How Can Soccer Players Bend Their Shots in Midair?
Key takeaways
- It’s not magic, it’s fluid dynamics, the behavior of objects in a fluid—and air is considered a fluid, since it flows.
- Well, if you’ve seen the ticket prices for this year’s tournament, you might think it’s cheaper to go off planet.
- While the foot is in contact with the ball, it exerts a pushing force.
Why this matters: a development in AI with implications for how people work, create, and decide.
US midfielder Sebastian Berhalter takes a corner kick in a friendly match with Germany on June 6.Photograph: Daniel Bartel/Getty Images Comment Loader Save Story Save this story Comment Loader Save Story Save this story With the talent on tap, World Cup 2026 is sure to serve up plenty of jaw-dropping kicks, like a ball that curves in midair to go around a defender, or a shot on goal that swerves away from where the keeper thought it was headed. How is this possible? What wizardry enables a striker to change the ball’s trajectory after it leaves their foot?
It’s not magic, it’s fluid dynamics, the behavior of objects in a fluid—and air is considered a fluid, since it flows. (Kids, want to be a real-life FIFA hero? Take physics.) To really understand what’s going on, let’s model the motion of a ball, starting with the simplest and silliest scenario, then adding back elements of reality one at a time.
Why would you play soccer in space? Well, if you’ve seen the ticket prices for this year’s tournament, you might think it’s cheaper to go off planet. Anyway, say we’re way out yonder where there’s no air or gravity. The ball is at rest, and then a player in a space suit gives it a kick.