Soccer ball sizes: pick 1, 3, 4 or 5

Soccer balls come in numbered sizes, and you will find the number in the product name or the size list. The range here covers sizes 1, 3, 4 and 5, plus a few balls sold simply as Mini.

Size 5 is the size most balls here come in, from the adidas club balls to the Nike Academy and the Puma Orbita 6. If you need a smaller ball, the Nike Pitch and the Nike Mercurial Fade come in sizes 3, 4 and 5. Wilson makes its classic black and white Pentagon in the same three sizes. Size 1 is the skills ball: Nike says its Skills Football has a compact size 1 profile for footwork and close control.

Mini balls: a foam core, so no pump

Some mini balls here have no air inside at all. adidas says the Messi Mini Ball has a fully moulded foam core, so you never need a pump. The Trionda Spain Home Mini Ball needs no inflation either. That makes a mini ball easy to keep in a bag for the park or the garden.

The adidas Trionda balls carry match ball panel graphics, and adidas says the design of the Argentina Home Mini pays homage to the World Cup. You will find the Trionda Argentina Home as a mini and as a size 5 club ball, and the Spain Home as a mini.

Club ball, training ball or classic: how they differ

Club balls are made for casual games. adidas builds the Trionda Argentina Home Club Ball with machine stitching and a butyl bladder that holds air, and calls it a recreational football. adidas also makes Home Club Balls for Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool.

Training balls help you practise. Nike made the Pitch for beginner training sessions, and the Nike Academy balls for Liverpool and Barcelona have grooves for a consistent spin in the air. More are in Nike football. For a classic look, the Wilson Pentagon is a machine-sewn black and white ball that Wilson calls the first choice for the backyard, street or pitch.

If you are buying your first ball, start with a Nike Pitch in size 5. Then add a size 1 mini for footwork practice.