Al Rihla following famous line of World Cup balls

• Al Rihla means "the journey" in Arabic

• adidas has provided every tournament ball since Mexico 1970

• It is a far cry from 1930 when the two final teams each brought their own ball

At the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, the cream of world football will be showcasing their talents with a stunning, sustainable and high-quality Official Match Ball. The 14th successive ball created by adidas for the FIFA World Cup, the Al Rihla travels faster in flight than any other in the tournament’s history.

Al Rihla means “the journey” in Arabic, and its bold, vibrant colour is inspired by Qatar’s culture, architecture, iconic boats and flag. adidas is bringing its sporting expertise to the game’s premier event yet again by providing a match ball with sleek aesthetics that also delivers accuracy and flight stability. It is designed to support peak game speeds and, furthermore, is manufactured with strictly water-based inks and glues for additional sustainability. The ball's features include: CRT-CORE — the heart of the ball, the core provides speed, accuracy and consistency for fast-paced action and precision, with maximal shape and air retention, as well as rebound accuracy SPEEDSHELL — a textured PU skin with a new 20-piece panel shape improves the accuracy, flight stability and swerve. For more information about the Al Rihla, click here

With Qatar 2022 just days away, we mark the occasion with a brief history of the balls that have featured on football’s biggest spectacle.

The Tiento (pictured above) was one of the two match balls at the inaugural World Cup in 1930. At the time, there was no official ball, let alone a rule about who would supply it. The finalists, Argentina and Uruguay, ended up bringing their own balls to the deciding game. Argentina took a 2-1 lead in the first half in which their ball, the Tiento, was used. In the second half, however, Uruguay came roaring back with their famous T-model (pictured below) and went on to win 4-2.

Made in Rome, the Federale 102 bore an interesting resemblance to a rugby ball with its brown cowhide and 13 polygonal panels. The Federale 102 caught the eye during the final between the hosts and Czechoslovakia, when Raimundo Orsi chipped in a stunning equaliser for Italy.

The Allen ball was very similar to the Federale 102. Made by Allen, a Paris-based manufacturer, it was made of brown cowhide and consisted of 13 panels. .

The Duplo T came to replace previous balls whose hand-sewn laces were reminiscent of their rugby counterparts. Sometimes referred to as the Superball (the name of the manufacturer), the Duplo T was the first match ball to have lace-less construction on its brown cowhide outer facing, which had with 12 identical panels.

Made by a company based in Basel, Kost Sports, the Swiss World Champion featured 18 panels instead of the usual 13. It was bright yellow rather than the traditional dark brown.

At the 1958 World Cup hosted by Sweden, France’s Just Fontaine found the net 13 times with the Top Star, setting the record for the most goals scored in a single tournament. The Top Star, designed by Sydsvenska Lader & Remfabriks Manufacturing, was selected from 102 unbranded candidate balls that were blind tested by four FIFA officials.

Controversy surrounding the match ball, made by Custodio Zamora, marred the 1962 finals. The Chilean ball was not universally well received, with even referee Ken Aston unimpressed by it. The ball’s major defect was that it became heavier as water seeped in through its seams.

The 1966 World Cup in England was the last edition where the host country supplied the match ball. After careful deliberation, the English Football Association chose Slazenger's Challenge 4-Star – an 18-panel ball available in orange and yellow.

The Telstar was the first official World Cup match ball, marking the arrival of adidas as provider. Starting with the Telstar, adidas has provided the official ball for more than 50 years. The Telstar’s enticing design of 32 black-and-white panels make it one of the most iconic of all time.

The Telstar Durlast was an improved version of the original Telstar from 1970. The Telstar Durlast was the first official match ball to not only carry its name and logo but also have a polyurethane waterproof coating.

Almost as popular as the iconic Telstar range, the Tango and its successors would span from 1978 to 1998 with only minimal changes to its design. A ball with 20 hexagonal hand-stitched panels, the Tango was expensive for its time. Nevertheless, it became extremely popular and was even used as the official match ball at UEFA European Championships as well as the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.

Thanks to the popularity of its predecessors, the Tango Espana only needed minor tweaks such as better waterproofing, with the seams rubberised to prevent the ball becoming heavier due to water ingress. However, the changes were not sustainable as new balls had to be supplied when the seams were damaged. Moreover, the Tango Espana marked the end of an era for the leather ball.

For the first time, adidas produced a 100 per cent synthetic ball featuring detailed patterns of the Aztec culture. It also holds a unique place in World Cup history as the ball that Diego Maradona punched over England goalkeeper Peter Shilton for the infamous 'Hand of God' goal.

Just like its predecessor, the Etrusco Unico was inspired by the host nation’s culture: the ball features triangular triads with lion heads reminiscent of Etruscan art. Perhaps those lion heads intimidated the strikers taking part as this World Cup witnessed the lowest goals-per-game average in World Cup history.

The artwork on the Questra commemorated the 25th anniversary of the moon landing. Constructed from five different materials including a polystyrene foam, adidas made the ball more waterproof, lighter, softer and more responsive. Since it felt softer to the touch and easier to control, the Questra helped accelerate the speed of games.

The Tricolore was the first ball to feature a multi-coloured design, boasting red, blue and white colours to match the French flag.

adidas finally ditched the Tango design in 2002 and the resulting Fevernova had a very light feel.

The Teamgeist consisted of 14 thermally bonded – as opposed to stitched – panels with a harmonious combination of pentagonal and hexagonal patterns as well as rectangular shapes. In the view of many players, its softer touch and rounder design led to much more accurate shots. adidas created a special gold version, the Teamgeist Berlin, for the final (below).

While the Teamgeist of 2006 was hailed for its accuracy, the Jabulani was heavily criticised for the way it changed trajectory in the air, making long-distance shots highly unpredictable. On the other hand, some players claimed the Jabulani’s ‘Grip ‘n’ Groove’ technology enabled keepers to make better contact with the ball. The official match ball for the final was a special gold edition called the Jo’bulani, named after the host country’s capital Johannesburg.

It was Brazilian football fans who named the official match ball of the 2014 World Cup. The name Brazuca is an informal local term which means Brazilian or is used to describe the Brazilian way of life. Just like the two previous tournaments, adidas created a special edition with gold curved lines for the final: the Brazuca Final Rio.

For the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the German brand returned to Telstar. Telstar 18 was used throughout the group stage and the red-coloured Telstar Mechta replaced it for the knockout stage. Mechta translates as “dream” or “ambition” in Russian.

The official match ball for Qatar 2022 is Al Rihla, which means “the journey” in Arabic. Made exclusively with water-based inks and glues, Al Rihla is one of the most environmentally-friendly World Cup balls.