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Adidas releases 2014 World Cup ball, Brazuca

BrazucaAdidas2WorldCup2014 (Adidas)

By DAN KARELL

Say hello to the brazuca.

Adidas revealed the design of the 2014 World Cup ball tonight in a ceremony in Rio de Janeiro as the World Cup draw approaches this Friday. The name “brazuca” is reportedly an informal local term to describe the Brazilian way of life.

The ball uses the some of the same technology from the UEFA Champions League match balls as well as from the Euro 2012 and Confederations Cup match balls. However, the brazuca uses what Adidas calls “a new structural innovation with a unique symmetry of six identical panels alongside a different surface structure (that) will provide improved grip, touch, stability and aerodynamics on the pitch.”

What do you think of the design?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Looks like a 3-D bacterium.

    They’d finally gotten back to an excellent shape and design with the Tango series, and now this.

    I dig the progression in design or engineering or technology and whatnot. Forward is good, and all that stuff.

    But what the h*ll is that design supposed to be? Is it supposed to invoke the Amazon river meandering through the soul of Brazil? Does the ball hum a few bars of “Girl from Ipanema” whenever it’s kicked? Does it do a little bossa nova shimmy every time it crosses the goal line threshold? Does it make revving sounds like Senna’s McLaren while it sits on the pre-match pedestal before Howey Webb picks it up as he mosey’s past?

    FFS, why can’t adidas just apply their bleeding edge tech to the original Telstar and be done with it??

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  2. Next up: Mandatory news articles about how goalies don’t like this new ball and its unpredictability…
    Follow shortly with: Articles about how the prostitution industry is gearing up for the influx of World Cup tourists to whom will be offered a Brazuca Special…

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  3. I can’t wait to pick one up. I have to believe it will fly true and be a huge improvement over the infamous Jabulani…hands down the worst, squirliest World Cup ball ever produced.

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  4. Seattle sounders should get a stadium like that, that would be nice but just saying. By the way, is it louder for Seahawks games at the clink or for sounders games and who has a better atmosphere at the game and do their fans overlap.
    Imagine sounders had a soccer stadium that was for soccer fans and would make the noise stay in the stadium like clink. By the way, is their another stadium in the US or world that retains the noise atmosphere like clink. Is there even a soccer stadium like that in the world.

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  5. i might be trying to get too symbolic here, but could those six white plus marks with colorful borders represent simple human figures, which would then represent the six federations? if so, what are they doing? embracing the ball, which appears as infinite space? or are they good friends, arms around shoulders under the night sky?

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  6. Hmm, not a huge fan, though I’m excited for “bazooka” puns. I’m not sure I like how flashy the designs have gotten lately. I suppose it’s in line with the general trends of bright uniforms, cleats, etc. Still though, some of the previous classic styles were simple, and yet really nice.

    This has gotten me thinking; what will Qatar’s game ball look like…?

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    • They might as well come out with a design that resembles a Wiffle Ball.

      I’m sure soccer balls in the future will have wings that deploy when moving at a certain velocity.

      Reply

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