How To Bend it like Beckham ?
Bending it like Beckham 10 Million Footballs in Circulation Across the World Mathematicians versed in geometry refer to them as truncated icosahedrons There are an estimated 10 million in circulation around the world. Eight out of ten are made in Pakistan. And tyre manufacturer Charles Goodyear made one of the first vulcanised rubber examples, which is still in existence after more than 150 years. The highest-quality footballs today are all stitched by hand, with the industry standard consisting of 32 panels. Altogether, 642 stitches hold together 20 hexagonal panels and 12 pentagonal ones, all coming together to form part of a tough outer casing containing an internal lining and rubber bladder. Balls with fewer panels – think the 2010 world cup’s controversial Jabulani - can be curved more easily when kicked; for the technically-minded, it’s all down to decreased aerodynamic stability. Perhaps that’s one of the secrets of bending it like Beckham…...