Tweet
The Champions League has always had some of the sweetest ball designs out there, and this years Finale London Top Training ball is no different. In an almost verbatim exchange between me and Matt, the following occurred:
Me: Holy…that ball is intense.
Matt: Yeah it’s like a meteor encased in a soccer ball. Was it forged by the Gods of Olympus?
Hyperbole aside, the ball does have a lot going on. The dominant theme of the ball is stars. Each star has a star connected to every endpoint, which comes together for a pretty sweet network. The stars are red, save the orange “Wembley 2011” star, and inside these stars is a hollow blue star. Perhaps the coolest part about it, though, is the area in and around the Wembley patch and the two stars connected to the bottom points. In the space between, there is the Champions League crest in blue with those all too awesome lions on either side of the trophy. Inside the red stars just beneath the crest are larger versions of the opposite faced lions, though they are in gray instead of blue. The red/blue/white/orange scheme works very well with this ball, and I have to say, Adidas did a wonderful job incorporating several elements into the design without appearing cluttered or obnoxious.
As for the construction of the ball, it’s pretty unique. You won’t find stitching or seams with this ball. Instead, you’ll find thermally bonded patches, which I think is pretty cool. Couple this with the latex bladder, and I think you have a great training or pick up game ball that will last for some time. At $39.99 per ball, I’d say it’s definitely worth the money, especially given the fact that it won’t be around come 2012. If you’re looking for a ball and have this kind of price range, it’s definitely worth it. If it’s out of your personal price range, find a couple friends to pitch in and get to playing!
Written by: Kris Dyer, soccerprose.com
