Adidas Unveils Euro 2024 Official Football with Real-Time Kick Detection

For most football purists, the advent of technology has ruined the nature of the game rather than improved it. Ask anyone and they’ll tell you that football was MUCH more enjoyable before the accuracy of the VAR, but the point of such technologies isn’t to cater to audience entertainment, it’s to make the game as fair and unbiased as possible. Today, Adidas announced yet another tech-driven product to improve the game of Football. The FUSSBALLLIEBE (German isn’t the most elegant language) is a connected ball that detects kicks in real-time, and has also been adopted as the Official Football for the upcoming UEFA EURO 2024. Beyond its mouthful of a name, which translates to “love of soccer,” this ball is a groundbreaking fusion of sport and tech, designed to change how we experience and analyze football.

Designer: Adidas

At the core of FUSSBALLLIEBE’s innovation is Adidas’ Connected Ball Technology, developed in collaboration with Kinexon. This tech marvel includes a 500Hz inertial measurement unit (IMU) motion sensor, ensconced in a suspension system at the ball’s center. It’s capable of providing detailed insights into every aspect of the ball’s movement, a feature unprecedented in football history. Not only does this technology offer real-time data to video match officials, enhancing the accuracy and speed of in-match decisions, but it also dovetails with UEFA’s semi-automated offside technology, marking a significant leap in the sport’s adjudication.

The ball isn’t just smart; it’s also a study in precision engineering. Its PRECISIONSHELL 20-piece panel shape, augmented by strategically placed deboss grooves, helps control airflow over the ball for maximum precision. The CTR-CORE within the ball further supports this precision, ensuring accuracy, consistent play, and maximum shape and air retention.

In terms of aesthetics, FUSSBALLLIEBE is a vibrant homage to the spirit of the game and the diversity of its global audience. The design, featuring black wing shapes with colorful edges, curves, and dots, encapsulates the movement of the ball and the energy of football. The use of bright colors like red, blue, green, and orange not only celebrates the competing nations but also the sheer joy and universality of football. The inclusion of tournament stadiums and host city names adds a personal touch to this edition of the ball, making it a collector’s item as much as a piece of advanced sporting equipment.

Sustainability is another cornerstone of the FUSSBALLLIEBE’s design. Made from bio-based materials like corn fibers, sugar cane, wood pulp, and rubber, combined with recycled polyester and water-based ink, Adidas touts the FUSSBALLLIEBE as featuring more bio-based materials than any previous Adidas Official Match Ball, without impacting its performance.

As we ‘kick-off’ EURO 2024 with Adidas’ FUSSBALLLIEBE, it’s clear that the future of football is as much about innovation and technology as it is about the game itself. From Adidas’ high-tech, real-time data-gathering ball to even Nendo’s airless football, these designs are not just about playing a game; they’re about changing it.

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Nike’s Phantom Luna Soccer Cleats Specifically Aim To Reduce Injuries in Female Athletes

Are there any soccer fans out here?! If you’re following the women’s world cup this season, do notice if the ladies have been playing more comfortably than their previous games and if there has been a noticeable reduction in injuries. And if you already have, Nike has been successful in designing the athlete’s shoes this season! This newfound agility and safety can be attributed to Nike’s innovative design of the Phantom Luna soccer cleats, which have been specifically engineered to reduce injuries for female players.

Designer: Nike

Gender equality discussions are to be revolved around rights and remuneration, it’s essential to recognize that there are inherent physiological differences between men and women. One striking fact highlighted by Yale Medicine is that female athletes are two to eight times more likely to suffer an ACL tear compared to their male counterparts. These injuries often occur in sports that involve rapid pivoting, such as soccer.

If you’re wondering what an ACL tear is, it’s a common injury, particularly in sports that involve pivoting on one’s foot, like soccer. The ACL is a ligament in the center of the knee that prevents the shin bone from moving forward on the thigh bone. Female athletes face a higher risk of this injury due to the biomechanical differences resulting from the wider female pelvis, less muscle mass surrounding their knees, and hormonal factors like lower testosterone and higher estrogen levels, which can lead to looser tendons and ligaments.

Taking these challenges into account, Nike’s designers embarked on a three-year journey to create a solution – the Phantom Luna soccer cleats. The primary goal was to provide female athletes with enhanced traction, confidence, and speed on the field.

The key focus during the design process was on traction. Soccer cleats are intended to provide grip on turf, but if not designed thoughtfully, they can work against the body during pivoting movements. To tackle this issue, Nike’s designers introduced the Nike Cyclone 360 Plate, a circular traction pattern on the cleats’ bottom. This innovative plate is engineered to optimize traction while also maximizing rotation, allowing footballers to make agile and confident cuts on the field without compromising safety.

Another notable feature of the Phantom Luna is Nike’s GripKnit texture, covering the ball-contacting surface. This texture, slightly sticky in nature, enhances the player’s control over the ball, facilitating precise dribbling, passing, and shooting. The material molds to the shape of the foot, providing an equal grip in wet or dry conditions. Additionally, micro-molding texture works in conjunction with GripKnit to ensure better boot-to-ball strikes, ensuring amplified touch during gameplay.

The secure fit and feel of the Phantom Luna contribute to its overall effectiveness on the field. The cleats feature asymmetric lacing, offering a larger touch surface for dribbling, passing, and scoring. The repositioned lacing pattern allows for increased midfoot adjustability, accommodating players with different foot arch types. Furthermore, the asymmetrical Flyknit cuff material provides a snug fit, while subtle ribs in the cuff enable higher ball contact on the ankle during trapping and passing.

The Phantom Luna soccer cleats are a game-changer, addressing the unique challenges faced by female athletes and empowering them to perform at their best. By reducing the risk of injuries and providing enhanced control and traction, Nike’s innovation can elevate the game for players of all levels.

While the design has been tailored from a woman’s perspective, it is essential to note that the cleats will be available in men’s sizes as well, making them suitable for all players who desire improved performance and reduced injury risk.

While Nike’s Phantom Lunas have already been a hit among professional athletes, they are now available to civilians for $275. So, whether you’re a seasoned player or an enthusiastic soccer fan looking for high-performance footwear, these cleats might just be the perfect fit for you. As the old saying goes, “If the shoe fits…” – it might lead you to victory on the field!

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Square-shaped UNPLAYABALL challenges conventional round norm to advocate gender equality in football

Every FIFA world cup comes with a new theme song and a new ball. Yet one thing that remains unaltered is the shape of the ball. But that stands to change with the next iteration of the mega event. A creative duo of Oliver Binnian and Willem Slegers have designed an unplayable ball, which is a concept that represents a significant step toward challenging conventional norms and advocating gender equality in football.

As anticipation builds for the upcoming 2023 Women’s World Cup, the concept football dubbed UNPLAYABALL aims to turn our attention to the challenges faced by women in football. The UNPLAYABALL is a visionary creation that garners attention, empathy, and action.

Designers: Oliver Binnian and Willem Slegers

As it is implied, the UNPLAYABALL is not your typical football. Unlike the traditional spherical shape that has been the norm for decades, this concept adopts a revolutionary square design. It is set to disrupt traditional norms with its unique design, serving as a powerful symbol of gender equality in sports.

By exploring the concept, the designer duo delves into the issues female players encounter when they step onto the pitch. At first glance, one can get skeptical about its practicality on the field, but the designers have a more profound purpose in mind. The square shape of the ball represents the obstacles and barriers that female players face in the male-dominated sporting world, particularly in football.

Despite significant progress in recent years, women’s football continues to encounter unequal treatment, funding disparities, and limited opportunities in comparison to men’s football. The UNPLAYABALL seeks to challenge these norms and spark conversations about the need for fair treatment and equal opportunities for female players.

The introduction of the UNPLAYABALL concept boldly questions the established conventions of football. Throughout history, round football has been an iconic symbol of the sport, signifying unity and inclusivity. However, the designed duo believes that such unity can only be fully achieved when women are equally represented and respected on and off the pitch.

Even though it is not meant for playing, the UNPLAYABALL is a call for action to the football community to reflect on its responsibility in breaking down barriers and promoting gender equality in the sport.

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You can now play your own World Cup with this fully functional LEGO Foosball Table!

Watch as football icons Thierry Henry and Marcus Rashford battle it out on this mini LEGO foosball table in the video above…

With its DIY design that lets you even customize the players down to their jerseys, hairstyles, and skin colors, the LEGO Table Football MOC may just be the coolest interactive build of all time! The fully operational tabletop game is made up of 2339 LEGO elements, has 5 players on each team, and even comes with its own dugout that also doubles up as the audience while you play a quick game of soccer… ahem, football.

Designer: Donát Fehérvári

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Unlike most LEGO Ideas that exist as fan-made concepts garnering support on LEGO’s fan forum, this creation from Donát Fehérvári actually made it to becoming a box set. Fehérvári debuted this MOC (My Own Creation) back in 2021 as a submission to LEGO’s We Love Sports online competition. Winning the Grand Prize with 1244 votes, the build even got a nod of approval from the LEGO Ideas Review Board, which agreed to turn it into a box set available for people to buy. Just in time for the FIFA World Cup, that too!

The set is relatively easy to construct, and models itself on the traditional foosball table, albeit with a smaller footprint and just 5 players on each side as opposed to the traditional table that has as many as 11 players per team. The players are controlled by poles that can be pushed, pulled, or even turned to have the foosballers move around and kick the tiny white plastic foosball. Goal counters above each goalpost let you count as many as 5 goals – perfect for a short game spanning a few minutes.

What’s remarkable about the LEGO Table Football, however, is its inclusivity. The set allows you to build 22 minifigures (with 12 of them waiting in the dugout while 10 play on the field) of varying ethnicities and personalities. The kit includes 44 different heads and 43 hairstyle types, letting you play with both male and female players. The accompanying dugout (or cheering station) lets you store the extra heads and wigs underneath, and perhaps my favorite element is the tiny trophy cup included with the set that goes to the victor of the game!

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NASA-inspired football shoes designed to give you a futuristic football experience

“What would it be like to play football in space?” is a question that may have come across anyone who plays the world’s favorite sport. Or even if you have just played it on your game console. Wouldn’t you want to see a Messi vs Ronaldo match-up on the moon to settle who’s the GOAT once and for all? Sure, they would either be wearing space suits or be literally flying around while trying to kick the ball, but wouldn’t that be fun to watch?

Designer: Hussain Almossawi

Well since that is still pretty far into the future (we might get Ronaldo and Messi’s children playing by that time), having a space-themed and futuristic design for football cleats is the next best thing. The question on the designer’s mind is what if NASA started making football boots. What he came up with are futuristic-looking designs inspired by the moon and space but are also minimalistic in their aesthetic. It uses basic colors like white, blue, red, and silver, adding an outer space sheen to the boots.

Since it’s a futuristic design anyway, might as well dream more of what cleats can do in the future. The “material innovations” are materials that may be gotten from space. The idea is to defy gravity, as that famous musical once said. So when the studs light up, this means that the gravity resistance sensors will be activated. This means players as good as Messi or Ronaldo will become even better as the boots can help make their shots even more accurate. Maybe while flying in space.

The dream design uses a zero-gravity label so the wearer is expected to defy gravity. Now, what happens when the football is kicked outside of the moon or the planet is anyone’s guess. Maybe there will be ball boys and girls flying around to retrieve the errant football. All I know is that it will be even more exciting to watch a football match between Barcelona and Real Madrid if they’re set in space. Well, if they’re still two of the most popular clubs by then.

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This Nike-inspired fidget tool + massager is a stress-relief EDC for pro footballers

Football players are shaped to be performance-oriented, however not much is spoken about the toll taken on their mental health; a designer believes a fidget-like device with a massage feature may do the trick.

Fear and anxiety hound us everywhere. Whether on the field, in the classroom, or at a party with friends; you name a situation and you’ll find anxiety is shadowing you. For sportsmen, anxiety is a part of the game, with each player having their own little ritual to help them focus – we have heard about players considering throwing up good luck to even the lucky jersey, personal battles to mitigate stress are fought by everyone.

According to data shared by Professional Footballers’ Association, a huge number of players are now seeking help for mental health issues ranging from performance, competition, to acceptance. Since there is no existing product that addresses the issues governing mental health directly, Breathe, is a device designed specifically to help footballers prevent anxiety.

The handy gadget designed by Varun Anand is a fidget EDC/tool that uses buttons. The oval plastic body features soft foam material on the underside which mimics the shiatsu massage technique. The entire device works as a solution to help the user stay calm and relaxed pre and post-game, improving the player’s overall performance.

Inspired by Nike’s design language and branding, the Breathe also calms the user by delivering positive messages and storing peppermint gums within its cavity. The anxiety kit uses stimuli such as texture, feel, touch and feedback to reduce anxiety and stress, allowing players to focus. Breathe fits ergonomically in the hand and is attached to an anti-slip strap, so a footballer can use it during practice and is easier to store when not in use!

Designer: Varun Anand

ESPN+ lands Belgium Pro League rights to boost its soccer lineup

ESPN+ has bolstered its impressive soccer credentials by adding yet another league to its stable. Its five-year deal with the Belgian Pro League gets underway this weekend with three live games: STVV vs. Zulte Waregem on Saturday, and Sunday’s double...