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SEXY GLAM
MAGAZINE - JUNE 2014
The soccer ball may have even played a
part in the outcome of the first world cup
in 1930. Argentina and Uruguay could
not agree on which ball to use. So they
decided to use an Argentinean ball the first
half and a ball supplied by Uruguay in the
second half. As it turned out, Argentina
was ahead at halftime 2-1using their soc-
cer ball. However; Uruguay came back to
win the match in the second half 4-2 using
their ball!
During World War II there were further
production enhancements. The addition of
a carcass made of strong cloths between
the bladder and outer cover made control-
ling the shape easier, provided damping,
and made the ball stronger. However;
soccer balls played a crucial role in the
outcome of matches due to the ball actu-
ally bursting during a game. The reason
for the low quality balls just after World
War II was blamed on the poor quality of
the leather covers.
Water absorption was improved by using
synthetic paints and other non-porous
materials to coat the leather. Also, a new
type of valve was invented that eliminated
the laced slit on soccer balls.
In 1951 a white ball was first permitted to
help spectators see the ball easier with the
advent of floodlights. White soccer balls
were un-officially used as early as 1892.
The leather was simply white washed to
produce the white ball. Orange balls were
also first introduced in the 1950’s to help
see the ball in the snow.
Different countries favored different types
of soccer balls in the early days of interna-
tional soccer. This caused much contro-
versy. FIFA standardized the size, weight