Despite the fact that the design of most footballs from proven manufacturers differs in durability and practicality, for a number of reasons, various “emergency situations” can occur with the game projectile. Fragments of broken glass, pointed ends of metal fences, constant pumping, violation of operating rules – all this can lead to various kinds of damage. The list of possible damage to football shells includes:

• – Damage to the camera (formation of punctures)
• – Nipple damage
• – Tire damage (rupture of seams)

What should I do if I hit a soccer ball?

The most annoying thing is when the ball fails at the most inopportune moment, for example, before a long-awaited important match or training in good weather. So, what to do if a soccer ball is punched? In such a situation, you have three options. You can send the damaged ball “to rest” and buy a new projectile in the sports store. Also, you can give it to the workshop for repair, but this will entail additional financial costs. Well, finally, you can try to repair the projectile on your own. By choosing this option, you will save your money, but at the same time you will have to make some effort and spend some precious time.

Any repair begins with the diagnosis of problems. If the damage to the tire can be determined visually, then the nipple and the camera are a little more complicated. In order to make sure that the nipple is functioning normally, you need to apply a soap solution or saliva to its opening. The absence of constantly appearing bubbles will indicate the working condition of the valve. In this case, you should look for damage on the camera itself. If the “hole” is large enough, then it can be detected by simply putting your hand to the camera. When you encounter a microscopic puncture, finding it will be a little more difficult. To do this, you will need to carefully open the seam, remove the camera and place it in a vessel with water (bath or basin). The puncture will be located in the place near which the water will bubble. Be sure to mark this area with a pen or marker.

How / How to seal a soccer ball?

Now that the problem has been identified and you have decided to repair the projectile with your own hands, two reasonable questions arise: “how and with what can you seal a football?”. 

It should be noted that some manufacturers and sellers of balls supply complete with the projectile, the so-called “repair kit” for cameras (or “first aid kit”), which includes: special active glue, patches of various sizes, a set of auxiliary tools, as well as repair instructions, following which even the camera can fix the problem the most inexperienced master.

The process of repairing a damaged camera of a football projectile consists of several successive stages. First, you need to slightly open the seam so that the threads begin to diverge. Then, with a knife (or scissors), cut the threads along the seam and pull the camera out of the tire, trying not to damage the nipple. 

At this stage, there are two options for action. You can simply replace the punctured camera with a new one, or repair it by sealing the puncture area with a patch. If you prefer the second option, we proceed to the next stage.

Before starting the restoration work, release all the air from the chamber. Treat the selected patch with sandpaper for a more stable grip. If it is necessary to clean the puncture area, use alcohol or acetone. On the fragment marked during the diagnosis, apply a thin layer of activating glue and allow it to dry a little for a few minutes. Then we apply a pre-treated patch to the puncture area. Take two small wooden bars, attach them to the place where the patch is glued and place them in a vise for 4-5 hours.

By the way, self-adhesive patches for cameras with a pre-applied adhesive layer are on sale, which significantly simplify and speed up the process of repairing the camera of a soccer ball.

After the specified time, we release the camera from the vise and put it back into the tire. At this stage, it is extremely important to make sure that the sealed chamber does not leak air. To do this, pump up the ball with a pump and set aside for 20 minutes. 

If the camera continues to release air, you should try using another patch. There may also be other punctures and slits that need to be identified and eliminated by following the algorithm described above.

If, after the repair, the camera reliably holds the air, you can proceed to stitching the split seam. Also, the actions performed at this stage are applicable to those situations when the camera is intact, but there is damage to the seams in the construction of the ball. Next, we will tell you how to sew a soccer ball at home.

What and how can I sew up a soccer ball?

Before you start stitching, you should prepare the tools at hand – needles, thread, pliers, a piece of wax. Cut a piece of thread about 50 centimeters long, press it against a piece of wax and stretch it several times in both directions. This will make it easier for you to thread through the needle eye and the holes of the tire panels. In order not to accidentally puncture the camera, it is recommended to use blunted needles when stitching, which will be more convenient to stretch with pliers. 

Then we determine the order of joining the joints for several seams, and thread the thread into the needle hole. It is necessary that both ends of the threaded thread have the same length. One of the ends must be inserted into another needle. The seam is applied in a zigzag way, similar to lacing shoes. Tighten the thread tightly by performing a stitch. After creating the seam, place both free ends of the thread under the tire and tie it in several knots. Next, shorten the ends to about 2 centimeters with scissors and tuck them inside. When the required number of stitches is done, proceed to tying the last knot. To do this, first draw both needles between the panels to be connected, and then, after removing the needles, tie several strong knots and shorten the end of the thread. After that, it remains only to carefully tuck the ends of the thread inside. Do not use sharp objects to avoid damaging the camera. Now you can slightly stretch the tire material and seams, in order to make sure the integrity of the resulting structure and pump up the repaired projectile. That’s it, your soccer ball is ready to come into play again!

Where to repair a soccer ball?

If you do not have the opportunity and desire to make repairs yourself, but you do not want to throw away the object dear to your heart, you can give it to a repair shop. Such workshops are often available at sports stores. For a fee, professional craftsmen can, for example, repair a nipple, or perform even the most complex types of tire or camera repair work. The tire of the ball can also be sewn up in a shoe repair shop, and you can patch up the punctured camera in the center where car tires are repaired.

From this article you have received the following useful knowledge: 

• – What to do if a soccer ball was punched
• – How can a punched ball be sealed
• – How to sew up the tire of the ball
• – Where soccer balls are repaired