00:00The first proper footballs were made from animal bladders, blown up by mouth, and then hand-tied.
00:05Often made from pig bladders and covered in stitched leather,
00:08no two balls were perfectly round, making their movement unpredictable.
00:12These burst easily, prompting the development of more solid leather and cork-encased versions in Britain
00:17during the 18th and 19th centuries.
00:20As organized football began to take shape in public schools and clubs,
00:24the need for durability and consistency became increasingly important.
00:27In 1872, England's The Football Association set down the first guidelines about ball design.
00:32This was one of the earliest attempts to standardize equipment in a sport
00:36that was rapidly spreading across the country.
00:39It stated that it should be spherical with a circumference of 68 cm,
00:43encased in leather and weighing between 396 and 453 grams at the start of play.
00:50These measurements formed the foundation of the modern football standards still used today.
00:55Weight was important as early footballs tended to absorb water and often doubled in weight during a match-up tear.
01:00On muddy pitches under heavy rain, the ball could become significantly heavier and harder.
01:04It was common for a player to suffer concussion after heading the ball.
01:07The thick leather panels and external laces made impact even more painful.
01:12The ball's shape often became distorted towards the end of matches.
01:14As the leather stretched and seams loosened, the once-round ball could turn slightly oval.
01:19During the 1970 FIFA World Cup tournament, balls were coated with polyurethane to eliminate water absorption.
01:25That same year, the iconic black-and-white panel design gained global recognition,
01:30helping television audiences see the ball more clearly on screen.
01:33But it wasn't until 1986 that the World Cup saw its first fully synthetic football,
01:39improving consistency in flight and durability in all weather conditions.
01:44Synthetic materials marked a turning point, removing many of the limitations of traditional leather.
01:49In 1998, the tricolory design broke with the traditional black-and-white color scheme.
01:53Inspired by the French flag, it signaled a new era of bold visual identity for tournament balls.
01:58Al-Rihla, meaning the voyage in Arabic, used in 2022,
02:04was the first ball equipped with a sensor to help video assistant referees for difficult decisions on offside.
02:10Suspended inside the ball was a motion sensor transmitting real-time data,
02:14ushering football into the era of connected technology.
02:17For the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Trionda Saleh, meaning three waves in Spanish,
02:23celebrates the first time three countries are hosting the event.
02:26The design reflects the unity of the United States, Canada and Mexico,
02:29marking a historic expansion of the tournament format.
02:32The ball with four wave-shaped panels features a maple leaf in red for Canada,
02:37an eagle in green for Mexico, and a star in blue for the United States.
02:41Its streamlined panel construction is engineered for improved aerodynamics and precision.
02:45The Trionda is also fitted with a sensor to send live data to video assistant referees.
02:49From animal bladders to smart technology,
02:53the evolution of the football mirrors the evolution of the game itself,
02:57tradition meeting innovation on the world's biggest stage.
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