Adidas Finale
Encyclopedia
The Adidas Finale ball is the current official football of the UEFA Champions League
, and has been since the 2000–01 season. The ball is therefore designed with emphasis on the stars of the UEFA Champions League logo. The ball is used mostly in the final stages, as other balls may be used in preliminary rounds. For example, a Puma
ball was used in a 2006–07 third qualifying round second leg match between Maccabi Haifa
and Liverpool
.
The ball is made by Adidas
, and was developed based on the Adidas Terrestra Silverstream, the official matchball of the UEFA Euro 2000 in the Netherlands
and Belgium
. This ball was also made with the same type of materials and construction used for the Adidas Fevernova
, except, of course, the graphics.
The Finale ball incorporates a unique design that was inspired by the UEFA Champions League "star-ball" logo. The Finale is softer, faster, and more accurate than any other Adidas football before and it also features a layer of highly compressed, gas-filled micro-balloons of equal size (syntactic foam), proven during Euro 2000 and probably contributing to one of the highest average goal rates in a major tournament.
Each season in the Champions League, the colour of the stars on the ball is changed. The first
ball, in 2000–1 was silver, followed by black in 2001–02, then dark blue in 2003–04, and red in 2004–05. This was followed by light blue in 2005–06. The design for next season's ball was used in this season's final. A light blue ball was used for most of the 2005–06 season, but in the final between Arsenal
and FC Barcelona
, held in the Stade de France
, Paris
it was replaced by a ball with the same paneling as the Adidas +Teamgeist but decorated with pink stars. For the 2006–07 season, the ball had grey stars trimmed in red and white and the Finale Athens
ball is a chrome silver metallic with royal blue and white. For the 2007–08 season, the ball was decorated in tangerine orange and black stars with grey trim. For the final of the 2007–08 season in Moscow
, the ball was gray and red stars with a gold trim. The match ball used for the 2008–09 season was black and white with a green trim. For 2009-10, the Jabulani
paneling is being used, with the colors of red, gold and white.
Each match ball intended for use in the final is marked with the location at which the match is to be played. For example, the 2004–05 Champions League final was held in Istanbul
, Turkey
and as such, the blue/silver-starred Finale balls were marked with Istanbul.
These official match balls are well prized. The UEFA Champions League is thought to be the most prestigious club competition and the ball itself has a very unusual design which makes the ball unique and fairly cherishable.
These balls are also occasionally used in the Champions League's sister competition — the UEFA Europa League.
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
, and has been since the 2000–01 season. The ball is therefore designed with emphasis on the stars of the UEFA Champions League logo. The ball is used mostly in the final stages, as other balls may be used in preliminary rounds. For example, a Puma
PUMA AG
Puma SE, officially branded as PUMA, is a major German multinational company that produces high-end athletic shoes, lifestyle footwear and other sportswear. Formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler, relationships between the two brothers deteriorated until the two...
ball was used in a 2006–07 third qualifying round second leg match between Maccabi Haifa
Maccabi Haifa F.C.
Maccabi Haifa Football Club is an Israeli football team from the city of Haifa, a section of Maccabi Haifa sports club. The club has won 12 championships, 5 State Cups and 4 Toto Cups...
and Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
.
The ball is made by Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
, and was developed based on the Adidas Terrestra Silverstream, the official matchball of the UEFA Euro 2000 in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. This ball was also made with the same type of materials and construction used for the Adidas Fevernova
Fevernova
The Adidas Fevernova is the official match ball of 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan, manufactured by Adidas. Its styling marked a departure from the traditional Tango ball design.-History:...
, except, of course, the graphics.
The Finale ball incorporates a unique design that was inspired by the UEFA Champions League "star-ball" logo. The Finale is softer, faster, and more accurate than any other Adidas football before and it also features a layer of highly compressed, gas-filled micro-balloons of equal size (syntactic foam), proven during Euro 2000 and probably contributing to one of the highest average goal rates in a major tournament.
Ball
Until the final of the 2005–06 season, the Finale used standard hexagonal and pentagonal panels. From then on the panels are the same as the Adidas Teamgeist ball. From 2004–05 the ball was the same as the Adidas Roteiro balls, with thermally bonded panels. The only difference was the design of the pattern.Each season in the Champions League, the colour of the stars on the ball is changed. The first
ball, in 2000–1 was silver, followed by black in 2001–02, then dark blue in 2003–04, and red in 2004–05. This was followed by light blue in 2005–06. The design for next season's ball was used in this season's final. A light blue ball was used for most of the 2005–06 season, but in the final between Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
and FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, held in the Stade de France
Stade de France
The Stade de France is the national stadium of France, situated just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. It has an all-seater capacity of 80,000, making it the fifth largest stadium in Europe, and is used by both the France national football team and French rugby union team for...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
it was replaced by a ball with the same paneling as the Adidas +Teamgeist but decorated with pink stars. For the 2006–07 season, the ball had grey stars trimmed in red and white and the Finale Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
ball is a chrome silver metallic with royal blue and white. For the 2007–08 season, the ball was decorated in tangerine orange and black stars with grey trim. For the final of the 2007–08 season in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, the ball was gray and red stars with a gold trim. The match ball used for the 2008–09 season was black and white with a green trim. For 2009-10, the Jabulani
Adidas Jabulani
The Jabulani is an Association football ball manufactured by Adidas. It was the official match ball for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.The ball is made from eight spherically molded panels and has a textured surface intended to improve aerodynamics...
paneling is being used, with the colors of red, gold and white.
Each match ball intended for use in the final is marked with the location at which the match is to be played. For example, the 2004–05 Champions League final was held in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and as such, the blue/silver-starred Finale balls were marked with Istanbul.
These official match balls are well prized. The UEFA Champions League is thought to be the most prestigious club competition and the ball itself has a very unusual design which makes the ball unique and fairly cherishable.
These balls are also occasionally used in the Champions League's sister competition — the UEFA Europa League.