Answer:
It is less than its initial speed
Explanation:
The football moves both horizontally and vertically at the same time with a diagonal velocity v. This velocity vector v has two components: the horizontal velocity [tex]v_x[/tex], and vertical velocity [tex]v_y[/tex]:
[tex]v=\sqrt{v_x^2+v_y^2}[/tex]
When the football reaches its maximum height, the vertical velocity is zero, leaving only the x component. So, its speed it is less than its initial speed.