BY KUNLE SOLAJA.    

The official match ball for the 2018 World Cup has been unveiled. The match ball unveiled on Thursday is the 13^th since the adidas/FIFA World Cup partnership begun in 1970.

As in the past, the official match ball is a product of adidas, a long term partner of FIFA. But unlike the past tradition since Mexico ’70, the official World Cup match ball for Russia 2018 did not derive its name from the host country.

While the 2010 match ball is named “Jabulani” which means “to celebrate” in the local Zulu language in South Africa, that of the World Cup 2014 is “Brazuca.” The name was revealed in September 2012 after selection by public vote in Brazil.

The name Brazuca was chosen by close tom 78% of the one million voters in Brazil. According to FIFA “the informal term “brazuca” is used by Brazilians to describe national pride in the Brazilian way of life”, and “mirroring their approach to football, it symbolises emotion, pride and goodwill to all.

The two other voting options were “Bossa Nova” which got 14.6% votes and “Camavalesca” which attracted 7.6 % of the votes.

From ‘Telstar’ through ‘Jabulani’ and ‘Brazuca’ to ‘Telstar 18’, Sports Village Square digs into the archives to bring the Official balls through the ages.

1970 FIFA World Cup  Mexico

“adidas Telstar”

Like all other balls in its time, the adidas Telstar was completely made of leather; however, unlike any other ball it featured 32 hand-stitched panels (12 black pentagons and 20 white hexagons), creating the roundest sphere of its time.

The revolutionary design of Telstar wrote football history: it was the first white football ever to be decorated with black pentagons. Mexico 1970 was the first live televised FIFA World Cup and the revolutionary design of Telstar – the name derives from “Star of Television” – made the ball far more visible on black and white television. Until this day, the adidas Telstar remains the archetype of all generic footballs.

1974 FIFA World Cup  Germany

“adidas Telstar and adidas Chile”

Two adidas match balls were used for Germany ‘74. Telstar made a repeat appearance with new black branding replacing the previously gold branding. And, building on the success of the adidas Telstar, adidas introduced a new all-white version named adidas Chile (after an all-white ball used at Chile 62). The materials and techniques used in the Telstar and Chile were identical to those used four years earlier.

1978 FIFA World Cup  Argentina

“adidas Tango” 

In 1978 football design experienced another revolution with the introduction of the adidas Tango. Once again adidas had created what would become a ‘football design classic’. Twenty panels with ‘triads’ created an optical impression of 12 identical circles. For the following five FIFA World Cup  tournaments the Match Ball design was to be based on this design. Tango featured improved weather resistance qualities, and took its inspiration from the deep passion, emotion and elegance of Argentina.

1982 FIFA World Cup  Spain

“adidas Tango España”

The initial Tango design from 1978 was only altered slightly in 1982. However, the Tango España did feature a major technological innovation. The Tango España, still made of leather, featured revolutionary waterproof sealed seams. This dramatically reduced the ball’s water absorption, thus minimizing weight increase during a game under wet conditions.

1986 FIFA World Cup  Mexico

“adidas Azteca”

The Match Ball for the 1986 FIFA World Cup revolutionized footballs and football production techniques. The adidas Azteca was the first ever synthetic FIFA World Cup Match Ball. The use of synthetic material increased its durability and further minimized water absorption. With its never-before-achieved performance on hard ground, at high altitude, and in wet conditions,  Azteca represented a massive leap forward for the game.

It is elegantly and elaborately decorated design was inspired by the hosting nation’s native Aztec architecture and murals.

1990 FIFA World Cup Italy

“adidas Etrusco Unico”

The adidas Etrusco Unico evolved the use of synthetic materials further, creating the first ever Match Ball containing an internal layer of black polyurethane foam, making Etrusco Unico fully water-resistant, more lively and faster than ever. The name and intricate design took their inspiration from Italy’s magnificent, ancient history and the contributions and fine art of the Etruscans. Three Etruscan lion heads decorate each of the 20 Tango triads.

1994 FIFA World Cup  USA
“adidas Questra”

In 1994 adidas introduced the first Match Ball featuring a high-tech, ultra-high-energy-return layer of white polyethylene foam. This PE layer made Questra softer to the touch (more controllable) and much faster off the foot for more speed. Inspired by space technology, high velocity rockets and America’s “quest for the stars”, Questra set new performance standards.

1998 FIFA World Cup France

“adidas Tricolore”

The adidas Tricolore was the first ever multi-coloured Match Ball. France’s flag and national colours (the Tricolore) and the “cockerel” the traditional symbol of the French nation and Football Federation, inspired the ball’s name and design.

Moreover, the adidas Tricolore featured an advanced “syntactic foam” layer – a tight regular matrix, composed of gas-filled, individually closed and highly durable micro balloons. The syntactic foam further improved the ball’s durability, energy return and made it more responsive.

2002 FIFA World Cup Korea / Japan

“adidas Fevernova”
The adidas Fevernova was the first World Cup Match Ball since 1978 to break with the traditional Tango design introduced in 1978. The colourful and revolutionary look and colour usage was entirely based on Asian culture. The Fevernova featured a refined syntactic foam layer to give the ball superior performance characteristics and a three-layer, knitted chassis, allowing for a more precise and predictable flight path every time.

2006 FIFA World Cup  Germany 

“adidas Teamgeist”

The new Match Ball for the 2006 FIFA World Cup was officially unveiled during the Final Draw. The new adidas +Teamgeis introduced a radically new 14-panel configuration reducing the amount of three-panel touch points by 60% and the total length of the panel lines by over 15%, forming a smooth and perfectly round exterior allowing players significant improvements in accuracy and control. The Match Ball is designed in white and black, the traditional colours of the German national football team, and accentuated with the golden colour of the FIFA World Cup trophy. Its name, “+Teamgeist”, is based on the single most decisive characteristic every team needs to have in order to lift the trophy: team spirit!

2010 FIFA World Cup  South Africa 

“adidas Jabulani”

According to adidas, the newly developed “Grip’n’Groove” profile provides the best players in the world with a ball allowing an exceptionally stable flight and perfect grip under all conditions. Comprising only eight, completely new, thermally bonded 3-D panels, which for the first time are spherically moulded; the ball is perfectly round and even more accurate than ever before.

Eleven different colours are used in the Adidas “Jabulani”, the eleventh Adidas World Cup ball. These 11 colours represent the 11 players in every team, the 11 official languages of South Africa and the 11 South African communities that make the country one of the most ethnologically diverse countries on the African continent.

The colourful design brings together the tremendous diversity of the country in harmonious unity. Four triangle-shaped design elements on a white background lend the ball a unique appearance in African spirit. And like the outer facade of Johannesburg’s Soccer City Stadium, individual design elements also capture the colourfulness of South Africa.

2014 FIFA World Cup  Brazil 

“adidas Brazuca”

Like the past official balls, Brazuca has six polyurethane panels that are bonded to keep the ball the same weight and roundness in even the thickest of rain.

Another technical aspect of the ball, according to adidas in Brazil, is that the panels shape revolutionizes the game by producing faster flight speed and maintaining true roundness. The ball is said to be textured and feels more like the adidas’ Finale 13, the official UEFA Champions League ball, than the adidas “Jabulani” used in South Africa World Cup.

It is the most colourful ball ever in World Cup history.