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Category: Athletics

Soccer Scores with Polyurethane

Soccer (or football, as it’s known outside the U.S.) is the world’s most popular sport — with an estimated 4 billion fans worldwide. Although the game has been played the same way for more than 100 years now, the more recent addition of polyurethane coating to the ball has had an important impact on performance for the sport.

Soccer balls were once typically made from genuine leather. But leather can take on water, making the ball soggy and heavy in rainy conditions. Starting in the 1970s, manufacturers began adding a coat of polyurethane to help make the ball waterproof. Polyurethane also protects the ball from scuffs and scratches.

Synthetic leather coated with polyurethane is the choice for balls used in today’s top-flight soccer leagues and matches. It allows players to “feel” the ball better and still allows the ball to have some give — for pinpoint passing and scoring accuracy.