The semifinals of the 2024 European Championship will see Spain, France, Netherlands and England compete for the title, with half of them, Spain and England, appearing in consecutive semis.
For the last three matches of the tournament, the semis and the final, Adidas announced a new ball named ‘ Fussballliebe finale’, which will be an improvised version of the ball, Fussballliebe, used so far in the tournament.
In the new ball, the white base was replaced with silver, representing the silverware that the final four teams will be competing for.
The ball would feature a core called CTR-CORE, designed to improve accuracy and consistency with maximum shape and air retention, and a PRECISIONSHELL polyurethane (PU) skin featuring micro and macro textures and a 20-piece panel shape designed for enhanced aerodynamics.
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According to Adidas, the colour was developed and tested with athletes to ensure that it stands out on the pitch without reflecting light back off the surface.
It is the final official matchball to feature Connected Ball technology – which delivers precise ball data to video match officials in real time. Combining player position data with Artificial Intelligence, the innovation contributes to UEFA’s semi-automated offside technology and has been key to supporting in-match decisions throughout the tournament.
The technology also enhances the overall fan viewing experience by offering accurate measurement of in-play data – including the ball speed, spin and distance the ball travelled before hitting the back of the net to watching fans.
“With this being the first UEFA European Championships to be hosted by a single nation since 2016, we wanted the FUSSBALLLIEBE FINALE to be heavily inspired by the iconic colours of the German flag,” Solène Störmann, Global Category Director for Football Hardware at Adidas, said.
“But to really stand out as the ball for the most decisive games, we’ve opted for a distinctive silver base that makes the ball almost embody the coveted trophy that all these great teams will be competing for.”
