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Adidas have revealed their official match ball for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
It is less than eight months until the first-ever winter tournament kicks off and we now know what stars such as Lionel Messi, Heung-Min Son and Paul Pogba will be striking towards goal.
Translating as “the journey” in Arabic, the Al Rihla ball is inspired by the architecture, boats and flag of the host nation.
It is the 14th successive year the brand have created the ball for the World Cup, with the current design following on from the Telstar used at Russia 2018.
Their latest edition is designed to support the high-speed nature of the modern game with the ball travelling faster in flight than any of its predecessors, according to adidas.
That is matched by the sharp and vibrant colours, which are sure to catch some eyes at this year’s tournament.
Adidas design director Franziska Loeffelmann said: “The game is getting faster, and as it speeds up, accuracy and flight stability becomes critically important.
“The new design allows the ball to maintain its speed significantly higher as it journeys through the air.
“For the biggest global stage in all of sport, we set out to make the impossible, possible with radical innovation by creating the fastest and most accurate World Cup ball to date.”
It will be the first ball in the tournament’s 92-year history that will directly contribute to charity, with 1% of net proceeds going towards the Common Goal movement.
The adidas World Cup Ball 2022 Pro drops on March 30 and will be exclusively available at https://www.adidas.co.uk/football-balls and adidas retail stores until April 12.
