Do Footballs Really Affect Performance? Mikel Arteta Thinks So—And He Might Have a Point

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After Arsenal’s 2-0 loss to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, manager Mikel Arteta raised an unusual concern—the ball.

Arteta suggested that the Puma Orbita 1 ball used in the competition affected his team’s shooting accuracy, contributing to their wasteful performance despite registering 23 shots without scoring.

His comments sparked debate across the football world. Was this just a frustrated manager deflecting blame, or do the balls used in elite competitions genuinely influence performance?e team struggled to find consistent form despite significant summer investment.