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Football (ball)

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

A colorful football (soccer ball) inspired by the French flag, featuring the nation's traditional colors and symbols.

What is a Football?

A football is a special ball filled with air that people use to play many fun games. These games have two teams, and each team tries to move the ball to score goals or points. The ball can look different depending on the game, but it is always made to be easy to kick and throw.

Different Kinds of Footballs

Long ago, the first footballs were made from natural things like a pig bladder inside leather. Today, footballs are made from rubber or plastic and come in three shapes: a round ball, an oval ball, or a special shape called a “lemon.” Each shape is used for different games like association football, rugby, or gridiron football.

Fun Facts

The oldest football that still exists was found in Stirling Castle in Scotland. It was made around 1550 and is now in the Smith Art Gallery and Museum. Modern footballs are made very carefully so they are the perfect size and weight for players to use. Whether it’s round, oval, or lemon-shaped, every football is made to make the game fun and fair!

Images

A close-up of American footballs showing the texture and shape of the balls.
A Sherrin Lyrebird football, a type of Australian rules football, resting on grass.
A Gaelic football ball ready for play on the pitch.
A Canadian Football League ball used in the sport of Canadian football.
A rugby league football - the ball used in the sport of rugby league.

Related articles

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Football (ball), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Images from Wikimedia Commons. Tap any image to view credits and license.