Football and space. At first glance, there is a chasm between them. One is a game of millions on green grass. The other is a silent infinity. But it's not that simple. Cosmonauts play football in orbit, and footballs float in zero gravity. Technologies created for space help footballers, and football brands inspire space missions. On Russia Day, the country that opened the way to space and has always loved football, we will connect these two passions.

Football in orbit: how to play in zero gravity

Imagine: you are flying to the ISS. You are sad, missing Earth. Then you turn on a projector, inflate a soft ball, and have a match in the "Zvezda" module. Yes, cosmonauts play football in zero gravity. Not like on the field: the ball doesn't fall, it floats. The rules change: you can push off the walls, headbutt the ball stuck under the ceiling. The goalkeeper is replaced by the airlock. A real football match was held on the Mir station: cosmonauts of the crew played with the Mission Control Center (via telemetry). Today on the ISS there is a mini-ball and gates made of duct tape. When tourists arrive, they also play football.

Space ball: from leather to super-technologies

A modern football is space. The materials used (carbon, microfibers) come from the aerospace industry. The Telstar 18 World Cup ball of 2018 had an NFC chip, and the Al Rihla World Cup ball of 2022 had an inertia sensor. The next ball may have nano-sensors for tracking hits, like sensors on spacesuits. The shape of the panels is optimized using aerodynamic modeling, like rockets.

Footballers' equipment: the legacy of space

Boots with carbon soles, breathable jerseys with moisture-wicking — all this came from space suits. Materials that wick away sweat were created for astronauts who cannot change their underwear frequently. Cooling systems in jerseys are from technologies for extravehicular activity. Even the shaving gel that footballers use before games has a space version. So space affects the game.

Space clubs and names: Zvezda, Galaktika

There are many clubs with "space" names in the world: "Galaktika" (Los Angeles), "Zvezda" (various cities), "Sputnik", "Raketa", "Astronaut". In Russia there is "Zvezda" (Perm), "Kosmos" (Dolgoprudny). Names reflect the dream of space. Sometimes clubs play in forms with star patterns. In 2018, the Moscow "Spартак" released a "Kosmos" form in honor of Gagarin.

Football and space in cinema

Is there a football episode in the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey"? No, but in "Space Between Us" (2017) the hero from Mars plays football. In "Salyut-7" (2017) cosmonauts play football in zero gravity. In Adidas' "Space football" ad, the ball flies into space. Cinema loves to connect football and stars.

Astronaut footballers: who played in space

Russian cosmonauts Alexander Misurkin, Sergey Prokopyev, Americans, Europeans. A well-known football fan is cosmonaut Oleg Artемiev, who wore a "Spартак" jersey on the ISS. NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman (a fan of Manchester United) took the club scarf with him. Transmissions of World Cups are often held on the ISS. In 2018, Russian cosmonauts watched matches from orbit.

Future: football on the Moon and Mars

When people fly to Mars, they will want to play football. On the Moon, gravity is 1/6 of Earth's. The ball will fly far, and running will be jumping. Maybe you will have to come up with new rules: there will be no offside, the goalkeeper can take the ball anywhere on the field. On Mars, gravity is 1/3 of Earth's. There are already bases with football fields under domes. Elon Musk has promised to deliver a ball to Mars. Football will not be abandoned.

Future technologies: smart balls and autonomous referees

Artificial intelligence and player tracking systems developed for space are already being used in football (VAR, player tracking). In the future, a ball with AI will determine goals itself. Video surveillance systems created for spacecraft docking will help referees. Football will become even more technological, like space.

Football and space are two sides of the human dream: about flight, about movement, about going beyond. On Earth, we kick the ball to forget; in space — to not forget who we are. And while we play, the stars do not seem so far away.

Permanent link to this publication: