FIFA World Cup 2018: Adidas reveals new ball for the knockout stages

Adidas revealed the official match ball of the FIFA World Cup’s knockout stages. The Telstar 18 has now been upgraded to a fresher looking Telstar Mechta, which comes with an evocative red design.

Apparently, the change of colour has been inspired by the colour of the host nation. It signifies the heat that is going to be turned up when the World’s top 16 teams come head to head. In Russian, it refers to ‘dreams’ or ‘ambition’.

According to the giant sports brand, the Telstar Mechta has been formulated with the best technology to maximise performance and ensure it satisfies the needs of the best in the world.

'With the Telstar Mechta we have taken that same innovative design and re-imagined it, creating a ball that perfectly suits the pressures and opportunities of the FIFA World Cup knock-out stage.“, said Dean Lokes, VP product from Adidas.

The official ball has been re-ignited to strengthen sustainability, which seems to be the main focus in Russia. Fans and social media were left puzzled when a ball burst during a Group C clash between France and Australia. This situation must have indirectly forced Adidas to re-invent the ball used in group stages.

This new addition to the grand World Cup is superintended to offer durability and high-octane performance, courtesy of its metallic print execution and texture graphic effect.

Apart from these exquisite qualities, the Telstar’s most unique feature includes an embedded NFC chip. This is the first time it has ever been used in a major tournament. One can interact with the ball using a smartphone. It has other excellent specifications such as the generation of a unique identifier, illustration of specific details of each ball and exclusive content for the user. Technically, it is the most advanced football ever created.

“This year, adidas delivers yet another beautifully designed ball, the Telstar Mechta, putting innovation and performance at the core of the game.”, exclaimed FIFA’s Director of marketing services, Jean-Francois Pathy.

It is priced at £130 but fans can purchase a look-alike ‘value’ version of the football at local sport shops for £12.

Whether or not the ball works in favour of the footballers, is yet to be seen. It will be first introduced when France and Argentina take the field on 30^th June, Saturday.