FIFA have officially unveiled the ball that will be used during the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Harry Kane and Co will have adidas’ “Al Rihla” ball at their feet as they bid to bring football home for the first time since 1966.
The official ball for the 2022 World Cup has been revealed Credit: EPA The Arabic name Al Rihla translates to “the journey” in English, and the final product is the culmination of lengthy testing in adidas’ laboratories.
It has been inspired by the national flag of host nation Qatar, as well as “iconic boats” and culture of the country.
Perhaps suiting Gareth Southgate’s attacking young stars, the ball has been promised by FIFA to “travel faster in flight than any ball in the tournament’s history”.
For a 14th consecutive World Cup finals, adidas will supply the ball for the competition.
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Virgin Bet offer: Get £20 bonus when you stake £10 on racing, football or tennis And the manufacturer have vowed to deliver a product that ensures fast-paced and high-quality matches.
The ball has been tested both in wind tunnels and out on the pitch to provide perfect reliability and accuracy, largely thanks to brand-new CTR-CORE and SPEEDSHELL technology.
Design Director at adidas Franziska Loffelmann said: “The game is getting faster and, as it speeds up, accuracy and flight stability become critically important.
“The new design allows the ball to maintain a significantly higher speed as it journeys through the air.
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“For the biggest global stage in all of sport, we set out to make the impossible possible with radical innovation by creating the fastest and most accurate FIFA World Cup ball to date.”
The ball incorporates vibrant blue, orange and yellow colours and is the most environmentally-friendly World Cup ball ever made, with only water-based ink and glue going into the making of it.
One percent of all sales will also be contributed to the Common Goal charity movement.
The design though seemed to split opinion among football fans across the globe.
One impressed social media user wrote: “This ball is actually fire.”
Meanwhile others weren’t as convinced, with one saying: “The Jabulani still unmatched.”
The Jabulani was used for the 2010 tournament in South Africa and went down in history thanks to its unpredictable movement when travelling through the air.
Al Rihla will be launched in Qatar before travelling on to ten cities across the globe as part of adidas’ pledge to promote equality and make football more accessible to those in smaller communities.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
