Football Balls
From match ball to street football: at PlutoSport you'll find football balls from Derbystar, Adidas and Nike for every level and surface.
Different football balls
At first glance a ball just looks like a ball, but there are definitely differences. Football balls differ in weight, material and size. Which properties you should look at depends on several factors. Is the ball used by children or adults? On what surface will the ball be used? Is the ball used during training or during matches? There's also a lot of variation in the look of football balls. There are balls that resemble the official league or match balls, but also balls with a somewhat simpler look. Read on to determine which ball suits you best.
Football balls for different surfaces
There are footballs for different surfaces. For futsal there are special low-bounce balls. These balls have a weaker bounce, allowing for more technical play. The bounce of general indoor balls sits between that of a normal ball and a low-bounce ball, which also emphasises the technical aspect. Field footballs and street footballs are made of synthetic leather or PVC and have a strong bounce, making the game faster and more unpredictable.
Size, circumference and weight of balls
Most balls for natural or artificial grass are available in the standard size, size 5. Balls in this size have a circumference of 70 centimetres. Futsal balls, also called low-bounce balls, are smaller in size (size 4) and bounce less high. In football on the field, almost always a size 5 ball is used, only the very youngest play with a slightly smaller size. The difference lies in the weight of the balls.
Weight is an important factor for a football ball. A different weight is used per age category. The breakdown is as follows:
- Seniors - 450 grams
- Youth 15-18 years - 370-450 grams
- Youth 10-15 years - 320-370 grams
- Youth under 10 years - 290 grams (ball size 4)
Material and technologies of a ball
The outer layer of a football ball is made of PVC or polyurethane, imitation leather that's almost indistinguishable from the real thing. This is also exactly why balls that look alike can differ a lot in price. The more expensive balls are made of PU. This material feels like leather, is durable and very flexible. Balls made of PVC feel like plastic and last less long. All football balls are water repellent.
Balls can feature various technologies. Brands focus on optimising properties of balls such as stable flight and play characteristics, grip and ball control.
Tip
Choosing a PVC ball? Then make sure you don't leave it outside in cold temperatures. This can change the shape of the ball. Read the detailed product descriptions to find out the properties of the balls.