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- England will use the Adidas ball when they take on the Netherlands in Dortmund
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The Euro 2024 ball will get a makeover for the semi-finals in Germany this week and the final in Berlin.
This year’s exciting tournament ends with a spectacle at the Olympiastadion on July 14, but before that, four teams will compete for the trophy.
Spain and France will face each other on Tuesday night, with England taking on the Netherlands 24 hours later. And each match will feature a new ball inspired by the host country’s colours.
German fans were disappointed by their team’s tragic loss to La Roja, but in every match they are reminded of their impressive season.
In addition, a nod is also given to the ‘silverware’ that the four semi-finalists are competing for.
The Euro 2024 ball gets a makeover this week for the semi-finals in Germany
The Fussballliebe ball with white panels and red, green and yellow accents has been used throughout the tournament so far
The Fussballliebe Finale ball is a new version of the ball used earlier in the tournament.
According to manufacturer Adidas, the color change was developed and tested with athletes to ensure the color stands out on the field without reflecting light off the surface.
And for the first time, the ball used for the semi-finals and final will feature technology that will provide officials with accurate data in real time.
The connected ball works in conjunction with semi-automatic offside technology to ensure the position of the ball and players can be accurately assessed at crucial moments.
The sensor is powered by a rechargeable battery that is charged by induction – the same type of wireless energy transfer used for smartphones.
Fussballliebe has a polyurethane skin with ‘micro and macro textures’ and an exterior consisting of 20 panels to improve aerodynamics.
The ball is the first to feature Connected Ball technology, which provides officials with real-time data
It features a mix of shapes and colours that represent “the movement of the ball and the energy of the game” as well as the “vibrancy that the participating nations bring to the tournament,” UEFA and Adidas said in a statement.
The connected ball technology will be used for the first time at the 2024 European Championships, but has already proven successful at the World Cup.
Data such as the speed and rotation of the ball can be recorded and measured by a sensor in the centre of the ball. For example, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s penalty against Switzerland was recorded at 125.6 KMPH – the second-highest goalscorer at Euro 2024.
“For now, we are setting the standard in the industry,” Wilem Boijens, Senior Director of Digital Strategy at Adidas, told Mail Sport.
“The technology is one thing, but the augmented experience that you can build based on the data is interesting. This is just the beginning of what we’re seeing.”