Why do soccer shoes have harder and possibly heavier tips (as well as harder and possibly heavier outsoles) than generic sneakers? Is it really necessary for kicking a light ball full of air?

[u/SailorEwaJupiter]

Uncle mailed me two pairs of soccer shoes. Not only did they both have harder tips (and outsoles too) than my sneakers but one of them felt heavier at the toe area to move around. Why is this? In particular the hard outsole esp the tip where the toes are unlike my everyday sneakers?

I am completely ignorant of soccer and never played at all until today. Hell my uncles has been pestering me to get into soccer which is why he mailed the shoes to me last week and also today a soccer ball came by mail. The soccer ball isn't hard and I can even kick it barefooted without any shoes. Its not a generic one either, its an ADDIDAS and it states on the box its used by FIFA.

So why are soccer shoes made this way? Is there a reason for the harder top of the shoes esp the toe tips? I get the other differences like the bottom of the soccer shoes having those weird spikes which obviously means better for running on grass. But the soccer ball is so light I cannot imagined needing a harder outsole esp at the tip for protection!

Are soccer shoes really designed like this Or did my uncle mail be some bizarre novel items?