Why are soccer balls black and white?

Black and white soccer balls were first used at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. Adidas developed the ‘Telstar’ soccer ball, which was a high contrast black and white-colored ball that could be seen more clearly on black and white televisions.

Before the introduction of the Adidas Telstar at the 1970 World Cup, soccer balls we’re completely colored white, which made it difficult to see on televisions at that time.

Classic black and white soccer balls

Adidas Telstar – 1970

First introduced in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, the Adidas Telstar’s now-iconic 32 panel truncated icosahedron design, including 20 white hexagons and 12 black pentagons, was made to aid visibility on black and white televisions.

The ball was named ‘Telstar’, due to its similar appearance to the Telstar communications satellite, which was the first satellite to send live television signals.

The Telstar was made of leather, with only 20 provided for the 1970 World Cup, and an estimated 600,000 replicas subsequently sold.

Adidas Tango – 1978

The Adidas Tango soccer ball first appeared as the ‘Tango Durlast’ in the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, and then the Tango España in the 1982 World Cup in Spain.

The Tango was a newly designed ball that contained 20 panels, along with a triad design creating the illusion of 7 identical circles.

This triad design seen on the Tango inspired the design of the World Cup soccer ball for the following 5 World Cups.

Adidas Azteca – 1986

First debuted at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, the Adidas Azteca was an evolution of the triad design first seen on its predecessor, Adidas Tango. The Azteca’s triad design was inspired by Mexico’s native Aztec architecture and murals.

The Azteca also revolutionized the production of soccer balls, as it became the first-ever fully synthetic/polyurethane-coated soccer ball, increasing durability and further minimizing water absorption.

Adidas Etrusco Unico – 1990

Unveiled at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, the Adidas Etrusco Unico was inspired by Italy’s ancient history and the fine art of the Etruscans. The triad designed ball contained 3 lion heads in each of the 20 triads.

The Estrusco Unico was also the first fully water-resistant World Cup soccer ball.

Adidas Questra – 1994

The Adidas Questra was the official soccer ball for the 1994 World Cup in the United States. The ball ‘Questra’ was named after an ancient word meaning ‘the quest for the stars’, representing the USA’s involvement in space technology.

The Questra became the first-ever soccer ball fully wrapped in polystyrene foam. This resulted in a much softer touch on the ball and greater acceleration when kicked.

Modern black and white soccer balls

Today with the advances in technology, soccer balls have evolved substantially from the classic black and white soccer balls of the 70s, now manufactured in a variety of intricate designs and a combination of vibrant colors.

Brands these days continue to pay homage to the icon, by applying a modern take to the classic black and white soccer ball designs of the past.

Here are some examples of modern black and white soccer balls that are currently or recently been used in the game.

Adidas Telstar 18

The Adidas Telstar 18 soccer ball is a new version of the original Telstar ball, which was first seen in 1970. This reimagined Telstar 18 was the official soccer ball for the 2018 World Cup hosted in Russia.

The updated design saw the original black and white color maintained, and the pentagons stretched into pixelated gradients.

The ball also includes an embedded NFC chip, which is the first official match ball with an embedded chip.

Adidas Teamgeist

Featured at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the Adidas Teamgeist was designed with 14 curved panels bonded together, resulting in a more rounded shape to perform more consistently regardless of the angle it is kicked.

Wilson Traditional

The Wilson Traditional black and white soccer ball pays homage to the classic soccer balls used in the 70s. This soccer ball is designed for the purists, with its iconic hexagonal and pentagonal black and white pattern.

Nike Strike

The Nike Strike soccer ball incorporates a 12 panel textured design. The 12 panels are mostly outlined with black bolded lines, breaking up the large white-colored areas of the ball. This ball has been produced with many accent colors to compliment the black bolded pentagonal lines.

Nike CR7 Prestige

The black and white Nike CR7 Prestige soccer ball is designed similarly to the Strike ball, also manufactured by Nike. Named after Portuguese great, Cristiano Ronaldo, the CR7 Prestige, however, is designed with its 12 pentagonal panels completely outlined with black bolded lines.

Nike Premier League Merlin

Nike’s Premier League Merlin soccer ball is the official ball used for the 2019-20 English Premier League. From a distance, the ball largely resembles a classic black and white soccer ball of the 70s and 80s, with a splash of racer pink. Having a closer look, however, reveals a uniquely designed ball with high-contrasting graphics.

Why are soccer balls made of hexagons and pentagons?

Soccer balls are made with hexagons and pentagons to create a perfectly spherical shape, fitting together like a puzzle.

Also referred to as a ‘buckyball’, these soccer balls hold their shape well and can also help players track the movement of the ball easier during a soccer match due to the black and white color used on the ball.

How many hexagons and pentagons are on a soccer ball?

There are 20 hexagons and 12 pentagons on a soccer ball, making up 32 panels in total.

Each 6-sided hexagon is colored white and surrounds each 5-sided black pentagon. As a result, none of the pentagons touch each other, which is why the distinct design of the black and white soccer ball is so easily recognizable.

How many leather panels does a soccer ball have?

There are 32 panels on a standard soccer ball according to the soccer’s world governing body, FIFA. Appearing on size 5, 4 and 3 soccer balls, these 32 panels are hexagonal and pentagonal shaped and mostly made of leather or synthetic leather that is tightly stitched together.

This was not always the case as earlier soccer balls consisted of 18 oblong panels laced together, with 6 sections containing 3 stripes each. These older soccer balls were similar in design to modern volleyball and Gaelic footballs of today.

The evolution of soccer balls

Back in the day, soccer balls were made in a variety of different ways. This resulted in several interesting methods used to construct makeshift balls for games that somewhat resemble the game, soccer, as we know it today.

Some of these methods included using inflated pig bladders wrapped in leather, stuffing feathers in a ball made from animal skin, and leather-covered wine bottles filled with cork shavings (allowing the ball to float in water).

In 1844, Charles Goodyear patented vulcanized rubber. This soon led to the manufacturing of the first rubber soccer balls in 1855.

Shortly after in 1862, English leatherworker H.J Lindon manufactured the first inflatable soccer ball. This ball consisted of a rubber bladder which allowed the ball to better keep its shape, and made things much easier for players when kicking the ball.

The evolution of the soccer ball further continued, and in 1951 soccer balls were died fully white, becoming the typical design that was widely adopted around the world. A decade later in the 1960s, synthetic materials were adopted in the manufacturing of soccer balls, ensuring balls could better retain their shape over a longer period.

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