What the Free Kick Has to Do With Engineering

Virtual Twins What the Free Kick Has to Do With Engineering

2026-07-17 Source: Dassault Systèmes | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

Related Vendor

From aerodynamically optimized balls and high-performance soccer shoes to intelligent sensors: Simulation helps develop the sports technologies of tomorrow.

Behind every precise shot is also engineering: simulation makes the physics of football visible.(Source: Dassault Systèmes) — Behind every precise shot is also engineering: simulation makes the physics of football visible.
(Source: Dassault Systèmes)

A spectacular free kick feels like magic: the ball lifts off, spins, and follows an apparently impossible trajectory. However, behind it lies not just the skill of the player but also precise physics. Aerodynamics, material properties, surface texture, and rotation influence how a ball moves through the air.This is where engineering comes into play. Using simulation and digital twins, products and systems can be digitally analyzed and optimized—long before a physical prototype is created.

Virtually Test Football Equipment

Since the first FIFA World Cup in 1930, sports equipment has fundamentally changed. The heavy leather balls and relatively bulky football boots of the past have evolved into highly advanced products made from specialized materials.For designers and developers, this means they must consider numerous requirements simultaneously—from weight and stiffness to cushioning, comfort, durability, and material fatigue.With Solidworks structural simulation solutions, stresses, impact forces, and deformations can be examined virtually. Developers can compare different materials and design variants, identify weaknesses early, and reduce the number of physical prototypes needed.

Trionda in its natural habitat. (Source: Comsol)

The physics Behind the Perfect Free kick

The trajectory of a soccer ball depends on numerous factors, including the ball's rotation, surface texture, and airflow conditions during flight.With Solidworks Flow Simulation, designers can virtually analyze airflows, rotation, and the impact of different geometries. This allows them to study how a ball behaves under various conditions and which properties influence its flight characteristics.The virtual analysis helps optimize designs in a targeted manner, reducing development times and the effort required for physical testing.

Smart Ball Technology for Precise Decisions

In modern football, decisions must be made within fractions of a second. Goal-line and offside decisions therefore require precise sensors, reliable data transmission, and robust integration of electronic components.Electromagnetics Engineer within the 3DEXPERIENCE Works Simulation enables the virtual analysis of electromagnetic effects. This includes, for example, the analysis of electromagnetic fields and the evaluation of communication between sensors and radio components.This allows developers to study and optimize the performance and reliability of connected ball systems early in the development phase.

Simulation for the Football of Tomorrow

From traditional sports equipment to intelligent, connected footballs: simulation and digital twins support the entire product development process. They help evaluate variants faster, identify weaknesses early, and use physical testing more strategically.The football serves as a prime example of the contribution digital development tools can make—wherever complex products need to function reliably under real-world conditions.

Subscribe to the newsletter now

Don't Miss out on Our Best Content

Business E-mail

Please enter a valid mailadress.

By clicking on „Subscribe to Newsletter“ I agree to the processing and use of my data according to the consent form (please expand for details) and accept the Terms of Use. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy. The consent declaration relates, among other things, to the sending of editorial newsletters by email and to data matching for marketing purposes with selected advertising partners (e.g., LinkedIn, Google, Meta)

Date: 08.12.2025

Naturally, we always handle your personal data responsibly. Any personal data we receive from you is processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. For detailed information please see our privacy policy.

Consent to the use of data for promotional purposes

I hereby consent to Vogel Communications Group GmbH & Co. KG, Max-Planck-Str. 7-9, 97082 Würzburg including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG (hereafter: Vogel Communications Group) using my e-mail address to send editorial newsletters. A list of all affiliated companies can be found here

Newsletter content may include all products and services of any companies mentioned above, including for example specialist journals and books, events and fairs as well as event-related products and services, print and digital media offers and services such as additional (editorial) newsletters, raffles, lead campaigns, market research both online and offline, specialist webportals and e-learning offers. In case my personal telephone number has also been collected, it may be used for offers of aforementioned products, for services of the companies mentioned above, and market research purposes.

Additionally, my consent also includes the processing of my email address and telephone number for data matching for marketing purposes with select advertising partners such as LinkedIn, Google, and Meta. For this, Vogel Communications Group may transmit said data in hashed form to the advertising partners who then use said data to determine whether I am also a member of the mentioned advertising partner portals. Vogel Communications Group uses this feature for the purposes of re-targeting (up-selling, cross-selling, and customer loyalty), generating so-called look-alike audiences for acquisition of new customers, and as basis for exclusion for on-going advertising campaigns. Further information can be found in section “data matching for marketing purposes”.

In case I access protected data on Internet portals of Vogel Communications Group including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG, I need to provide further data in order to register for the access to such content. In return for this free access to editorial content, my data may be used in accordance with this consent for the purposes stated here. This does not apply to data matching for marketing purposes.

Right of revocation

I understand that I can revoke my consent at will. My revocation does not change the lawfulness of data processing that was conducted based on my consent leading up to my revocation. One option to declare my revocation is to use the contact form found at https://contact.vogel.de. In case I no longer wish to receive certain newsletters, I have subscribed to, I can also click on the unsubscribe link included at the end of a newsletter. Further information regarding my right of revocation and the implementation of it as well as the consequences of my revocation can be found in the data protection declaration, section editorial newsletter.