In soccer some things never change. The goals stay the same size, hands aren’t allowed, and wasted footie hooligans will always beat the living crap out of each other. But with the new Total 90 Ascente, Nike aims to juice the game, making it faster, higher-scoring, and, um, more fun to watch. Nike's ball, which took two years and hundreds of hours of pro testing to develop, departs from its predecessors in three major ways. First, its patterning sets off a flickering effect as it rotates, so it's easier for players to track. Second, the funky-shaped panels create a 360-degree sweet spot. And third, engineers tested 20 different materials in a wind tunnel to concoct a microtextured covering that whizzes through the air-and makes free kicks dip and swerve even more cruelly than before. Little wonder the Ascente's been adopted by the planet's top three leagues: England's Premier League, Spain's La Liga, and Italy's Serie A. If it's bueno enough for Lionel Messi, it's bueno enough for you.
$140
nike.com