After a 25-year partnership with Nike, the Premier League is set to turn to a new official match ball supplier for the 2025/26 season.

The fact that this change is making news headlines is a reflection of how far the game has come. What was once a simple, heavy leather ball, only needing to move when it was kicked, has evolved into a multi-million dollar industry. And, for some managers, has even because the go-to excuse for why their team lost a match.