Adidas Kicks Off 2022 Qatar World Cup Finals With New ‘Dream’ Championship Ball
The 2022 World Cup is dribbling towards a close, with less than a week left of matches left until the winning country is crowned.
In celebration of the last few matches, Adidas is introducing a new ball for the semi-finals and finals, the ‘Al Hilm’.
The name translates to ‘The Dream’ in Arabic, which replaces the ball used in the recent matches called the Al Rihla or ‘The Journey’.
And indeed, what a journey it had been—considering the numerous, unexpected turns of events thus far.
The design of the ball considers the current climate of our world and sports eco-friendly water-based inks and glue. In addition, Al Hilm is adorned with the World Cup logo and subtle triangle designs in red brushstrokes that represent the pattern of the Qatar flag.
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Like the Al Rihla, the Al Hilm will house the same technology that supports the semi-automated offside system. In any instance the ball has been touched or kicked, the sensors inside send information to the local positioning system (LPS) located around the field where the data is stored and used by officials.
The technology helps match officials make faster and more accurate decisions while the game is going on. Famously, it played a crucial role in deciding Cristiano Ronaldo’s “hair goal”—where fans and officials debated whether the ball that grazed past his hair could be counted as a shot. It eventually led to Portugal’s win over Uruguay in a 2-0 victory.
Both Al Hilm and Al Rihla are available online.
[via Hypebeast and Fifa, cover image via Adidas]
