Every twelvemonth , the World Cup is played with a new ball . That makes it unique — after all , few other play reinvent the wheel every four year . But this element of uncertainty is also exciting , and it means that association football musket ball engineering science has arrive a foresightful , long way since the 1930s — when World Cup bollock were still inflated through draw - up lace .
After The New York Times publishedan awesome synergistic on the chronicle of soccer ball designthis weekend , we determine to take a facial expression at each ball in chronological sequence — drawing fromWorld Cup Balls , an unbelievable encyclopedic site that the NYT sourced from . There , Peter Pesti garner and identify how testis technology has develop over the generations .
The difference between the leather bladders of the thirties and the high - performance material of today are reasonably sensational .
1930 World Cup in Uruguay
The very first World Cup used balls made in the nation that was spreading the play through the world : England . There were two type of tied balls used in the game , and the one you see below , the “ T - Model , ” got its name from the typical thymine - shaped panel on its sides .
Image : World Cup Balls .
The 1934 World Cup in Italy
By 1934 , association football was nail all over the earthly concern , and pile of manufacturers in other countries were making balls , too . harmonize to Pesti , the fevered patriotism of Mussolini - geological era Italy “ required ” that the balls used in their World Cup be made in Italy . Hence the Federale 102 : a 13 - panel lace - up ball made in Italy .
1938 World Cup in France
French World Cup , French soccer ballock : The Paris - manufactured Allen , a 13 - instrument panel orchis with laces — which were how these early balls were inflated , before the era of valve . It seems that other models were used in the match , too , though there ’s no mode to say how many .
1950 World Cup in Brazil
In the thirties , an Argentinean company call Tossolini had made a breakthrough : A ball with a hidden valve that could be pump into shape , rather than manually flub up through laces . But it postulate two decades for FIFA to take the new design , and it was n’t until the 1950 World Cup that it saw play .
1954 World Cup in Switzerland
This Swiss - made ball was unique for its zig - zag edges , which were sewn together by hand , of course . The ball , like all prescribed balls in those day , was completely costless of printing and branding .
1958 World Cup in Sweden
This was the first year that FIFA pick out its ball based on a contention . The victor in the randomized trial of more than 100 balls was a Swedish companionship called Sydsvenska Laderoch Remfabriken , who supply a Lucille Ball call Top Star renowned for its raincoat mount surface .
1962 World Cup in Chile
This testis was known as “ the Crack . ” It was unique in the sense that its surface was compile of 18 irregular polygonal shapes , which gave it a complicated look . Here ’s the iconic Pelé kicking it around :
1966 World Cup in England
This ball , made by a British company of course , represent the death of an epoch : After 1966 , Adidas charter over the job of design and manufacturing World Cup Balls . This babe was made of 25 rectangular board and , notably , still adhered to the rule that there should be no markings or brand on the ball . Oh , how thing have changed .
1970 World Cup in Mexico
And so come the era of Adidas , now a stentorian manufacturer of association football - related point like shoot and clump . allot toWorld Cup Balls , this musket ball was called the Telstar — a worsening of “ tv set ” and “ star , ” but it also could have been named for the Telstar satellite , which broadcast the World Cup all over the planet that yr . It had 32 panels , like many contemporary balls , so it ’s well-heeled to see it as the ur - ball for the present day mutation .
1974 World Cup in Germany
For the 1974 World Cup , Adidas made small pinch to its belt hit , the Telstar — including a more durable charge card covering that looks more like the super - cunning association football balls we know today . For night games , all - orange and all - white balls were made , too :
Image : Memora Football .
1978 World Cup in Argentina
This twelvemonth , Adidas introduced a ball that World Cup Balls describes as “ the most pop ball in the entire world : ” The Tango . If you grew up in the eighty and 90s , this glob will look familiar to you : Though it was composed of the same 32 panels as its harbinger , Adidas ’ designers print it with a unique triangular aim that front extremely cool in motion — hence its namesake , a dance .
persona : Balones Oficiales .
1982 World Cup in Spain
Again , the Tango was a huge success — and Adidas get laid it . So for Spain four yr afterwards , it keep the ball largely the same . Except for one exception : A Modern polyurethan coating , which made it far , far less likely to absorb water .
1986 World Cup in Mexico
Given the fact that the ball design itself was n’t changing much , Adidas introduce a unexampled bangle : A printed design based on the culture of the emcee country — in this case , Aztec symbology .
1990 World Cup in Italy
Another emcee country , another regional makeover , this one for Italy — this orchis was called the Etrusco Unico .
1994 World Cup in the USA
Here was where Adidas ’ custom set off to bust thinly : The Adidas Questra , the clod used in the US ’s first World Cup , was decorated with stars and constellations . Adidas ’ reasoning ? 1994 was the 25th day of remembrance of the Apollo 11 mission .
1998 World Cup in France
And then there was the Tricolore — another version of the classic 1978 Tango blueprint , again decorated with the host country ’s interior coloration . But there are a few noted technical changes here : This was the first World Cup ball to use multiple colors , whereas before , single colors were deem easier to see on the pitch . It was also the first ball to be manufacture outside of Europe . at long last , it was the last Tango we ’d see in the World Cup . After this , a fresh geological era of mellow - performance design was upon us .
2002 World Cup in South Korea/Japan
The Adidas Fevernova sported an Asia - inspired look , accord to Adidas , as well as some major technical changes — including the addition of some mellow - performance interior materials like syntactic foam , a character of composite that is filled with vacuous “ balloons ” to decrease weight . As a result , many critic said made it too faint — some netkeeper even claimed it be them goal .
The 2006 World Cup in Germany
The Teamgeist , as this official testis was known , incorporated a brand - new 14 - panel design and a major technological find : Its seams were heat sealed , rather than run up . That mean this musket ball is whole waterproof — a first for more than a C of balls .
2010 World Cup in South Africa
The Jabulani was one of themost - hated balls of all clip . With eight panels and a patterned surface that was said to improve its aeromechanics , it was hypothecate to build on the success of its herald . Instead , role player were bitter critical , say it was irregular , a “ inglorious ” “ disaster , ” equate it to a cheap orb you ’d chance at a supermarket .
simulacrum : adifansnet .
2014 World Cup in Brazil
So the heat was on for this twelvemonth ’s ball , the Brazuca . This new ball has only six panels , and it ’s decorated with an interlocking swooping pattern that ’s entirely unique . Gizmodo ’s Leslie Horn got a hired hand - on with the Brazuca at Adidas ’ HQ — check out her account here .
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