The group stages of the 2023/24 Champions League and Women’s Champions League are around the corner, and adidas have unveiled the official match balls for both competitions.
As announced by the official UEFA website, the famous sports brand has drawn inspiration for the new designs from the iconic pre-match anthems echoing around stadiums at the start of every match.
The latest designs offer a homage to these iconic symphonies, capturing the unique sensation of excitement they bring forth.
Laid on a metallic silver background, the men’s variant of the official match ball seamlessly incorporates a solitary letter from the recognisable anthem – ‘The Champions’ – onto each of the 12 stars.
Intending to symbolise the aura of the footballing elite competing for the revered Champions League trophy, adidas has purposely picked these stars, presented in royal purple, red and blue.
As for the women’s competition, the unveiling of a customised anthem in the 2021/22 season heralded the initiation of a new era for the ladies’ most prestigious tournament.
The new design integrates the song lyrics into two of the ball’s striking star panels, forming an exceptional circular text arrangement in vibrant orange.
The remaining ten stars showcase a fluid pattern in shades of purple and pink, meticulously crafted to produce a captivating look.
Both balls are engineered to meet the requirements of modern football, enhanced by various adidas performance innovations, including a PRISMA surface texture which guarantees the ultimate ball performance.
The external texture layer, displayed on all official match balls for the Champions League and Women’s Champions League, offers a safe grip and command over the ball.
Moreover, the thermally bonded construction guarantees the balls maintain their ideal shape, ensuring peak performance on the field.
Adidas’ latest design perfectly suits Manchester City’s style of football, which should bolster Pep Guardiola’s bid to defend the Champions League crown this term.
The same goes for the women’s champions Barcelona, who overcame a 2-0 half-time deficit to beat Wolfsburg 2-0 in last season’s final.
