Adidas, Nike, Puma, Mitre and more; these are some of the familiar football brands that you can find online or in-store at a sports retailer or a sports section inside a department store. Not only that; you can trust recognisable brands like Adidas and Puma who are respective official match balls for FIFA World Cup and La Liga.
Just like any other sports goods, football prices are varied from the brand availability to the type of materials used for the balls. So, what are the best footballs to buy? Whether you are using it for a football game or simply for training purposes, here are the best quality footballs in Malaysia worth checking out.
Why It’s Our Top Pick?
“This pro-level Puma MFL Accelerate 21.1 FQP has everything you need for a high-quality football: Excellent durability, better bounce and sensitivity as well as it feels firmer to the touch”.
Overview
Puma MFL Accelerate 21.1 FQP (FIFA Quality Pro) is a performance-driven football that uses the latest technology specially designed for competitive games at every level. This includes a streamlined 8-panel structure that reduces the number of seams for a better connection between the player’s foot and the ball.
The Puma football is also made to last, thanks to its 3D-textured PU surface while the combination of the advanced POE foam and the brand’s Air Lock technology not only increases sensitivity but also offers a firmer feel and better rebound altogether.
Details
- 8-panel structure to help minimise the number of seams for a maximum connection
- Textured PU surface for better durability
- Advanced POE form & PUMA’s Air Lock technology that offers a firmer touch and better bounce
Who is this for?
Puma MFL Accelerate 21.1 FQP is suitable for competition purposes, especially if you are a professional football player. The ball is not only durable but offers excellent shape retention while the PU construction means you get to experience better playability in terms of passing and scoring.
Overview
Available in striking orange and green colours, the Kipsta ball from the France sports retailer giant, Decathlon, is a beginner-friendly football for kids. It only weighs as light as 270g and can be kicked around on the grass and even sand.
The Kipsta ball uses a thick layer of PVC to maximise its durability while providing better air retention. It also offers a sufficient bounce between 1m and 1.5m when dropped from a 2-metre high, depending on how you kick the ball around.
Details
- Uses a thick PVC layer for better durability
- Weighs only 270g, which is lighter and less painful
- Offers a varied bounce consistency, depending on ball pressure
- Provides a long-lasting air retention
- Versatile enough for playing on the grass and sand
Who is this for?
Kids who just started their first football experience can enjoy learning to play with the Kipsta ball. It’s lightweight and bouncy, making it adaptable enough for dribbling, juggling and kicking the ball around. Not to mention, its overall durability is good even for such an affordable price point.
Overview
This entry-level football from Mitre is designed with beginners in mind. The Impel Plus’ key features include a hard-wearing 30-panel construction as well as EVA foam lining and PU film for better performance and durability. The ball also has a textured weave a.k.a. Vimini around the surface that offers a greater feel, touch and control.
Finally, the ball uses a wound synthetic rubber bladder for better air retention, making it suitable for practice or recreational level of play.
Details
- Durable 30-panel construction
- EVA foam lining & PU film outer for better durability
- Has a Vimini surface texture for better feel, touch & control
- Uses a wound synthetic rubber bladder that offers a better air retention
Who is this for?
This is a well-priced, beginner-friendly football that is best for training purposes. With that said, the Mitre Impel Plus is also suitable for junior and youth players as its overall construction offers sufficient comfort and control.
Overview
Improve your football skills with the affordably-priced EPP II Club Ball GK3473 from Adidas. Sporting a sleek white-and-grey design, the ball is constructed using a 100% TPU casing. This material is known for its better elasticity and resistance against the likes of stains and abrasions.
Not to mention, the Adidas EPP II Club Ball GK3473 has higher air retention and retains its shape better since it uses a butyl bladder. Such a bladder makes it suitable not only for club training but also for regular football matches.
Details
- Durable 100% TPU cover
- Uses a butyl bladder for better air & shape retentions
- Specially designed for kickabouts and training
Who is this for?
The Adidas EPP II Club Ball GK3473 is good for practising purposes regardless of dribbling, passing, heading or touch & ball control. Not to mention, it doesn’t cost a lot for such a branded football.
Overview
Available in different colour designs, the Adidas Starlancer is an entry-level football made suitable for kickabouts regardless of an indoor or outdoor field. The ball is machine-stitched, complete with a 100% TPU casing around the surface. It also utilises a butyl bladder that offers better air retention and comes in a full-size 5, making it ideal for teenagers and adults.
Details
- 100% TPU cover material around the surface
- Uses a butyl bladder for best air retention
- Comes in Size 5 ball for ages 12 and above
- Machine-stitched construction for high durability
Who is this for?
This is a good indoor football to play or practise with, even if you are just a beginner. Although it may have been a machine-stitched football, it’s fairly durable for such a price point. Moreover, the ball has a nice, firm feel and touch to it since the Adidas football uses a quality TPU exterior and a butyl bladder.
Overview
Designed for futsal training purposes, the Adidas Tiro League Sala Ball boasts a striking trio of red, white and black design. It offers low rebound upon shooting or passing while using TSBE technology for a seamless finish.
Other key features include a 100% TPU cover around the ball’s surface and a butyl bladder that holds the air well. Not only that; the Adidas Tiro League Sala Ball displays an IMS (International Match Standard) mark, which fulfils the quality standard in terms of accuracy, safety and durability.
Details
- Uses a 100% TPU cover material
- Offers a low-rebound consistency
- TSBE technology for a seamless construction
- Butyl bladder for best air retention
- Fulfils the quality standard of the IMS (International Match Standard) mark
Who is this for?
This specially-made futsal football from Adidas performs well regardless of training or kickabouts on the hard surface. Not to mention; the ball’s TPU cover construction, in the meantime, provides you with better control over it.
Overview
Here’s a quality beach football from Molten, which comes in an official ball size 5 with a striking orange-and-blue exterior. This ball is machine-stitched with the cover material made from PU leather, which not only offers a better elasticity but also resistance to normal wear & tear and low temperature.
Moreover, the ball part of the Molten F5A3550-OB uses a latex bladder, which is softer and bouncier to the touch.
Details
- Comes in Size 5 (official size)
- Made from PU leather that offers good elasticity and wear & tear resistance
- Uses a latex bladder that provides better touch & responsiveness
- Machine-stitched construction
Who is this for?
It’s good for fun and tournament purposes, thanks to the Molten beach football’s resilient PU leather outer construction. Here, you can expect a soft and bouncy touch regardless of passing, shooting or heading the ball when you play with your team.
Overview
The Puma Orbita 6 MS’s mini football boasts a 32-panel design with equal surface area, which helps to retain shape. This ball also offers a soft touch-feel since it uses a TPU material on the outer surface with a foam layer underneath.
And in terms of design, the Puma Orbita 6 MS comes in a fresh yet vibrant multi-colour pattern over a predominantly white surface.
Details
- Features a 32-panel design with an equal surface area that aids shape retention
- Uses a TPU casing with a foam layer for a soft touch-feel
- Machine-stitched construction that offers a firm feel, flight & bounce
- Comes in a combination of Puma white & multi-colour design
Who is this for?
This Puma mini football is suitable not only for recreational soccer but also for non-competitive use or for simply having fun with your friends and family.
Overview
Show off your freestyling football tricks with the Mitre Street Football Freestyle BB1936. The ball features a vibrant, urban-style yellow-lime design with a tyre track emboss. On the latter, it helps to provide a better grip, allowing freestylers to perform various tricks confidently.
To note, the ball comes in an official size of 5 with the material itself made from a PU rubber and has a 32-panel exterior. It also holds in air relatively well since it uses the butyl bladder.
Details
- Boasts an urban-style graphic exterior & tyre track emboss that offers a greater grip
- Features a 32-panel design with a butyl bladder
- Suitable for training and can be used on all surfaces
Who is this for?
Those who likes to showcase different football tricks regardless of fun or professional purposes can benefit from using the Mitre Street Football Freestyle BB1936. The combination of the tyre track emboss and butyl bladder not only offers a freestyler an excellent grip but also provides better air retention for a long-lasting play.
FAQ:
- How do I choose the best football?
Not every football is made equal since it all depends on what you are using it for in the first place. Here are 3 important things you should know:
i) Size matters
Footballs come in four sizes and each size varied from the smallest (Size 1) to the largest (Size 5). The latter is the official ball size for all players aged 12 and above while the Size 1 football is mainly used for fun or to improve footwork.
ii) Cover construction
The cover construction refers to the outer layer of a football, which is either made from a PU (polyurethane), TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) or PVC (polyvinyl chloride) material.
The first material can be found in most high-quality footballs, where PU is resistant to wear & tear and offers a good elasticity.
TPU is also highly resistant and offers an equally exceptional elasticity while the PVC football is commonly found on cheaper and lower quality footballs. Such a ball is typically softer and more suitable for recreational purposes.
iii) Bladder type
A bladder plays an important part in the construction of a football since it determines how it performs in terms of air pressure, bounce, flight, weight and shape of the ball. There are commonly 3 types of bladders available: latex bladders, synthetic rubber bladders and butyl bladders.
Latex bladders can be found in high-quality footballs. They feel soft and bouncy and even offer a great touch on the ball. However, they do not hold air long enough and they need to be refilled frequently.
Butyl bladders hold the air better and are more durable too except they are somewhat heavier and harder than latex bladders. As for the synthetic rubber bladders, they do offer good air retention but pale in comparison to latex and butyl varieties. They also happen to be the most common bladder available in the market and they are typically used in low-end footballs.
- What material should the ball be made of?
For modern high-quality footballs mainly used for professional or top-flight levels, look for the ones that are made from synthetic leather coated with polyurethane a.k.a. PU. Not only do they provide better water resistance but also the utmost feel possible when comes to the physical contact of the ball.