Animal bladders served as the ball for soccer since back then soccer was not as popular and huge as it is today. These animal bladder balls had a lot of issues that necessitated the development of the modern day soccer ball. When a soccer player kicks a ball they expect it to fly and travel in a certain direction. The problem with having an animal bladder for a ball is that it would deform quite easily. This resulted in inconsistent flights and problems when the ball merely rolled regardless of where the game was played on a smooth or rough surface did not matter.

It was not until Charles Goodyear and Deomenico Nobili arrived onto the scene that other changes in the manufacturing process of soccer balls occur. For the benefit of the people who do not know, both Charles Goodyear and Deomenico Nobili introduced the process of vulcanization process to the entire world. This process made rubber more elastic and durable which gave people the idea of making balls out of vulcanized rubber.

These rubber balls were covered with layers of stitched leather in order for the ball to maintain a certain shape. The leather balls were more reliable and durable than the balls made from animal bladders. Notwithstanding, the inflated leather balls still had problems. Whenever the leather ball got wet it would absorb water thus making it heavier. This made the ball harder to kick, fly less, roll less, and even had the potential for serious injury whenever a player would head the ball.

Today soccer balls come in wide a variety of shapes and sizes. Different varieties of the ball are meant to serve a different purpose, some balls are meant for kids, while others are meant for practice, and then there are those meant for playing the game of futsal. As long as people continue to love soccer, the evolution of soccer balls will continue.