What is football without the ball? Alongside the players, the ball is the only other really essential ingredient for the game to happen, and over the years, balls have evolved to match the demands of the game, with data-driven designs creating iconic looks that, in turn, have helped produce iconic moments.
Last Friday, the local football governing body, FUFA, launched “Zakayo,” a match ball that is now mandatory to be used by all clubs playing in competitions authorized by FUFA.
Zakayo is produced by Janzi, a company owned by FUFA. According to the federation, they chose the name Zakayo to embrace Uganda’s heritage as chimpanzees are one of Uganda’s biggest tourist attractions.
To be specific, Zakayo was a legendary chimpanzee whose story dates back to 1963 in Semiliki National Park but later transferred to Entebbe Zoo (now Uganda Education Wild Life Centre) where he lived until he died in 2018.
“So, the official match ball was named Zakayo to keep the legacy alive,” said FUFA.
The Zakayo ball has patches of the three colours of the Uganda flag: black, yellow, and red, symbolizing ethnicity, abundant sunshine, and brotherhood.
Zakayo is made of synthetic leather and is Size 5 with a diameter of 8.6 inches (22-23 cm) and a circumference of 27-28 inches (68-70 cm). The mass of the Zakayo ball is between 14-16 oz (400-450g) with a pressure between 8.5-15.6 psi (58.6-107.6 kPa).
“The ball has been made with consideration of the latest trends in terms of texture, design, durability, and flight. The texture on the ball’s outer skin is designed to offer consistent flight, rate of spin, and speed,” said FUFA.
The Zakayo Balls, which go for Shs50k and Shs100k (premium quality), can only be purchased at the FUFA Merchandise Shop at FUFA Complex, Mengo.
FUFA anticipates that Zakayo can become an iconic ball in the world of football, but here are some of the famous balls in no particular order:
Jabulani (2010): The Jabulani (which means “be happy” in Zulu) ball was a football manufactured by Adidas. It was the official match ball for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The ball is made from eight spherically moulded panels and has a textured surface intended to improve aerodynamics. However, its design was much maligned by players at the World Cup, and production ceased after two years.
Adidas Tango: Introduced in 1978, the Tango design remained relatively unchanged until 2002. It served 24 years of iconic moments.
Nike Total 90 Aerow: In 2004, Nike brought out the T90 Aerow, a ball that would go on to last four generations. The ball coincided with Chelsea’s first-ever Premier League title.