10 Coolest Soccer Balls in Soccer History

Nothing is more essential to soccer than the ball.

But when was the last time you thought about what you're kicking around?

If you're like us, it's been awhile.

But if you're like us, you also have strong opinions about what makes a soccer ball great.

What are those qualities? Is it technology? Or does design matter most?

We're glad you asked.

10. Goodyear's 1855 Ball

Charles Goodyear designed and constructed the first vulcanized rubber soccer balls in 1855.

The development came 11 years after he patented the process for vulcanizing rubber.

So. This is the starting point for all soccer balls. Pretty cool, huh?

9. First World Cup Ball

That's a picture of one of the two balls used in the first World Cup final in 1930.

It's a leather ball that was supplied by Uruguay, which won the first World Cup title. The other ball? It was supplied by Argentina, the beaten finalist.

Interesting…

Argentina led 2-1 at halftime. After the break, the teams used Uruguay's ball. Uruguay scored three unanswered goals.

Anyway, the ball featured hand-stitched panels and was heavy by today's standard.

8. Adidas Azteca

The Adidas Azteca was the first all-synthetic ball.

It was the official ball of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

And it looked pretty cool, too.

7. Adidas Santiago

The Adidas Santiago was the first World Cup ball to switch from long panels to octagons.

It was the official ball of the 1962 World Cup in Chile.

Like the Azteca, it also looked really sweet. How can you not like the old-school color?

For more views, click here.

6. Nike Brasil Ball

This ball isn't historic. It didn't break any technological ground.

It just looks so cool.

And who wouldn't want to use Brasil's team ball?

5. Mitre Delta 1000

This ball was used in the English First Division in the 1980s and '90s.

It's simple. It's classic. It works.

4. Mitre Ultimax

The Ultimax succeeded the Delta 1000 in the late 1990s, and it was better in every way.

It had an updated design and used micro-fiber technology.

That's tough to beat.

3. Adidas Jabulani

The players hated it, but this ball is very cool.

Designed for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the Jabulani features "Grip'n'Groove" technology, which supposedly gave the players more control over the ball. They said it made the ball unpredictable.

Regardless, the new technology gave the ball a way-cool grooved surface.

2. Adidas Telstar

Forget about the technology. This is the classic look for a soccer ball.

The Telstar was used for the 1970 and '74 World Cups and was surpassed in coolness by only one ball…

1. Adidas Tango España

The Adidas Tango España was the official ball of the 1982 World Cup in Spain.

It was the last World Cup ball to be made of genuine leather. It featured improved water-resistant qualities.

Blah, blah, blah.

It looks like a soccer ball should look.

Everything is classic: the subtle black-and-white design, the Adidas trefoil, the splashes of color.

Perfect.