• First seen at Flamengo Football Club in 1987 in Rio de Janeiro. The ball was being used with very young soccer players as a game ball in their play sessions.
• Next seen utilized by then-U20 Brazilian National Team Coach Rene Simoes in a coaching clinic conducted by the Brazilian Football Academy in 1989 in Dallas, Texas.
• Observed the balls again being utilized as a training ball with both the Junior and Senior teams at Flamengo Football Club in Rio in 1991.
• The ball is most often used in Brazil as an off-season training tool to keep the skills of the players sharp. It is not used as a focal point, but as a supplement to training sessions.

Skill Development

• Can be used to improve passing, trapping, shooting, dribbling and heading
• Ideal for developing and improving the mechanics of the skills of the game of soccer
• Helps players to focus on finding the "center" of the ball
• Helps to develop players' first touch
• Can be used in most fundamental technical training activities
• Can be used in place of or in conjunction with a regular soccer ball
• An effective tool to help technical skill development
• Is not very conducive to long-range shooting or chipping

Technical Training

• Substitute the Brasilian Futebol of the regular soccer ball in almost any skills activity
• Work alone, in pairs, in threes or in groups
• Use walls, grids, two lines, three lines, circles
• Use inside of foot, instep, thigh or head
• Chest trap, thigh trap, foot trap
• Use one touch, two touch or fixed touches (e.g. right thigh to inside of left foot)
• Use to sharpen dribbling skills, coerver movements, fast footwork or moves
• Use to improve volleying, half-volleying

Motor Development/Ball Familiarity

• Improves:
  • Hand-eye coordination
  • Motor coordination
  • Agility
  • Balance
  • Players' "touch" on the ball
  • Can be used to create aerobic training
• The Futebol is a FUN ball to juggle
• Incorporating the bounce can be beneficial to novice or expert players

Juggling

• Juggle alone or in numbers
• Juggle more than one Futebol with multiple players
• Incorporate the bounce into the juggling
• Use sole of foot to keep bounce alive
• Use the knee to keep bounce alive
• Incorporate your regular moves around the bounce
• Create body movements around the bounce and juggle
• Create your own juggling and movements

Games

• Use the bounce. The bounce increases success, therefore increases the number of touches
• Soccer Tennis
• Two-Square
• Multiple players and multiple balls
  • Juggling competition--Points if you lose the juggle
  • Juggling--Everyone is responsible for keeping the Futebols "alive"
  • Juggling--Inter-passing while keeping the balls alive
  • Vary group activity
• Use the Futebol to play regular soccer--small sided games with small goals
• Use multiple Futebols with larger numbers to small goals or multiple goals
• Use your imagination--it's a fun ball, so have some fun.