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 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.
Read more about this topic: Adidas Finale
Famous quotes containing the word ball:
“I don’t like comparisons with football. Baseball is an entirely different game. You can watch a tight, well-played football game, but it isn’t exciting if half the stadium is empty. The violence on the field must bounce off a lot of people. But you can go to a ball park on a quiet Tuesday afternoon with only a few thousand people in the place and thoroughly enjoy a one-sided game. Baseball has an aesthetic, intellectual appeal found in no other team sport.”
—Bowie Kuhn (b. 1926)
“You see much more of your children once they leave home.”
—Lucille Ball (1911–1989)
“The world was a huge ball then, the universe a might harmony of ellipses, everything moved mysteriously, incalculable distances through the ether.
We used to feel the awe of the distant stars upon us. All that led to was the eighty-eight naval guns, ersatz, and the night air-raids over cities. A magnificent spectacle.
After the collapse of the socialist dream, I came to America.”
—John Dos Passos (1896–1970)