2) Europass – Euro 2008
So named because of the actual pass between the two host countries of Euro 2008 – Austria and Switzerland – it was also a symbolic description of the camaraderie between the fans who attended the tournament. The design was a throwback to the old days when the ball was black-and-white but with a slight twist.
The Europass football was not stitched in the form of hexagons and pentagons. Instead, 14 different panels were used and stitched together using thermal bonding. The ball was popular not only with goalkeepers who had improved grip on the ball but also outfield players who liked it for its handling and ball control. The outer layer was also conducive to adding a swerve to the ball when needed while also improving accuracy.
The base colour was silver-white but 12 big black dots covered the surface of the ball. And it wasn’t completely black. Each dot had ‘watermarks’ with various graphics that symbolised things such as friendship, fans and even the winning goal.
