels. That is, until now.

The New Adidas Soccer Balls

The latest addition to the roster of Adidas Soccer balls is the +Teamgeist. This ball is completely redesigned from all prior balls. The +Teamgeist has only fourteen panels. This modern adaptation of Adidas soccer balls is designed with two layers. The outside layer does not have seams and therefore has a more consistent roundness. The lack of seams in the new Adidas soccer balls also prevents moisture absorption, ensuring the ball maintains a consistent weight. The +Teamgeist performed well in extensive laboratory tests, but the true test of any ball, is in the World Cup.

The Verdict is In

The new Adidas soccer balls show improvement over their older relatives. It is confirmed that the balls can be kicked with more power over longer distances. The curve of the ball in the air is also more pronounced. The most discussed aspect of the new Adidas soccer balls is the motion of the ball in the air. Goalies have a difficult time anticipating the direction of the ball because the smooth outer surface creates unusual air flow patterns around the ball. Despite the complaints of the keepers, the latest version of Adidas soccer balls is a huge success with sales climbing higher than anticipated. It is seen as a step forward in the industry and a development on the cutting edge of science. Adidas soccer balls have definitely had a huge impact on the game of soccer throughout the entire world.