The Use of Engineering in Football
Introduction
In recent years the use of engineering in sport including football has risen dramatically The main two areas for engineering in football is the footballs and the football boots
Adidas Roteiro Football
This football has been specially designed for the Euro 2004 Championships in Portugal. It has 4 key features: 1. The surface consists of a high solid polyurethane coating which provides an abrasion resistant outer layer that also provides very low water absorption. 2. A new thermal bonding process developed by Adidas produces a seamless surface which results in constant accuracy and balance in flight. 3. Beneath the surface lies a layer of flexible syntactic polyurethane foam with good low temperature flexibility, which provides good flight and damping characteristics . 4. The inner most layer is a layer of natural latex rubber which gives excellent rebound properties.
“Truly the most precise ball I have ever kicked.” - Rui Costa
Nike Mercurial Vapour Boots
Weighing only 196g these are the lightest boots around Specially designed for strikers who need short bursts of acceleration
Worn by the likes of Thierry Henry, Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy
Adidas Predator Boots
The weight is distributed near the front of the boot, to ensure that maximum power is transferred to the ball Made from strong but soft kangaroo leather to provide greater comfort Thin lightweight elements have been strategically placed on the kicking region so to increase the swerve on the ball Asymmetric lacing means that the kicking surface of the predator boots is smoother, allowing for greater kicking precision A dual-compound heel counter is extremely strong and reduces pressure on the Achilles tendon Worn by players such as David Beckham
Studs & Blades
Different ground conditions give rise to different types of studs / blades
Soft or wet ground requires the use of metal studs or baldes in order to provide the best grip between the ground and boots
Hard ground requires moulded studs / blades to provide the grip between ground and boot without digging into the hard ground
References
www.nike.com www.adidas.com www.news.bayer.com