Soccer, also known as Football is regarded as the most followed sport in the world, with a followership of about 3.5 billion fans, and a membership of over 250 million registered players kicking a soccer ball in nearly 200 nations. It is played by almost everybody, both the young and old.
Soccer or Football is played with a round leather known as a Soccer ball, it could be called Football or even soccer.
Meanwhile, professional Soccer is not meant to be played with barefoot, Football boots also known as Cleats are to be worn when playing Football.
Soccer balls and Cleats varies in size for different age ranges, and also in texture depending on the level of professionalism.
What is the selected standard soccer ball?
The selected standard soccer ball for professional football varies depending on the age range.
Soccer balls range from Size 1 to Size 5, and it’s imperative that the correct soccer ball size is used particularly for the smaller age range to aid development.
Size 1: 3-year-old and younger.
Size 1 soccer ball is recommended for the average 3-year-old and younger, this is the smallest size of football that can be found in the market. It is the best for a little child that loves to play football.
However, because of how small it is, anybody could use it to practice ball control, but it is best recommended for a child that’s just 3-year old or younger.
It measures 18 – 20 inches in circumference and weighs 195 – 205 grams.
Size 2: Ages 3 – 5.
Size 2 football is the least standard football size, although not widely regarded. It is recommend for children aged 3-5, measuring 20 – 22 inches in circumference and 250 – 280 grams. This is the best size for toddlers and preschoolers.
Size 3: Ages 5 – 8.
Now widely regarded as the least standard football size, many youth level soccer competitions start with this size.
This size ranges from 23 – 24 in circumference and weighs about 300 – 320 grams. A little heavier and larger that the size 2, it is recommended for ages 5-8.
Size 4: Ages 8 – 12.
Just beneath the Adult level, a size 4 soccer ball is designed for players aged 8 – 12, measuring 25 – 26 inches in circumference and weighing 350 – 390 grams.
It is slightly smaller than the size 5 ball which is for the adult level. Just the perfect size before promotion into the adult level.
Size 5: Ages 12 and older.
This size is the recommended size for Professional football, with a 27 – 28 inches circumference and a weight of 410 – 450 grams. It is the stipulated size by FIFA and must carry a “FIFA approved” or “FIFA inspected” stamp to be approved by match officials. This size is not allowed for toddlers as it will be too heavy to be controlled. Any player aged 12 years and older can make use of the Size 5 Soccer ball.
SOCCER CLEATS OR BOOTS
Soccer boots vary in sizes and range but it’s pretty much as a normal shoe size for a particular age range, nothing so complex.
However, football boots are made with different materials – Rubber or Leather. The most popular material for football boots is kangaroo leather. Kangaroo leather is a type of leather that is made from the skin of a kangaroo.
It is very important to know the right football cleats and Soccer balls for each age range so the development of the upcoming player won’t be stalled and so as to aid development and progress of the lad or lass.
Best Soccer Ball In 2023 And All You Need To Know About It
The Adidas Al Rihla Pro tops the list for best soccer ball on the Planet in 2023.
Al Rihla is a ball produced by Adidas. It was the official Match ball for the previous FIFA World Cup in Qatar back in 2022. The Al Rihla is very unique for the long list of features it has.
The Adidas Al Rihla features “connected ball technology”. This is a suspension system in the ball with an inertial measurement unit at the center to provide the VAR officials with precise ball movement data within a blink of an eye.
FIFA explained that the design of the ball is inspired by the architecture, boats, flag and culture of Qatar.
The blue, red, and yellow color design represents the landscape of Qatar. An inscription on the “Pro” version of the ball reads “Football is…” and all around “teamwork – fair play – collective – responsibility – passion – respect” in six languages: English, Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, French, Spanish, and Esperanto.
Franziska Loffelmann, a design director at Adidas, describes Al Rihla as “the fastest and most accurate FIFA World Cup ball to date”.
