The official match ball for EURO 2024 has been presented in Germany. The Adidas ball has been given the name ‘Fussballliebe’, which should help convey the love for the sport of football. The ball has a white background color and contains some elongated triangles.
The triangles are a combination of black in combination with a lighter and brighter color, such as the Dutch, yellow and green. “The ball consists of 20 grooved panels that have been tested in the lab and on the field to improve accuracy and stability in the air for maximum precision,” Adidas said.
The names of the host cities appear on the ball: Düsseldorf, Cologne, Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Munich, Leipzig and Berlin. This also includes an illustration of the stadiums in which the games will be played.
Connected Ball Technology
“The ‘Fussballliebe’ is made from recycled polyester, water-based ink and various organic products such as corn fibers, sugar cane and wood pulp,” says Adidas. The Fussballliebe is equipped with the so-called ‘Connected Ball Technology’. Using this technology, data about a player’s position is sent directly to the VAR.
“The Connected Ball Technology contributes to UEFA’s semi-automated offside technology and therefore plays an important role in supporting faster match decisions.”
The ball was presented in the Olympiastadion in Berlin, where the final match will be played on July 14. The tournament starts exactly one month earlier, on June 14. To date, nine countries have been assured of participation in the European Championship: Germany (host country), Austria, Belgium, England, France, Portugal, Scotland, Spain and Turkey.
It is almost certain that the Dutch national team will also qualify for the European Championship. After the crucial 0-1 win in Athens over Greece, the men of national coach Ronald Koeman need a win over Ireland or Gibraltar. On Saturday, the Dutch team will take on Ireland in the Johan Cruijff ArenA, three days later the qualifying cycle will conclude in Portugal against Gibraltar.