How to Deflate a Soccer Ball: 5 Easy Steps
Knowing how to deflate a soccer ball is a useful skill for any player, coach, or soccer fan because it can help you properly store the ball, adjust its pressure for specific playing conditions, or make it easier to transport.
Ask any soccer player, youth or professional, or a soccer coach who travels a lot or who has a lot of training gear and equipment, what is easier to carry around, an inflated soccer ball or a deflated soccer ball?
The answer should be pretty clear, and there are a few reasons why players or coaches may want to learn how to deflate a soccer ball properly. For example, this skill can be useful if you need to create more room and store a lot of soccer balls somewhere, if you need to create space inside your soccer bag, or if you just need more space while you travel.
In this blog, I will cover tips and everything you need to know about deflating a soccer ball.
How do you deflate a soccer ball?
The best and most common way to deflate a soccer ball is by using a ball air pump inflation needle. For this, you don’t necessarily need the soccer ball pump itself, but you do need the inflation needle.
The ball pump can be used to inflate the ball, but it is not necessary to deflate it. To deflate a soccer ball using an air needle, it does not matter whether the needle is in the ball pump.
This is because most, if not all, pumps allow air to escape when the needle is inside the ball, and you are not pumping air in. Here are the simple steps to deflate your soccer ball with an air needle.
- Find the ball’s valve opening
- Lubricate or moisten the tip of the needle
- Gently insert the needle slowly into the ball’s valve opening
- Apply pressure gently and slowly push on to the ball so that you hear a small hissing sound, which is the noise of the air coming out of the inner bladder.
- Finally, keep the inflation needle inside the ball until all the air has escaped, and the ball reaches the desired level of deflation.
Alternative Ways to Deflate a Soccer Ball without An Air Pump Needle
The best way to deflate a soccer ball is with a needle, and I recommend using only a needle. This is why it is very important to have a reliable soccer ball pump and extra needles in your soccer bag, so you are ready in case your balls ever get flat.
There are some alternative methods you can use to deflate a soccer ball if you do not have a ball pump, but these should only be used if you absolutely have to. To deflate a soccer ball without a needle, you can use a sharp object, such as a straightened paper clip, a ballpoint pen, or something similar, to force open the valve.
- First: find the ball’s valve opening
- Second: insert the paper clip/pen only enough to open up the air valve
- Third: apply gentle pressure to the ball and squeeze the ball without too much force, so that you help all that air come out of the ball
If you use any of these items, be careful not to push them too far into the valve, as you risk damaging the inner bladder pipeline.
Why Putting Your Soccer Ball in The Fridge Won’t Deflate It
We’ve all heard some wild myths about deflating soccer balls before, and one of the most popular suggests that putting a soccer ball in a fridge will help it to deflatten due to the slow-moving cold molecules.
Even if this theory does sound logical, this method does not work, and if it were to work, it would take way too long. You are much better off purchasing a soccer ball pump and saving your time instead of leaving your ball inside a fridge.
Summary
To summarize, knowing how to deflate soccer balls is one of the most important parts of being a player, a coach, or a parent of a youth soccer player, because it helps free up a lot of room in travel equipment bags.
In this blog, I covered everything you need to know about deflating a soccer ball, from tips on how to best deflate a soccer ball to alternative methods in case you don’t have an air pump, although those should only be used if you absolutely have to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you deflate a soccer ball without a pump?
Yes, there are ways to deflate a soccer ball without a needle or pump, but this is not advised, as using other objects, such as a pen or paper clip, can cause internal and permanent damage to the ball.
Can you take soccer balls inside planes when flying?
Yes, you can take soccer balls inside planes when flying, either on your carry-on luggage or checked luggage, but make sure to double-check with the company you are flying with. Deflating your soccer balls is the best way to bring them on a plane.
What type of balls can you inflate with a ball pump?
Using a ball pump is one of the best ways to inflate any type of ball including:
