Bend It Like Beckham

          I mentioned on my soccer website how to kick a soccer ball. There was a brief section that talked about curving the ball that I just touched on. There are many applications where this shot is very helpful. It can provide a sense of illusion to the goalie because it might take a while for the ball to start to curve. This could result in a goal if there is enough rotation on the ball. The curve is explained by the physics term called the Magnus effect. This is where the object is spinning in one direction and it creates an aerofoil around the object that causes it to move in the direction that it is spinning in. If the object was in something like water, the effects would be easier to visualize because it create a whirlpool type of effect. The new 2010 FIFA match soccer ball was criticized for not having enough Magnus effect capabilities which made it more difficult to judge and caused the ball to travel a farther distance. This soccer strike is achieved by kicking the ball off center with a great amount of force to attain the proper amount of spin on the ball. If the ball is hit on the center, it cannot attain that spin and will not curve. It must be struck on the side to spin enough to curve. This is very valuable in corner kicks where players have the ability to score without any other player interaction simply because they were able to put so much curve on the ball.