ADIDAS UEFA COMPETITION BALLS
adidas Presents The Official Match Balls For The 2010/11 UEFA Club Competitions
- New design and proven technology for Europe’s elite –
Adidas have unveiled the Official Match Balls to be used during the 2010/11 UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Super Cup tournaments. The UEFA Super Cup ball will be used during tomorrow’s clash between F.C. Internazionale Milano and Club Atlético de Madrid. Tomorrow’s UEFA Super Cup game marks the second successive occasion where adidas and UEFA celebrate the official kick-off of the new international club football season with a specially designed UEFA Super Cup ball.
The Finale 10 – The Official Match Ball for the 2010/11 UEFA Champions League Season
WE have already had a look at the new UEFA Champions League ball here:. But here is a reminder. The design of the Finale 10, the Official Match Ball for the 2010/11 UEFA Champions League season, builds on the tradition of the iconic UEFA star ball logo. The Finale 10, which is now ten years into its development, features the emblematic design colours of the UEFA Champions League making it a true icon of the tournament. The adidas Finale 10 is the first season ball on which the famous UEFA Champions League star panel shape is integrated in the technology of the ball.
The variation of blue shades, ranging from a dark midnight blue on the outside of the stars, to a lighter blue in the star centre, is combined with traditional black and white on the borders. In line with adidas’ continued advancements in ball technology, the ‘Finale’ lettering demonstrates a subtle, yet sophisticated modernization to the ball.
All games from the play-off round to the semi-finals will be played with the adidas Finale 10. The match ball for the UEFA Champions League Final in London’s Wembley Stadium, on May 28th, 2011, will be unveiled at the beginning of next year.
The Official Match Ball for the 2010/11 UEFA Europa League
As the Official Match Ball supplier for the UEFA Europa League since the commencement of the tournament, adidas developed the Official Match Ball in line with the visual language of the logo and brand colours of the competition.
Integrated into the official UEFA Europa League ball is the adidas exclusive and industry-leading “Grip’n’Groove” profile technology which guarantees the truest ball flight under all conditions. The adidas “Grip’n’Groove” technology has been successfully implemented on the Official Match Balls for the first divisions in Russia, Argentina, Japan and the USA, in addition to the recently launched Official Match Ball for the new German League season, the Torfabrik. The adidas “Grip’n’Groove” technology is a technology which will continue to be used throughout these leagues during the 2010/11 season.
All games of the UEFA Europa League – including the Final in Dublin on May 18th, 2011 – will be played with the new ball. The adidas Finale 10 and the 2010/11 UEFA Europa League ball have been available at retail worldwide since July 1st.
The Official Match Ball for the UEFA Super Cup 2010
Following the successful launch of the first Official Match ball for the UEFA Super Cup in 2009, adidas will continue to offer a specially designed ball to mark the prestigious occasion. The design of the ball takes inspiration from the colours of the UEFA Super Cup logo, as well as the colours of the respective teams competing in the game – F.C. Internazionale Milano and Club Atlético de Madrid. As with the UEFA Europa League Ball, the UEFA Super Cup ball features the industry-leading “Grip’n’Groove” technology.
The ball will take to the field on Friday, August 27th, 2010 when the winners of last season’s UEFA Champions League, F.C. Internazionale Milano, meet the winners of last season’s UEFA Europa League, Club Atlético de Madrid, at the Stade Louis II in Monaco. The ball will be sold in selected retail outlets throughout Europe and exclusively at the UEFA Super Cup in Monaco, making it a true collector’s item.
adidas and UEFA
adidas have produced the Official Match Balls for UEFA tournaments since 1970 and together share a passion for football development. For the 2010/11 season:
- adidas will offer a high-quality product range worldwide featuring the insignia of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.
- The UEFA Champions League match officials will wear a specially designed kit featuring the UEFA starball design.
- adidas will be on site throughout cities in Europe before every match in support of the UEFA Europa League, hosting a number of events for fans and promoting the season’s merchandise.
ADIDAS FINALE MADRID
Recently we revealed the new Adidas ball that will be used in the UEFA Champions League Final; the Finale Madrid.
Bayern Munich’s Arjen Robben and Inter Milan’s Diego Milito hold aloft the official adidas final match ball “Finale Madrid ” ahead of the 2010 UEFA Champions League final on Saturday 22nd May 2010.
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER-FINAL AND SEMI-FINAL DRAW
The UEFA Champions League draw gave us some very interesting match-ups. There is an all French quarter-final as Lyon play Bourdeaux. The winner of that match will face either Bayern Munich or Manchester United.
The other semi-final will be made up of the winners between Inter Milan and CSKA Moscow (who make their first quarter final appearance.) and Arsenal or Barcelona.
ADIDAS’ NEW UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL BALL: ‘FINALE MADRID’
Adidas proudly presents the new Official Match Ball for the UEFA Champions League Final in Madrid on May 22nd: the “Finale Madrid”. This is the tenth consecutive time that an adidas ball has been used in the group phase and the Final of the UEFA Champions League. The design of the “Finale Madrid” ball, presented today at Real Madrid CF’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, pays tribute to the exciting history of the UEFA Champions League competition.
adidas celebrates each of the ten most recent UEFA Champions League Finals with a unique and distinctive design positioned inside each of the characteristic star panels of the ball, including the upcoming Final in Madrid. Each design features the exclusive motif from the ten most recent Finals drawn in gold. The red borders of each star pay homage to the national colour of the Spanish flag while the base of the ball is inspired by the immaculate white of royal Madrid.
Alongside the traditional design elements of the ball, new technology is introduced. Under the motto “design becomes technology”, adidas has succeeded in integrating the technology of the ball into the star panel design, making the adidas Finale ball and the UEFA Champions League logo inseparable, while providing the truest possible ball flight. The panel structure is completed by 20 pentagonal panels. The “goose bumps”, a PSC-Texture™ known from previous editions of the ball, have been kept, guaranteeing ideal ball control under all conditions. David Taylor, CEO UEFA Events, said: ”Once again we think adidas has done a great job with the design and the technology of the ball. It’s a special ball for a special game and it’s fitting for the tenth anniversary of the adidas partnership.”
”The UEFA Champions League Final is where the very best in football meet and therefore it is a natural place for adidas to be. We are proud to celebrate our tenth birthday as the Official Supplier of the competition and look forward to a fantastic weekend in Madrid,” says adidas Vice President Football Global Sports Marketing Claus-Peter Mayer.
”Designing this ball was really good fun and very special for our team,” says adidas designer Janneke van Oorschot. ”The star panel is an ideal shape for us to give the legendary Finals from the recent past the attention they deserve. The special colours of Spain and Madrid, which have been used in the design, make the ball look stylish and definitely fitting for another legendary UEFA Champions League Final,” she continued.
adidas ball technology comprises the unique experience portfolio of almost 50 years of football production. As a result, sales figures confirm adidas’ position as the most successful football manufacturer in the world.
adidas will continue to use innovative technology to extend its leading position in global football. This, in turn, will further strengthen adidas’ position as the market leader in high-performance sports equipment for professionals and amateurs alike. The adidas Innovation Team will continue its development of more revolutionary match ball technologies, which will be introduced at future UEFA, FIFA and CAF competitions.
Quotes about the new ball:
David Taylor, CEO UEFA Events: Once again we think adidas has done a great job with the design and the technology of the ball. It’s a special ball for a special game and it’s fitting for the tenth anniversary of the adidas partnership.
Claus-Peter Mayer, adidas Vice President Football Global Sports Marketing: The UEFA Champions League Final is where the very best in football meet and therefore it is a natural place for adidas to be. We are proud to celebrate our tenth birthday as the Official Supplier of the competition and look forward to a fantastic weekend in Madrid.
Janneke van Oorschot, adidas designer: Designing this ball was really good fun and very special for our team. The star panel is an ideal shape for us to give the legendary Finals from the recent past the attention they deserve. The special colours of Spain and Madrid, which have been used in the design, make the ball look stylish and definitely fitting for another legendary UEFA Champions League Final.
