The variety of soccer balls refers to the size, design and weight differences between models. Plus, the materials used for the construction of the soccer balls are also very diverse, directly influencing the features of the finite products as well as the price. Consider the following technical details that few people know about the structure of the soccer balls.

Several covering layers are included in the surface structure of the soccer balls and they are not made of natural leather as it seems at first sight but rather from synthetic materials that keep the balls lightweight even when it’s damp outside. Synthetic leather is the most commonly used, being made of poly vinyl chloride or PVC and polyurethane. Even the varieties of artificial leather that soccer balls are manufactured of are too many in number to know and differentiate.

The specific features in the exterior cover of soccer balls consist of several segments known as panels. A soccer ball can be made of 16, 26 or 32 panels, with the latest being the official variant for most leagues and championships. Yet, the others are popular in all sorts of major leagues as well, mainly in Scotland and England. Soccer balls create nearly perfect spheres once the panels are sewn together and inflated.

A special material called the lining is used between the internal bladder that holds the air and the outer covering. These intermediary layer can be made of polyester or laminated cotton, thus contributing to the strength and the bounce properties of the finite product. In the professional design of soccer balls, up to five different linings can be used, although practice balls include fewer linings.

As for the bladders that actually keep the soccer balls inflated, differences do appear here as well, particularly because of the nature of the materials. Soccer balls can be manufactured either from latex or butyl. While natural rubber or latex creates a great surface tension, the tiny pores in the structure of this material cause the soccer balls to deflate.

In order to keep the ball practical, you’ll have to re-inflate it at least once a week. Butyl soccer balls present no air retention problem, but require valves to keep the air inside.

About the Author:

Jack Sawbridge started kicking the soccer ball at the age of seven. At the age of twelve he became a member of a soccer team. His passion in this kind of sports lead him to write various information about soccer balls. If this article interests you, you may want to read another article written by Jack about Official Soccer Ball.