Ball children can accelerate and slow the game, but are they always neutral? In England and Italy, the players now have to get the balls themselves – and this trend reaches the Bundesliga.
The German Football League (DFL) recommends the 36 professional clubs to the so-called multi-ball concept. The previous ball children should put the play equipment on marking tiles and no longer throw the professionals.
The aim is to “promote fairness in the Bundesliga and 2nd Bundesliga by faster resuming the game and the reduction of the time game”. However, the implementation of the concept is not mandatory. The instruction of the FIFA World Association continues to have eight ball children around the field.
A total of at least 19 balls are used per game: a game ball, and at least 14 other balls on the long sides and four balls behind the goals.
Premier League as a pioneer
The Premier League As early as March 2024, the players decided that the players should no longer get the ball from the ball children. Instead of throwing him directly to the players, the ball children now put the balls on the top of Hütchen that are placed around the field. From there, the players have to get a ball themselves to continue the game. In total, 15 balls per game are in use in the Premier League.
Without a ball child: Arsenals Bukayo Saka picks up a ball from a hat.
In Italy, a similar procedure for series A with twelve balls was decided. Exceptions apply only to the goalkeepers in both countries, they can continue to receive a ball directly from the ball children.
The background: ball children can accelerate the game and slow down. But they are selected by the host clubs and can decide in the sense of the home teams to help who – and who are not. This home advantage should no longer exist in England and Italy, and the same opportunities should apply to both teams.
A ball on a hat in the Premier League
2017 – half a scorer point for Ballkind in Hoffenheim
Ball children were introduced in professional football after the game had slower and the net season less. According to the previous principle, however, you can be a tactical means for home teams. In Germany, a goal from the 2017/18 season is particularly remembered. A ball boy in Hoffenheim quickly gave Andrej Kramaric another ball after the then Bayern player Mats Hummels had threshed the ball.
The Kramaric throw -in flock led to a goal from Mark Uth, the ball boy was practically involved in the goal. Hoffenheim’s then coach Julian Nagelsmann said about the ball boy: “He certainly has a few percentage points at the goal.” The ball boy was Umut Tohumcu, today he plays with the TSG professionals.
In Portugal, FC Porto players continued in October last season. The price for the “player of the game” passed on to a ball boy who had initiated a quick move in Hoffenheim in 2017 and thus contributed to a goal.
Some coaches closed ball children Team members
The ball children should actually be neutral components of the game. But especially at the highest level, trainers are fighting for every small tactical advantage. Some coaches literally made the ball children members of their team. Pep Guardioala used ball children to put pressure on those teams that played in Manchester for a long time. The opponent’s players were strikingly served a new ball by the ball children.
In 2017, Pep Guardiola gives instructions to a ball boy at a home game by Manchester City.
José Mourinho also saw a way to surprise the opponent in the ball children. In his time at Tottenham Hotspur He once clapped with a ball child that had initiated a goal. Later Mourinho invited the boy to a meal with the team.
UEFA warned Glasgow Rangers for the behavior of the ball children
Defensive are logically a means of making time. If the tour is scarce shortly before the end, the ball children can theoretically take their time to bring the ball back into play. According to the UEFA, this happened exactly in November 2023 at the Europa League game between the Glasgow Rangers and Sparta Prague. The Rangers received a warning from the UEFA disciplinary chamber because they “unsportsmanlike behavior” the ball children had found.
Another case was more spectacular: In Australia, a ball boy was kidnapped in the 2017 cup final in favor of FC Sydney with a short tour against the game against Adelaide united. A player from Adelaide attacked him, there was a pack formation.
The player saw red, Sydney won the trophy. The ball boy received the medal of a player and was allowed to accept the trophy at the award ceremony.
FC Sydney celebrated a cup victory with a ball child (in the black jacket) in 2017
Hazard in an active conflict with ball boys, insulting de Bruyne
Ball children were also the focus several in the Bundesliga. For example, when a ball child threw the ball over the then Stuttgart goalkeeper Jens Lehmann and who complained about lack of respect. Kevin de Bruyne insulted a ball boy as Wolfsburg player and had to pay a fine.
Eden Hazard also fought in his time FC Chelsea 2013 in a game at Swansea City A tangible conflict with a ball boy because it did not release the ball.
Chelsea lost, Hazard was closed for three games, Swansea won the league cup in the end. The ball boy is now the owner of a vodkafabric multimillionaire. Both reconciled later.
Ball boy puts on Tor from Musiala
In the international match of the Nations League against Italy in March in Dortmund, the quick reaction of the ball boy Noel Urbaniak led to a curious goal of the German national team.
The teenager was later celebrated for his campaign: he threw the ball directly to captain Joshua Kimmich, who reacted quickly and brought the corner kick in the middle of Jamal Musiala. The professional scored the 2-0 and the goal was later elected in the sports show as the goal of March 2025.