Introduction to World Cup balls

Historical Origins

Since the 1920s, the founder of Adidas, Mr. Adi Dassler, has been committed to developing and producing the best football products. This tradition remains the same: for the past 80 years, adidas has been working tirelessly to meet and exceed the needs of more than one million football players around the world. Adidas' contribution to sports and its close ties with some of the world's top athletes and teams have enabled Adidas to always occupy a leading position in football brands and become an indispensable part of football history. Adidas has been producing high-quality game balls since 1963. At that time, most footballs were brown, heavy, and painful to kick. In 1970, FIFA first asked Adidas to provide the official ball for the World Cup in Mexico. At that time, Adidas had become the world's leading football brand.

[Edit this paragraph] Telstar 1970 World Cup in Mexico

"Telstar", the Telstar ball used in this World Cup is the prototype of various footballs today. The name comes from two words: "Television" and "Star". This is because the World Cup was the first time to be broadcast live to the world via satellite. At the same time, in order to make black and white TVs Users can see the football more clearly. In 1970, designers specially inlaid black pentagons on the ball that was originally a single color. The ball is entirely made of genuine leather, but what is unique is that the surface of the ball is composed of 32 hand-stitched surfaces (12 black pentagons and 20 white hexagons), giving the football a rounder and more perfect shape. Although it was mainly for the purpose of beauty and convenience for television broadcasts, this design still had epoch-making significance, at least giving football the nice name "Black and White Elf".

[Edit this paragraph] Telstar & Chile 1974 World Cup in Germany

Two Adidas match balls were used in the 1974 World Cup in Germany. "Telstar" changed the original black Adidas logo to gold, and "Chile" is an all-white ball launched by Adidas based on the success of "Telstar". (The 1962 World Cup in Chile used an all-white ball.) The materials and technology of the two balls are basically the same as those four years ago. 1970

[Edit this paragraph] Tango 1978 World Cup in Argentina

In a country as unrestrained as the host country, Argentina, the traditional dance tango is precisely a kind of radical and elegant style of the country. Perfectly combined, the football named after "Tango" also strives for breakthroughs in design. In addition to improving the ball's ability to adapt to various climatic conditions, more importantly, 20 "triangular Adidas"-shaped inlays are connected to each other on the surface of the ball to form 12 circles of equal size. Although this was only a non-technological improvement, the surface of subsequent World Cup balls almost maintained this design until 1998. 1978

[Edit this paragraph] Tango Espana 1982 World Cup in Spain

"Tango Espana" only made minor changes in design. The key innovation is in technology: she still It is made of genuine leather, but uses waterproof and sealed sewing, which greatly reduces the water absorption of the ball and controls the additional increase in ball weight to the greatest extent. 1982

[Edit this paragraph] Azteca 1986 World Cup in Mexico

"Azteca" is a revolution in football manufacturing technology. Her exterior design incorporates the style of the Aztec architecture and mural patterns of the host's indigenous people; technically, it is made of synthetic materials for the first time. The use of this synthetic material enhances the ball's durability while further making it less absorbent. Whether on the hard ground, high in the air or in wet conditions, she excels. "Azteca" created a leap in football history. 1986

[Edit this paragraph] Etrusco Unico 1990 Italian World Cup

"Etrusco Unico", because Italy is a country with a strong classical charm, so the design of football patterns is also We must pursue classicism. The ball was named Etrusco Unico, which means "the only Etruscan" in Italian. Therefore, three Etruscan lion heads are painted on each triangular panel of the football's surface. In terms of technology, the ball has improved synthetic materials, and for the first time, a black polyurethane foam inner layer has been added to the ball, making the ball completely waterproof and the running speed has been improved again. 1990

[Edit this paragraph] Questra 1994 United States World Cup

"Questra" the name of the United States World Cup ball means seeking and exploring. The United States' unremitting exploration and pursuit of the universe and space inspired designers, so we can see the Milky Way and the vast starry sky on the ball's pattern. For the first time, the ball uses an inner layer of white polyurethane foam with energy recovery properties, making the ball softer to the touch and faster.

1994

[Edit this paragraph] Tricolore 1998 World Cup in France

"Tricolore": Chinese name "Tricolor Ball", she is the first football with colorful patterns in the World Cup . Its design is inspired by the French tricolor flag and the traditional "rooster" logo of the French nation and the French Football Federation. The main innovation of "Tricolore" is the use of a new type of composite foam material. The internal structure is a tightly arranged elastic bubble. Each bubble is closed and filled with gas. This new type of composite material is more wear-resistant, giving the ball better energy recovery performance, making the ball fly more stable and in a more accurate direction. "Tricolore" also uses "transparent printing" technology for the first time to make the ball's pattern more vivid, less likely to wear and tear, and have a longer life.

[Edit this paragraph] adidas Fevernovaα 2002 Japan and South Korea World Cup

"Fevernova" is translated as "Flying Fire Meteor" in Chinese. The design of the flying star goes beyond the past concepts. Its appearance design is based on white, and four dynamic dart-shaped patterns inlaid with gold and red surround the surface of the football, allowing players to better see the rotation of the football. . According to reports, this dynamic and novel appearance was inspired by the philosophies of South Korea and Japan: the 2002 gold symbolizes the passion and vitality of the World Cup; the red flame represents the passionate power; the four triangles with turbines as patterns in the center of the ball Use industrial language to interpret the perfect balance of the sphere.

[Edit this paragraph]adidas +Teamgeistα 2006 World Cup in Germany

The game ball that will be used in Germany is called "Team Star", which means the important spirit of winning the World Cup. :The power of team. It uses new special-shaped pieces and seamless lamination technology, unprecedentedly reducing the number of pieces on the football ball surface to 14 pieces. In 2006, this innovation changed the number of splicing points on the outer surface of the ball from the original 60 to 24, reducing the number of pieces. 60%, and the total length of the splicing line has also been reduced from 40.05 cm to 33.93 cm, a reduction of more than 15%, which eliminates irregular concavities and convexities on the surface of the sphere to the greatest extent, making the sphere present a perfect arc, thus effectively improving the efficiency of football operation. Accuracy. The "Team Star" is mainly composed of black, white and gold. Black and white are the traditional colors of the host German national football team, while gold represents the World Cup championship trophy.

[Edit this paragraph] Design Brief

The power of the team. She uses a new special-shaped piece and seamless lamination technology, unprecedentedly reducing the football ball surface pieces to 14 pieces, eliminating irregular concavities and convexities on the surface of the ball to the greatest extent, making the ball present a perfect arc, thus effectively improving the The precision with which football is run. "+Teamgeist" (+Teamgeist?) is mainly composed of black, white and gold. Black and white are the traditional colors of the host German national football team, while gold represents the World Cup championship trophy. The roundness and surface smoothness of a football directly determine the stability and accuracy of its operation. The extraordinary thing about "+Teamgeist?" is that it has revolutionaryly reduced the spherical surface pieces to 14 pieces, while all previous football surfaces were composed of 32 pieces of skin. This innovation has reduced the number of splicing points on the outer surface of the ball from 60 to 24, a reduction of 60%, and the total length of the splicing line has also been reduced from 40.05 cm to 33.93 cm, a reduction of more than 15%. This block design combined with Adidas' unique seamless lamination technology enables the "+Team Star" to perform at an unprecedented level of performance. Large-scale comparison tests conducted at Loughborough University in the UK and the Adidas laboratory in Scheinfeld, Germany have proven this. Many stars have already taken the lead in trying out this new World Cup ball. Beckham commented: "'+Team Star' is one of the most beautiful World Cup ball ever, I like it very much!" Raul said: "I think among all Adidas footballs, this '+ "Teamgeist" is the most perfect one ever. Her design is very unique, and the ball feels very comfortable whether she is passing the ball or shooting." It is reported that "+Teamgeist?" will It will be sold in Adidas stores around the world from December 10 and is expected to break previous football sales records. As the world's leading football brand, adidas' experience in football manufacturing is unmatched. Adidas has been producing footballs since 1963 and has always been at the forefront of technological innovation. Since 1970, adidas has provided match balls for all major UEFA and FIFA competitions and has been an official partner of the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups, providing World Cup match balls. Adidas will continue to develop and innovate to further expand its leading position in the international football market and is committed to providing the best football equipment to all professional and amateur football players. It is reported that Adidas has begun preparations for the match ball that will be used in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Adidas has been committed to producing high-performance game footballs since 1963 and is the world's leading football brand.

The new World Cup ball "+Teamgeist?" took Adidas three years to develop, and various tests have shown that it is the best-performing football so far. She uses new special-shaped pieces and seamless lamination technology to unprecedentedly reduce the football surface pieces to 14 pieces, so that the quality and performance of the football remain unchanged during every shot, so players can This football perfectly showcases their superb skills. As the ball used for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, "+Teamgeist?" has withstood a series of rigorous tests conducted by the Adidas Innovation Team, including performance tests in various harsh environments and actual combat tests by professional players. The Adidas Innovation Team also collaborated with the UK's Loughborough University Sports Technology Research Center, which is world-renowned in the field of sports technology, to conduct scientific tests on the performance of this football. All tests showed that the Adidas "+Team Star" is better than other footballs. The arc of the sphere is more perfect and the spherical pieces are more seamless, so the operation is more precise. FIFA has a strict set of rules in place when it comes to determining the match ball to ensure the best football is available to the best players in the world. Only footballs that have passed a series of rigorous tests and meet various standards can obtain the "FIFA Approved" mark. A number of tests conducted at the adidas Football Laboratory in Scheinfeld, Germany, and the Loughborough University Test Center have shown that the adidas "+Teamgeist?" not only fully meets the "FIFA Approved Qualification" standards, but also It far exceeds the requirements of FIFA standards in various standards.

Test evaluation

Mechanical leg test kick: The Adidas Football Laboratory in Scheinfeld, Germany has developed a set of high-tech football mechanical legs for various football tests. It allows for repeated hitting tests on the football at exactly the same angle and with exactly the same speed and force. Special tests of the mechanical leg showed that the adidas "+Teamgeist" (+Teamgeist?) was 30% more accurate than other top footballs tested. While the robot leg was being tested, a high-speed camera was set up in parallel near the hitting point to record and analyze the impact of the kick on the football. The video showed that the Adidas "+Team Star" adopted a unique The 14-piece skin patch design eliminates irregular concavities and convexities on the surface of the ball to the greatest extent, so no matter where the football is kicked, the performance of the football will always remain consistent. Sphere circumference test: The consistency of the sphere's circumference is one of the important properties of football. A perfect sphere with a consistent circumference allows players to better dribble and control the movement of the football. To calculate the average ball circumference of a soccer ball, each Adidas match ball is passed through 10 different ball test points to measure the ball circumference. The following are the test results: FIFA approved standard: 68.5 cm - 69.5 cm Adidas "+Team Star": 69.0 cm - 69.25 cm Durable round sphere test: A perfectly round ball football can help football players show their superb skills Football skills. The closer the football ball is to a perfect circle, the more stable the football will be in flight, the higher the accuracy, and the more predictable the football flight will be. The new special-shaped piece design enables the football to better transfer the kicker's force and effectively reduce the target area angle formed after the football flies. The larger pieces on the football surface can provide players with more and better kicks. point. Adidas measures the diameter of the ball at 16 different spherical points and calculates the average diameter of the ball. FIFA has strict regulations on the difference between the maximum and minimum diameter of a football ball. The following are the test results: FIFA approved eligibility criteria: The maximum difference does not exceed 1.5% Adidas "+Team Star": The maximum difference does not exceed 1.0% Water absorption test: A wet weight of a football and a dry football. Each performance is completely different. A wet-weight football flies slower, bounces lower and is more difficult to spin. Adidas' unique thermal bonding technology makes Adidas footballs highly water-resistant. The test results of Adidas "+Teamgeist?" show that its performance is completely consistent in dry or wet environments. In the football water absorbency test, the football is squeezed and rotated 250 times in a container of water and then weighed. The water in the container will also be weighed before and after the water absorption test. The following are the test results: FIFA water absorption approval standards: The weight of the ball does not increase by more than 10% Adidas "+Team Star" Water absorption: The weight of the ball increases by no more than 4.5% Weight test (420-445 grams): Every professional game Several footballs are used in a game, and each football used in a game is required to have the same performance. Consistency in football weight is critical. If a football is too light or too heavy, its flight angle and path will be difficult to predict.

The following are the test results: Qualification standards approved by FIFA: The weight of the football is between 420-445 grams Adidas "Team Star": The weight of the football is between 441-444 grams The ability to maintain the shape and size of the ball test: One football in a game On average, players are kicked about 2,000 times during a game. However we need football performance to be consistent from the first minute to the last minute of the game. In order to test the ability of a soccer ball to retain its shape and size, FIFA-approved standards require a soccer ball to hit a steel plate 2,000 times at a speed of 50 kilometers per hour. After this test, only minimal changes in ball pressure and ball arc are allowed, and there is no damage to the ball valve and ball seams before it can be used for competition. The following are the test results: Qualification standards approved by FIFA: 2,000 impacts at 50 kilometers per hour Adidas "+Team Star": 3,500 impacts at 50 kilometers per hour Roller test: The roller test is the quality of the unique printed surface of Adidas football by the Adidas Innovation Group and durability testing. The adidas "+Teamgeist" (+Teamgeist?) is the first football produced with fully inline printing technology, which gives the surface material the best durability to ensure the appearance of the ball pattern. Unique rebound performance test: When using the chest, thighs, feet and other parts to control the football or pass people, football players need to be able to predict and master the rebound performance of the football. In this unique test, a football will be dropped multiple times onto a steel plate from a height of 2 meters. The height difference between the highest and lowest bounce of the football cannot exceed 10 cm. The following are the test results: Qualification standards approved by FIFA: no more than 10 cm Adidas "+ Team Star": no more than 2 cm (rebound height is 143-145 cm at an ambient temperature of 20 degrees) (at an ambient temperature of 5 degrees The rebound height is 135-136 cm) Ball pressure test: If the football ball pressure decreases during the game, it will be difficult for players to predict the direction and trajectory of the football, and the football cannot meet the requirements for consistency of rebound effect. Changes in football ball pressure directly affect the success rate of long passes and bottom passes. In this test, the ball was fully inflated and then set aside for three days before its ball pressure was measured. FIFA stipulates that the drop in football ball pressure cannot exceed a specific ball pressure ratio. The following are the test results: Qualification standards approved by FIFA: The ball pressure drops no more than 20% Adidas "+Team Star": The ball pressure drops no more than 11%

[Edit this paragraph]Jabulani 2010 World Cup :

Adidas and FIFA jointly released the official match ball "JABULANI" for the 2010 South Africa World Cup in Cape Town***. "JABULANI" originates from the African Zulu language and means "celebration". The new 2010 match ball achieved a historic breakthrough in technology and incorporated South African elements into its design. “JABULANI” uses Adidas’ newly developed “Grip’n’Groove” spherical surface, which allows the ball to maintain a stable flight path under any weather conditions, thereby greatly improving players’ control over the football. "JABULANI" is composed of only eight pieces of skin. For the first time, Adidas uses a spherical molding method to achieve a three-dimensional structure for each piece of skin, and then uses thermal bonding technology to complete the splicing, making the new ball more round and smooth than before. More precise.

Naming

"JABULANI" comes from the Zulu language in the Bantu language family. As one of the 11 official languages ??of the Republic of South Africa, it is the mother tongue of approximately 25% of South Africans. The literal translation of "JABULANI" is "to celebrate". Football represents a passion that can unite the whole world. "JABULANI", as the name of the new World Cup ball, well explains this passion and invites fans from all over the world to enjoy the game that will be held in South Africa next summer. Football feast.

Design

As Adidas’ 11th World Cup match ball, “JABULANI” uses 11 different colors in its design. The 11 colors also represent that each football team consists of 11 players, and also imply that South Africa has 11 tribes and 11 official languages. South Africa is one of the countries with the largest number of ethnic groups on the African continent, and its colorful colors illustrate its diverse yet harmonious national characteristics. The four triangular patterns on the white sphere give "JABULANI" a unique appearance full of African spirit, while some personalized designs, such as the pattern on the sphere that resembles the shape of the Johannesburg Football City Stadium, highlight the beauty of South Africa. Three-dimensional skin: The 2010 South Africa World Cup match ball achieved a historic breakthrough in technology: the eight skins that make up the ball are made of a combination of EVA and TPU, and a spherical molding method is used to achieve a three-dimensional structure, so that it can Perfectly enveloping the inner core of the ball, making the football achieve an unprecedented roundness.

Adidas invited players from all over the world to try out "JABULANI", and received positive comments from the players: Ballack: "It's wonderful. This ball can do exactly what I want." Cech: "You can Feel the power when it comes towards you, like a bullet." Lampard: "It's a powerful football, it hits the target." Kaká: "For me, it's the ball. Touch is the most important thing and this ball feels great. "Grip'n'Groove" ball surface: Aerodynamic grooves (Aero grooves): According to the principle of aerodynamics, the "Grip'n'Groove" ball surface is embedded in the right place. Clearly visible aerodynamic grooves make "JABULANI" the most stable and accurate adidas football ever. This has been proven by large-scale comparison tests at Loughborough University in the UK and the adidas laboratory in Scheinfeld, Germany, as well as countless wind tunnel tests. Ultra-micro embossed surface (Grip): Following the introduction of a unique textured spherical surface for the European Cup last year, Adidas has made another innovation in the spherical surface of the new World Cup match ball. "JABULANI"'s excellent ultra-micro-convex skin design further enhances players' overall control of the ball in different weather conditions. Adidas works with the world's top athletes when developing and testing its products. Its partners AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Orlando Pirates and Cape Town Ajax participated in the testing of Adidas "JABULANI" in 2008 and made suggestions on the spherical structure and material selection. Adidas will always spare no effort to invite its partners *** to participate in product development and manufacturing, and continue to provide the best football products to the market. As the world's leading football brand, adidas' experience in football manufacturing is unmatched. Adidas has been producing footballs since 1963 and has always been at the forefront of technological innovation. Adidas has supplied match balls for all major UEFA and FIFA competitions since 1970 and has been an official partner of the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. Adidas will continue to develop and innovate to further expand its leading position in the international football market and is committed to providing the best football equipment to all professional and amateur football players. It is reported that Adidas has begun preparations for the match ball that will be used in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

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