Warsaw showcases football's rags to riches tale

Fans in the Polish capital are being given a crash course in footballing technology at an exhibition at Warsaw's Palace of Culture and Science, right next to the city's fan zone

A joint production of the Museum of Technology and the Museum of Sport and Tourism, 'Football's Technical Tricks' gives a different slant on the development of the beautiful game. Housed in the Museum of Technology, the exhibits have been laid out in a huge hall lined with artificial turf, featuring authentic stadium lighting and a goal – with visitors being ushered into the action through a players' tunnel.

On show are shirts, boots, socks, balls and other accessories from different footballing eras, with the older exhibits proving something of a shock to younger fans. "Look at that old rag," said one ten-year-old, pointing towards a football shirt from the 1950s. He was somewhat surprised to hear that heavy cotton shirts were standard for the great Poland players of the past.

Significantly, the exhibition also showcases the evolution of television technology in football, with modern screens and 3D technology alongside old black-and-white sets. Visitors can admire the cameras that were focused on Poland games in the 1970s, and see a re-creation of a vintage commentary position, while modern computer football games are contrasted with the addictive trailblazers of the 1980s.

"It was a fascinating journey through decades of Polish football history, and showed how technology influenced how we view the game," said Maciej, visiting with his girlfriend. "When we're watching a game, we often forget that there are skills being used off the pitch as well as on it. It was nice to get the chance to think about that."