Europass football

Coming up to the world cup we thought we would really like to know whose breakthrough it was to construct the ball from 14 rather than the traditional 32 panels.

Europass football
case solved
Case number - AIBDC : 005821
An Adidas Europass 2008 soccer ball comprising 14 panels, assembled using a patented thermal bonding technique, which gives a more true sphere and consistency in flight when compared with a traditional 32 panel soccer ball. The Europass 2008 is made from a bladder, textile and foam substrate and outer layers of polyurethane and Impranil, a branded polyurethane based textile coating with a textured surface. The nub-like structure of the surface provides improved grip and a larger contact surface area allowing the player more control over the ball in all weather conditions.
View more images on the MoDiP site
DesignerUnknown - Wanted
ManufacturerAdidas
Countryunknown - Wanted
Date2008
Dimensionsdiameter 220 mm
Materialsplastic, Impranil - trade name, PU, PUR, Polyurethane
Methodthemal bonded
Colourswhite, black, silver, red
InscriptionEuropass 2008. Adidas. Official match ball. Power. Swerve. Control. PSC Texture.
Rights:Images on this site are for non-commercial, educational use only. MoDiP has done its utmost to obtain clearance from all IPR holders before adding images to this catalogue, if you believe that any image has been used without permission please contact us on modip@aub.ac.uk.
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29/01/14

AIBDC : 005821

29/01/14

Who would have believed it? Ian15.mdx has solved who had the idea of reducing the number of panels. He writes: 'Footballs are not my speciality but I found this on Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2008#Match_ball There were concerns raised about the match ball, which was claimed to deviate unpredictably in flight, making it difficult to judge for goalkeepers. Notable players to criticise were Germany's Jens Lehmann and the Czech Republic's Petr Čech.[27] These claims were disputed by the ball's designer, Oliver Kahn. So designer - Oliver Kahn.'

29/01/14

And a few moments later: 'The web site 'A few good balls' - http://www.afewgoodballs.com/adidas/adidas-europass-competition-2008-spanish-segunda-and-tercera-division/ states that the Adidas Europass 2008 football was made in Pakistan'.

29/01/14

Loughborogh University played a part in testing this football. Take a look here: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/service/publicity/news-releases/2008/74_europass.html. They've offered to help in the chase so may be we will find the evidence it would be so good to have.

29/01/14

Sorry, I can't get excited about a football....

15/02/14

I have had a reply from Wilson Chia, of the website A few Good Balls, to my question as to whether there was any evidence that this foot ball was made in Pakistan. Wilson replies – “Yes it has the words printed Made in Pakistan” See - http://www.afewgoodballs.com/adidas/adidas-europass-competition-2008-spanish-segunda-and-tercera-division/#comment-4931

17/02/14

Intriguing... We have now taken another look at the lettering on MoDiP's ball and it say 'Made in Thailand'! I wonder if one can believe anything....

17/02/14

A simple answer. Adidas has manufacturing facilities in both Pakistan and Thailand. The 2006 Europass balls were made in Sialkot, Pakistan and Chonburi, Thailand, using synthetic leather from South Korea, layer of foam from Japan, bladder from India and cotton material from Vietnam. Most of the workers were female. See - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adidas_Teamgeist#Match_balls

21/02/14

I emailed the Adidas Customer Service Centre in Herzogenaurach, Germany, asking where this ball was made. They replied, ‘ Thank you for your email. The Europass 2008 was produced in Thailand’.

05/03/14

Might they be able to corroborate that Kahn was the designer, Ian?

08/03/14

Interesting chat with Phil about this yesterday. He reckons that Adidas came up with a number of different designs and tried them out by kicking them at Kahn... Is that how design where footballs are concerned happens?

08/03/14

I've written to Adidas Customer Service Centre asking them to confirm that Khan was the designer of this football.

11/03/14

I have had a reply from Adidas Customer Service Centre in Germany. They write - 'Dear Mr. Holdsworth, thank you for your inquiry. The Europass 2008 was not designed by Oliver Kahn. It was designed by our own adidas Global Design Department'. So - Wikipedia nil Adidas one.

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Case notes

Susan Lambert's picture

Europass football, Case AIBDC : 005821

Designer located?

29/01/2014

Ian15.mdx has found a reference on wikipedia that the footballer, Oliver Kahn, was the designer:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2008#Match_ball but no evidence is supplied. Can anyone verify this? He has also found this link: http://www.afewgoodballs.com/adidas/adidas-europass-competition-2008-spanish-segunda-and-tercera-division/ that suggests it was made in Pakistan. Again the evidence is not quite watertight. It would be good to know  more.

Country of manufacture located

21/02/2014

Ian15.mdx has been told by Adidas Customer Service Centre in Herzoegenaurach that it was made in Thailand and this was corroborated by a closer look at the football itself.

We still need to validate that the idea for the design of the ball was footballer, Oliver Kahn's.

Designed by Adidas Global Design Department

11/03/14

Wikipedia gave the goalkeeper, Oliver Kahn, as the designer but I think we have to accept Adidas's statement even though it is hard to think of a less personal 'designer'. How large is their Global Design Department, I wonder? And did Oliver Kahn play a part in trialling it? Unfortunately these global giants do not seem to want to divulge their practice.

 

Case solved

Designer: Adidas Global Design Department

Country: Thailand

Participating agents: Ian15.mdx