The balls at the European Championships have always been adidas games. The sportswear giants produced the first ball in 1960 and have offered another 13 over the years since.
While some have not always reached the heights expected of them, some of the Euroballs happily remember as some of the best who have ever graced a pitch.
Here is an overview of some of the best balls ever seen in Euro.
Zidane & van der Sar launches Adidas Terrestra Silverstream ball for Euro 2000. pic.twitter.com/NwBxQxbUPd
– Juve1897 (@ Juve1897no) January 7, 2019
A turning point in the history of football, Terrestra introduced a new, softer layer on the surface of the ball, which makes it easier to control and much more accurate.
It was the extra control that gave us great effort from the likes of Stefano Fiore, Raul Gonzalez and Alessandro Del Piero, but Terrestra’s biggest moment came when it pinged off the bar and into the back of France net with the permission of a worldie free kick from Frank de Boer.
It may not have been the most visually appealing ball, but it’s what it meant that makes Terrestra so good.
Euro 96 official match ball – Adidas Questra Europa # it’scominghome pic.twitter.com/apsICRRZKW
– Rob (@ Bobso1902) July 15, 2016
Euro 1996 was the first time adidas offered some color to their ball, and their combination of lions and red roses only increased the hype for England’s tournament.
Like the ball used at the 1994 World Cup, Questra allowed some fantastic goals, but it also gave some complaints from the goalkeepers about its unpredictability, which was half as fun.
This was the ball that gave us Gazza’s fantastic goal against Scotland, so it deserves a place in all our hearts.
Created for beautiful play on Europe’s biggest stage. Beau Jeu, the official match ball # EURO2016. # BeTheDifference pic.twitter.com/155Zc2jF1N
– adidas Football (@adidasfootball) November 12, 2015
Inspired by the famous Brazuca from two years earlier, Beau Jeu had some great shoes to fill in 2016, and it did not do a half bad job with it.
The flexible structure made it every football player’s dream because it could be controlled perfectly, even if its rough service meant that bone balls were a thing of the past. For goalkeepers, it’s good, but for fans who sat at home and asked for a screamer, it was a bit of a song down.
Beau Jeu may have ranked higher on this list, but it did not even come to the end of Euro 2016. UEFA exchanged it for Fracas on the knockout stage, which was the first time we have ever seen two balls in a tournament.
United in play. Introduction: #Uniforia, the official match ball for @UEFAEURO. pic.twitter.com/DSGgBqe5IN
– adidas Football (@adidasfootball) November 6, 2019
We have yet to see what Uniforia will offer us on the pitch, but based on appearance, it deserves a place high on the list.
With elements from what were supposed to be all 12 host nations – Bilbao was replaced by Sevilla and Dublin were completely rejected – the brushstroke design makes this ball look fantastic, and there is every reason to believe that it will play perfectly as well.
The seamlessness and heat bonding are back for Uniforia, which has been described as adidas’ biggest ball ever. A bold statement.
Roteiro was a beauty / Shaun Botterill / Getty Images
How iconic was Roteiro? The fantastic silver ball is still alive in our hearts.
This was actually the first ball that was thermally bonded, and it was surprisingly easy. It did not appeal to the old school players, but for those who wanted a fast and exciting game, Roteiro was a joy.
In every park across England you would find these balls stuck in trees or lost in the bushes, with children trying a little too hard to be Cristiano Ronaldo or Wayne Rooney.
From Italy 1968, Adidas empezó to taste the official balloon of the EURO. Aquel año fue Adidas Telstar. #ElAmorEsRedondo pic.twitter.com/hncuHJic
– El Amor Es Redondo (en?) (@ElAmorEsRedondo) 28 May 2012
From a real performance standpoint, the early Telstar were a bit of rubbish. They did the job and people were just happy to have something to play with.
But from an aesthetic point of view? Cold.
Whenever you think of a retro football, you think of these old school Telstars, which got their name from a satellite that looked vaguely like this ball. It stands the test of time.
Adidas Tango Riverplate 1980 European Championship #tango #adidastango #omb pic.twitter.com/az0ssjLdIO
– Rob (@ Bobso1902) July 20, 2019
Introduced for the 1978 World Cup, Tango became the football image. The design and structure were almost perfect, so much so that adidas did not force any major changes until 2002.
The specific model used for Euro 1980, the River Plate, was just a football. It didn’t have to be flashy or futuristic, it was just a football. It was better than anything that came before it and has us over 20 years of iconic memories.
This model was so clean. Base white with a black mesh design, River Plate presented the kind of bold adidas branding that has dominated modern fashion. 40 years of culture, all derived from this ball.
Tango 12 was a beauty / AFP / Getty Images
After the chaos that Jabulani caused at the 2010 World Cup, adidas went back to its roots with Tango 12.
With 32 panels compared to Jabulani’s eight, the Tango 12 actually moved like a football and did not make goalkeepers all over the world tear their eyes.
The return mood made this so perfect. It was a modern twist on perhaps the most beloved football of all time.
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