• Select Soccer Balls

• Choose Soccer Cleats

• Dress for Soccer Success

• Find Soccer Gear on eBay

• Buy Soccer Gear With Confidence

Select Soccer Balls

Select Soccer Balls

Whether you want to play soccer in your backyard or in a league, you'll need a well-constructed soccer ball appropriate for your age. Popular soccer ball brands include Umbro soccer balls, Nike soccer balls, and Adidas soccer balls.

Get to know soccer ball sizing

Soccer balls come in three sizes designed for players in different age groups:

• Soccer balls for children: Size 3 soccer balls, the smallest soccer balls, are designed for children younger than the age of 8. Size 3 soccer balls weigh 11 or 12 ounces and have a circumference of 23 or 24 inches.

• Soccer balls for older kids: Buy size 4 soccer balls for players between the ages of 8 and 12. Size 4 soccer balls weigh 12 to 13 ounces and have a circumference of 25 to 26 inches.

• Soccer balls for teens and adults: Players over the age of 13, including adults, need size 5 soccer balls. Size 5 soccer balls weigh between 14 and 16 ounces and have a circumference of 27 or 28 inches.

Evaluate soccer ball construction

Soccer balls have four segments: the cover, panels, lining, and bladder. Look for quality materials and examine the photos in item listings to make sure you don't detect any damage.

• Soccer ball covers: Soccer balls typically have a synthetic leather cover. Durable polyurethane balls used in game play have a good feel. However, you'll want less expensive PVC soccer balls for practice. Although they will not have the same feel as other synthetic leathers, PVC offers the greatest durability.

• Soccer ball panels: Soccer balls used in professional matches typically have 32 panels. However, some leagues use soccer balls with 18 or 26 panels. Soccer balls with fewer panels are easier to curve.

• Soccer ball lining: Soccer ball lining, made of cotton or polyester, gives the soccer ball much of its shape and feel.

• Soccer ball bladders: Soccer ball bladders hold air and are usually made from latex or butyl. Butyl soccer ball bladders have a good feel and better air retention than soccer balls with latex bladders. Soccer balls with latex bladders have a softer, more responsive feel, but you need to re-inflate them at least once a week.

Stitching also plays a part in determining the quality of a soccer ball. Hand-stitched soccer balls cost more than machine-stitched soccer balls, but have stronger seams. High-quality soccer balls use five-ply polyester or similar thread for stitching and some are reinforced with Kevlar. Only buy a soccer ball with glued panels for practice.

Choose Soccer Cleats

Choose Soccer Cleats

Most soccer leagues require players to wear cleats appropriate for the playing surface. Popular choices include Nike cleats, Adidas cleats, and Lotto cleats.

• Molded soccer cleats: Beginning and intermediate soccer players usually wear molded cleats. Molded soccer cleats, made with molded plastic, have studs in various patterns, making them useful on many field types and in different weather conditions.

• Detachable soccer cleats: More experienced players should choose detachable soccer cleats. Detachable cleats have plastic studs, or plastic studs with metal tips that can be unscrewed and replaced to match field conditions.

• Turf shoes: Instead of using studs, turf shoes have hard rubber soles that provide good grip on artificial turf.

• Indoor soccer shoes: Low-cut and stud-free indoor soccer shoes will not damage the gym floor or other hard surfaces.

You'll find leather soccer shoes and cleats and synthetic soccer shoes and cleats on eBay. Leather offers a better feel for the ball, but synthetic shoes cost less and have easier maintenance.

Dress for Soccer Success

Dress for Soccer Success

After you have a soccer ball and shoes, you’ll want to look for shin guards, socks, goalie gloves, and soccer jerseys.

• Shin guards: The kind of shin guard you need depends on the position you play. Defenders need a heavy-duty shin guard and forwards usually use a lighter shin guard with ankle support. Popular brands include Diadora shin guards, Brine shin guards, and Puma shin guards.

• Socks for soccer: Soccer players must wear long soccer socks that fit snugly above the shin guards.

• Goalie gloves: If you plan to play goalie, you'll need goalie gloves such as Reusch goalie gloves, Adidas goalie gloves, or Zeepk goalie gloves. Pay attention to the palm of the glove—it’s the most important part. It’s usually made of latex to provide a very tacky surface to grip the ball. Some latex palms are dimpled, which increases durability, but which can lower the stickiness of the glove.

• Soccer jerseys: Most club teams will provide soccer jerseys or give you an option to buy. But that shouldn’t stop you from going out and finding your favorite team’s jersey to wear.

Find Soccer Gear on eBay

Find Soccer Gear on eBay

Once you know what type of soccer equipment you want, go to the Sporting Goods portal, click Soccer, and start searching for item listings on eBay.

• Categories: The Categories list on the left side of each page will help you narrow down your listings by item type. You'll find links for Apparel & Footwear, Balls, Pumps, Gloves, Socks, Shin Guards, and Other.

• Keyword search: Search eBay listing titles for specific words. For example, if you want to find shin guards, type "shin guards" (without quotation marks) into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. Visit eBay's Search Tips page for more hints on searching with keywords.

If you can't find exactly what you want, shop eBay Stores, tell the eBay Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.

Buy Soccer Gear With Confidence

Buy Soccer Gear With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay protection programs.

• Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to $1,000.

• eBay Security & Resolution Center: Visit the Security & Resolution Center to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.