Without doubt one of the most iconic parts of any World Cup tournament is the ball used in the games. Fans will always retain memories of their favourite players finding the back of the net - but occasionally the ball has been met with some controversy.
The ball for this summer's World Cup in Russia will be called the Telstar 18, and it was unveiled in Moscow on November 7th 2017 by Lionel Messi. It is incredible to see the advances in technology that have been made since the early days of international football, and the amount of preparation and effort that goes into creating a World Cup football is unprecedented. Here we have a look at every ball since 1970, the year in which Adidas became the official supplier for the tournament, a role they continue to this day.
1970 and 1974: Telstar
This was the ball that redefined what a ball should look like. Introduced in 1970 it had a now iconic design - 12 black and 20 white panels to make it more visible to viewers who were still watching on black and white television. The ball was made of leather, and updated for the 1974 World Cup with a waterproof, polyurethane coating to make it more durable. It was named after the Telstar satellite, to which it bore a resemblance. Brazil and West Germany won with this ball, in Mexico and West German respectively.
1978 and 1982: Tango
Like its predecessors, the original Tango was made of genuine leather and retained the duralast waterproof coating. It was made of 20 identical panels with the pattern creating an impression of 12 circles. For the 1982 World Cup, Adidas introduced rubberised seams, which increased the waterproof properties of the ball, although this failed and the balls had to be replaced often during games. The Tango España of 1982 was the last ball to be made of genuine leather. Argentina and Italy won with the ball.
1986: Azteca
The first ball to made from synthetic materials. It played on the design of the Tango, but with a pattern that took inspiration from the host country - Mexico. The water resistance was improved and the synthetic design game is consistent qualities on all surfaces. Argentina won in 1986 with Diego Maradona even managing to punch the Azteca into the back of the net against England.
1990: Etrusco
The name took it's inspiration from the history of host country, Italy. Three Estruscan lions are represented on each of the triads. It was the first ball to contain an internal layer of polyurethane to further protect against the elements. West Germany beat Argentina in the final.
1994: Questra
FIFA brought its flagship tournament to the USA in 1994 and the ball provided was the Questra. It featured space themed decorations to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landings. It was coated in a layer of polystyrene foam and made from five different materials as Adidas wanted a more responsive ball. Some incredible goals were scored in the tournament as players found their touch and control was much better with the Questra, but many goalkeepers complained about its unpredictable nature, especially in humid conditions. Brazil won the final in Los Angeles
1998: Tricolore
After 28 years, Adidas made a departure from the black and white that had characterised their products. This ball sported the red, white and blue of France with a cockerel also inspiring the design. Internally it was similar to the Questra used previously, and it was the last ball to feature the circular Tango pattern. Home nation France beat Brazil in the final.
2002: Fevernova
The three pointed triad design of this ball was based on Asian culture for a World Cup that was co-hosted by Japan and South Korea. It retained the 32 panel design despite the change in pattern and the foam layer was refined to give the ball a more predictable flight. However, many criticised it for being too light as a number of spectacular goals were scored and many upsets occurred in the early stages. Brazil beat Germany in the final in Yokohama.
2006: Teamgeist
The design of the ball was completely overhauled for the World Cup in Germany. The Teamgeist, which means 'team spirit' in German, was made up of 14 curved panels. It was also the first World Cup ball in which the panels are thermally bonded together, rather than stitched, making it almost impermeable. In addition, it was claimed to be the roundest ball ever made. It was praised and criticised in equal measure, and a special gold version was used for the final, won on penalties by Italy.
2010: Jabulani
Probably the most famous ball Adidas have produced. It was made from only eight thermally bonded panels, which had a textured surface to improve control and aerodynamic qualities. It was universally criticised for being too light and its flight too erratic. Goalkeepers in particular found it impossible to play with and a number of stunning goals were scored in the tournament, which was won by Spain. The ball incorporated 11 colours into its design to represent the 11 official languages of host nation, South Africa.
2014: Brazuca
The number of panels was reduced again, this time to six, as Adidas strove to create a perfectly round ball. This reduction was claimed to reduce the issues that came with the Jabulani. The name stems from a term used in Brazilian Portuguese to represent the way of life of the host nation and it featured a multicoloured design. Germany beat Argentina in Rio to lift the trophy. It was also the first ball to be used in a tournament where goal-line technology was available.
2018: Telstar 18
This summer's ball takes us all the way back to the original. This ball has six panels, like the Brazuca rather than the 32 panel design of the original, but the aesthetic design is largely the same. The panels are glued together seamlessly and they retain the textured design. It has undergone significant testing over a period of more than two years to ensure seamless performance and for the first time it will contain a NFC chip to provide data to its users.