Each of the different types of soccer appear in different versions of the sport. All soccer balls will be hardest when they are over inflated, and over inflation should be carefully avoided because it can cause injury. A soccer ball’s firmness also comes from its physical construction, which is different in balls used for indoor soccer, futsal and outdoor soccer. Overall, the physical characteristics of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) ball make it the hardest.
FIFA Regulation Ball
The FIFA regulation ball is made of synthetic leather. Balls are no longer made from real leather. These synthetic materials add consistency to the feeling of striking the ball, and also increase the soccer balls’ softness of touch. Three types of material could go into the hard FIFA ball, PVC, polyeurethane (PU) or the PVC/PU mix. The hardest is the PVC ball but players prefer the PU cover, which gives them optimal performance.
Futsal
A futsal ball is slightly smaller and less hard than a FIFA regulated ball. FIFA regulations demand the ball be size 5, whereas futsal balls are closer to size 3 or 4. Futsal balls are also filled with foam, so they are softer, have less bounce, and are easier to control on hard indoor surfaces.
Indoor Soccer Ball
A regulation indoor soccer ball for many intramural indoor soccer leagues is a fuzzy soccer ball, and the least hard of all. In many ways it's a mixture of a futsal ball, a tennis ball, and a FIFA regulation ball. It is heavy like a futsal ball (to decrease its bounciness in a gym), but it is the size of a FIFA regulation ball. Its fuzziness, caused by a cover like the one on a tennis ball, makes it softer both to the foot when you kick it, and to the body when you are struck with one. Its softness helps decrease the risk of injury and property damage in intramural games.
Linings, Bladders, and Stitches
A ball’s lining helps protect the consistency of a ball’s bounce over time. It can also include a foam layer to make the ball softer and easier to control, or it can be made of polyester materials that make the ball firmer. Likewise, a ball’s bladder can affect the firmness of the ball, such as the foam-filled bladder in a futsal ball versus the firmer latex bladders in other balls. Lastly, stitches affect a soccer ball’s firmness because when a ball is not stitched by hand, but glued or stitched by a machine, it is firmer. Hand-stitched balls are more expensive and softer than machine-stitched or glued balls.
References
- Soccer Ball World: Ball Construction and Design
- Soccer Ball World: Types
- Back Mountain Youth Soccer Association: BMYSA Winter Indoor Futsal / Soccer
- Soccer Rules for Parents: Soccer Ball Sizes, Types of Soccer Balls: How to Select the Right Soccer Ball
- Calgary United Soccer Association: Comparison between FUTSAL and SOCCER
- Soccer Tools.com; Top Ten Match Soccer Balls
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