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The spectacular end of the Premier League spelt doom for football fans, considering there would be no football until August 18th 2012, barring the Champions League final. But every four years comes a respite called the World Cup, and between that long wait comes the Euro. This year is the year of the Euro, and this competition brings its own romance.
The best of Europe compete for the prestigious cup and this competition is just as susceptible to upsets, the Euro 2004 being a case in point, where Greece took the cup after booting Portugal out. Another much-awaited part of these competitions is the official ball. In the pas,t we have seen the lumpy Fevernova of the 2002 World Cup and the volatile Jabulani of the 2010 World Cup. This year though, we have the Adidas Tango 12, which has promised to be the most dependable of the lot, again.
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Officially unveiled in the group draw in Kiev by the Ukrainian vaulter Sergey Bubka, back in 2011, the Tango 12 has a rich history. The original Tango was the Tango Durlast, which was introduced in the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, and showcased an innovative design which would be used for the next two decades or so. Twenty identical panels with triads formed the then most expensive ball at $299.95.
The Ball
The Tango 12 employs the design propagated by the Jabulani with thirty two 2D panels. The Jabulani met a lot of criticism with goalkeepers in particular. The ball followed the usual parabola, but it had a mind of its own when it swerved. The Jabulani would steer clear of the intended path and could occasionally dip or rise, leaving the goalkeepers clutching at thin air. The strikers liked it to an extent, but the uncontrollable behaviour was unacceptable as a whole.
The Wind Tunnel
The Tango 12, is the fourth edition of the Tango ball, after the 1980 River Plate, the 1984 Tango Mundial and the 1988 Tango Europa. It is designed to be more in control of its flight path and easier to dribble with a series of thermally bonded triangular panels. Underneath the surface is a woven carcass and a brand new bladder for greater air retention and significantly reduced water uptake. The granular surface is the latest addition to a ball that has been used earlier in the last season of the Bundesliga and the UEFA Europa League. The ball has been conceptualised over two years and is reportedly laboratory tested. But given the similar claims for the Jabulani, only time will tell if this one hits the bar or disturbs the net. Scientists have tested the ball using ‘qualitative player testing’ across eight countries, and Tango 12 matches all FIFA requirements.
The Design
The Tango 12 is based heavily on the old Tango design and sports a contemporary design with colours from the flags of both the host nations, Ukraine and Poland. Also, parts of the design are three graphics which signify the art of decorative paper cutting which is a traditional art in both the host countries. It also communicates ‘Unity, Rivalry and Passion’; apparently the three pillars of football.
With such detail going in to the official ball, nothing can stop the Euro from literally giving us sleepless nights, given the regular UEFA match time. But what is sleep compared to a good night of football, and hopefully, the Tango 12 will regularly find its way in to the back of the net.
