My Football Kit: Self-Assembled Non-Inflatable Balls to Make Soccer More Inclusive

This year, nendo, who designed the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Cauldron, brought back one of its products, "My Football Kit," in a limited edition. This disassembled soccer ball design is an innovation that popularized soccer and increased the number of players.

My Football Kit by nendo (cr: nendo)

My Football Kit was introduced in 2021 as a simplified soccer ball to allow children from all backgrounds to play and enjoy soccer. This idea emerged to answer the difficulties experienced by most children in getting proper soccer balls. Even though they could afford it, maintenance is also an obstacle, for example, due to the unavailability of an air pump or damage to the tube on the ball. In realizing the vision, Nendo collaborated with Molten, a sports equipment company.

The color option (cr: nendo)

Conceptual sketch (cr: nendo)

They created a self-assembled ball inspired by the structure of a traditional Japanese woven bamboo ball. This non-inflatable ball consists of three types of components, totaling 54 parts. This configuration resolves the problem of air pressure on the ball. In addition, the small components also save a lot of space, making it more compact in terms of packaging and shipping.

The components (cr: nendo)

Football kit knapsack packing (cr: nendo)

Furthermore, the strength of the ball depends entirely on the material. If damage occurs to one part, the interlocking structure will remain round. It is also possible to replace only the damaged part without purchasing another whole ball, thereby saving costs and extending the life of the ball. Soft recycled polypropylene components and elastomeric synthetic resin are safe for bare feet, so the children would not be hurt even when playing and kicking without shoes. The My Football Kit also has a similar feel to a regular ball.

Safe to be kicked barefoot (cr: nendo)

Interlocking structure (cr: nendo)

The limited edition 'One for One' was released with a 'Buy One, Give One' program—with each purchase, one ball will be sent to the purchaser, and one ball will be donated to a facility such as a supporting home or school for children. In this program, buyers will get black-and-white balls with the Molten and Nendo logos, while donated balls come out without the Nendo logo, and the color determination is left to Molten.

Self-assembled soccer ball (cr: nendo)

Instruction book with no text (cr: nendo)

Hopefully, bringing back this innovative design would make football a more inclusive sport for children.